Soda fountain operator vs counter server

The differences between soda fountain operators and counter servers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a counter server has an average salary of $32,460, 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 server are food handling, excellent guest, and basic math.

Soda fountain operator vs counter server overview

	Soda Fountain Operator	Counter Server
Yearly salary	$30,611	$32,460
Hourly rate	$14.72	$15.61
Growth rate	14%	14%
Number of jobs	35,897	85,069
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 51%	Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Average age	23	23
Years of experience	-	-

Soda fountain operator vs counter server salary

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

	Soda Fountain Operator	Counter Server
Average salary	$30,611	$32,460
Salary range	Between $23,000 And $40,000	Between $24,000 And $43,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between soda fountain operator and counter server education

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

	Soda Fountain Operator	Counter Server
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 51%	Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Most common major	General Studies	Business
Most common college	-	-

Soda fountain operator vs counter server demographics

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

	Soda Fountain Operator	Counter Server
Average age	23	23
Gender ratio	Male, 58.9% Female, 41.1%	Male, 28.0% Female, 72.0%
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 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.

Counter server example responsibilities.

Answer telephones and enter orders into POS system.
Operate POS terminal to process customers' orders, swipe credit cards, and enter cash amounts.
Provide guests with an excellent dining experience by asking questions about allergies or preferences and initiating conversation for customer confidence.
Prepare some salads, shakes, smoothies, and juices.
Monitor guest for intoxication and immediately report concerns to management.

Soda fountain operator vs counter server skills

Common soda fountain operator skills

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

Common counter server skills

Food Handling, 24%
Excellent Guest, 19%
Basic Math, 14%
Wine, 9%
Cash Handling, 6%
Culinary, 6%

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Food Preparation and Restaurant Industry
Soda Fountain Operator
Soda Fountain Operator vs Counter Server

Updated January 8, 2025

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