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Banquet server vs lead server

The differences between banquet servers and lead servers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a banquet server has an average salary of $29,017, which is higher than the $28,677 average annual salary of a lead server.

The top three skills for a banquet server include wine, cleanliness and food service. The most important skills for a lead server are customer service, new servers, and fine dining.

Banquet server vs lead server overview

Banquet ServerLead Server
Yearly salary$29,017$28,677
Hourly rate$13.95$13.79
Growth rate10%10%
Number of jobs125,381123,215
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 41%Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Average age2828
Years of experience--

What does a banquet server do?

A banquet server is responsible for assisting guests in food catering events. Banquet servers' duties include arranging tables as the client desires, preparing the catering setup, refilling foods and beverages, managing guests' inquiries and possible complaints, keeping the food area clean, and maintaining the highest sanitation standards for the guests' best banquet experience. A banquet server should have excellent communication and time-management skills, especially on serving guests that would require utmost care and safe handling.

What does a lead server do?

A lead server is responsible for assisting the guests' needs, responding to their inquiries, and immediately addressing their dining concerns. Lead servers ensure the timely and accurate serving of orders, offering promotional menus and other additional services. Lead servers must have excellent communication skills to interact with the guests, as well as time-management and multitasking skills to perform duties in the fast-paced environment. They also help in developing strategic procedures and food menu recommendations by researching on the latest food trends in the industry to generate revenues and attract more customers.

Banquet server vs lead server salary

Banquet servers and lead servers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Banquet ServerLead Server
Average salary$29,017$28,677
Salary rangeBetween $20,000 And $40,000Between $11,000 And $70,000
Highest paying CityWashington, DCNew York, NY
Highest paying stateMassachusettsHawaii
Best paying companyEndicott CollegeMicrosoft
Best paying industryProfessionalHospitality

Differences between banquet server and lead server education

There are a few differences between a banquet server and a lead server in terms of educational background:

Banquet ServerLead Server
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 41%Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college--

Banquet server vs lead server demographics

Here are the differences between banquet servers' and lead servers' demographics:

Banquet ServerLead Server
Average age2828
Gender ratioMale, 37.5% Female, 62.5%Male, 37.5% Female, 62.5%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 19.7% Asian, 7.9% White, 54.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 19.7% Asian, 8.7% White, 53.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between banquet server and lead server duties and responsibilities

Banquet server example responsibilities.

  • Provide professional bartending and hospitality services to optimize customer service experiences for private, corporate, and public events.
  • Create PowerPoint food presentations for training purposes.
  • Gain skills in customer dining service, hospitality and compassion.
  • Analyze BEOs to ensure rooms are prepare each day for schedule events.
  • Organize and run every event book through cold calling or past guests.
  • Review BEOs in order to ensure proper room setup and A/V requests are meet.
  • Show more

Lead server example responsibilities.

  • Establish payroll policies and manage multiple areas of restaurant operations.
  • Manage technical support, business analysis, project management, application development and support, training, and facilitation.
  • Provide leadership to crew and shift managers guaranteeing great quality, customer service and cleanliness according to the public health code.
  • Train new employees on police, procedures, and micros system.
  • Take orders from customers, input orders into micros, and obtain payment and provide change.
  • Execute bartending duties and prepare service bar drinks (wine tasting flights, glass pours, cocktails, etc . )
  • Show more

Banquet server vs lead server skills

Common banquet server skills
  • Wine, 12%
  • Cleanliness, 10%
  • Food Service, 9%
  • Customer Service, 6%
  • Professional Appearance, 5%
  • Beverage Service, 5%
Common lead server skills
  • Customer Service, 22%
  • New Servers, 11%
  • Fine Dining, 9%
  • POS, 7%
  • Food Service, 6%
  • Guest Satisfaction, 4%

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