Soda fountain operator vs counter helper

The differences between soda fountain operators and counter helpers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a counter helper has an average salary of $31,028, which is higher than the $30,611 average annual salary of a soda fountain operator.

The top three skills for a soda fountain operator include equipment temperatures, customer service and customer orders. The most important skills for a counter helper are POS, customer service, and food orders.

Soda fountain operator vs counter helper overview

	Soda Fountain Operator	Counter Helper
Yearly salary	$30,611	$31,028
Hourly rate	$14.72	$14.92
Growth rate	14%	14%
Number of jobs	35,897	84,190
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 51%	High School Diploma, 43%
Average age	23	23
Years of experience	-	-

Soda fountain operator vs counter helper salary

Soda fountain operators and counter helpers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Soda Fountain Operator	Counter Helper
Average salary	$30,611	$31,028
Salary range	Between $23,000 And $40,000	Between $23,000 And $40,000
Highest paying City	-	Vancouver, WA
Highest paying state	-	Maine
Best paying company	-	The George Washington University
Best paying industry	-	Hospitality

Differences between soda fountain operator and counter helper education

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

	Soda Fountain Operator	Counter Helper
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 51%	High School Diploma, 43%
Most common major	General Studies	Business
Most common college	-	-

Soda fountain operator vs counter helper demographics

Here are the differences between soda fountain operators' and counter helpers' demographics:

	Soda Fountain Operator	Counter Helper
Average age	23	23
Gender ratio	Male, 58.9% Female, 41.1%	Male, 26.7% Female, 73.3%
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 counter helper 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.

Counter helper example responsibilities.

Require to use mental math when counting back change to the customer.
Assist customers, serve drinks and food, run the cash register and clean.
Communicate clearly and positively with co-workers and management.
Monitor guest for intoxication and immediately report concerns to management.
Replace or attach bar code labels on every ammunition containers for identification and location.
Develop leadership skills by mentoring new employees, prioritizing and delegating tasks.

Soda fountain operator vs counter helper skills

Common soda fountain operator skills

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

Common counter helper skills

POS, 19%
Customer Service, 12%
Food Orders, 12%
Customer Satisfaction, 7%
Customer Complaints, 6%
Steam Tables, 5%

Soda Fountain Operator vs. similar jobs

Soda Fountain Operator related careers

Soda Fountain Operator related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Food Preparation and Restaurant Industry
Soda Fountain Operator
Soda Fountain Operator vs Counter Helper

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse food preparation and restaurant jobs