Soda fountain operator vs cafeteria server

The differences between soda fountain operators and cafeteria servers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a soda fountain operator has an average salary of $30,611, which is higher than the $29,674 average annual salary of a cafeteria server.

The top three skills for a soda fountain operator include equipment temperatures, customer service and customer orders. The most important skills for a cafeteria server are clean kitchen, quality customer service, and portion control.

Soda fountain operator vs cafeteria server overview

	Soda Fountain Operator	Cafeteria Server
Yearly salary	$30,611	$29,674
Hourly rate	$14.72	$14.27
Growth rate	14%	14%
Number of jobs	35,897	74,546
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 51%	High School Diploma, 41%
Average age	23	23
Years of experience	-	-

Soda fountain operator vs cafeteria server salary

Soda fountain operators and cafeteria servers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Soda Fountain Operator	Cafeteria Server
Average salary	$30,611	$29,674
Salary range	Between $23,000 And $40,000	Between $23,000 And $37,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between soda fountain operator and cafeteria server education

There are a few differences between a soda fountain operator and a cafeteria server in terms of educational background:

	Soda Fountain Operator	Cafeteria Server
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 51%	High School Diploma, 41%
Most common major	General Studies	Business
Most common college	-	-

Soda fountain operator vs cafeteria server demographics

Here are the differences between soda fountain operators' and cafeteria servers' demographics:

	Soda Fountain Operator	Cafeteria Server
Average age	23	23
Gender ratio	Male, 58.9% Female, 41.1%	Male, 28.7% Female, 71.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 6.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 6.5% White, 57.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 6.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 6.5% White, 57.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between soda fountain operator and cafeteria server duties and responsibilities

Soda fountain operator example responsibilities.

Used commercial culinary equipment including espresso machine, commercial ovens and bread slicers.
Prepare sandwiches, salads, wraps, smoothies, and other beverages.

Cafeteria server example responsibilities.

Manage event reservations and party requests, inform customers about upcoming events and specials.
Establish a positive relationship with co-workers and managers through a solid work ethic, positive attitude, punctuality and dependability.
Develop credibility and confidence with VIP guests by maintaining confidentiality and complying with company standards.

Soda fountain operator vs cafeteria server skills

Common soda fountain operator skills

Equipment Temperatures, 84%
Customer Service, 7%
Customer Orders, 4%
Drive-Thru, 2%
Customer Satisfaction, 2%

Common cafeteria server skills

Clean Kitchen, 37%
Quality Customer Service, 21%
Portion Control, 14%
Food Products, 8%
Service Line, 7%
Kitchen Equipment, 7%

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Soda Fountain Operator
Soda Fountain Operator vs Cafeteria Server

Updated January 8, 2025

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