Soda fountain operator vs food counter worker

The differences between soda fountain operators and food counter workers 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 $25,007 average annual salary of a food counter worker.

The top three skills for a soda fountain operator include equipment temperatures, customer service and customer orders. The most important skills for a food counter worker are food handling, basic math, and safety standards.

Soda fountain operator vs food counter worker overview

	Soda Fountain Operator	Food Counter Worker
Yearly salary	$30,611	$25,007
Hourly rate	$14.72	$12.02
Growth rate	14%	14%
Number of jobs	35,897	74,035
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 51%	High School Diploma, 36%
Average age	23	23
Years of experience	-	-

Soda fountain operator vs food counter worker salary

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

	Soda Fountain Operator	Food Counter Worker
Average salary	$30,611	$25,007
Salary range	Between $23,000 And $40,000	Between $18,000 And $33,000
Highest paying City	-	Andover, MA
Highest paying state	-	North Dakota
Best paying company	-	UC Merced
Best paying industry	-	Start-up

Differences between soda fountain operator and food counter worker education

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

	Soda Fountain Operator	Food Counter Worker
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 51%	High School Diploma, 36%
Most common major	General Studies	Business
Most common college	-	-

Soda fountain operator vs food counter worker demographics

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

	Soda Fountain Operator	Food Counter Worker
Average age	23	23
Gender ratio	Male, 58.9% Female, 41.1%	Male, 41.2% Female, 58.8%
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 food counter worker 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.

Food counter worker example responsibilities.

Provide coffee and pastries for customers, make coffee and smoothies.
Assist with planning and directing food preparation and culinary activities along with safely handling and storing all products appropriately.
Sandwich making, cutting vegetables, cleaning fryers, washing dishes, cleaning of the dining area and cleaning the bathrooms.
Prepare personalized smoothies and meals for customers

Soda fountain operator vs food counter worker skills

Common soda fountain operator skills

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

Common food counter worker skills

Food Handling, 29%
Basic Math, 18%
Safety Standards, 16%
Cleanliness, 12%
Customer Complaints, 5%
Customer Service, 4%

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Soda Fountain Operator
Soda Fountain Operator vs Food Counter Worker

Updated January 8, 2025

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