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The differences between bar backs and waitresses can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a bar back has an average salary of $25,316, which is higher than the $24,770 average annual salary of a waitress.
The top three skills for a bar back include BARS, wine and cleanliness. The most important skills for a waitress are food orders, food preparation, and customer orders.
| Bar Back | Waitress | |
| Yearly salary | $25,316 | $24,770 |
| Hourly rate | $12.17 | $11.91 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 56,369 | 87,315 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 36% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Average age | 39 | 28 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A bar back performs various support tasks in restaurants and other dining establishments. They may assist bartenders and other staff by taking orders, serving drinks, monitoring inventories, re-stocking supplies, discarding the trash, and maintaining the cleanliness of different areas. They may also participate in opening and closing the establishment, replenishing items such as napkins and garnishes, conducting regular maintenance checks, and performing basic maintenance repairs as necessary. Moreover, as a bar back, it is essential to maintain an open communication line with co-workers, coordinating to maintain an efficient workflow.
Waitresses are responsible for ensuring that guests are given proper attention during their visit to the restaurant. They guide guests to their table, provide menu boards, answer any questions the guests may have, take the guests' order, and communicate the order to the kitchen. Once the order is ready, waitresses collect the food from the kitchen and serve it to the guests. They then give guests time to finish their meal. Upon the guests' request, waitresses bring them their bill and wait for them to finish paying up. Once the guests leave, waitresses are responsible for ensuring that the table is ready for the next guests.
Bar backs and waitresses have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Bar Back | Waitress | |
| Average salary | $25,316 | $24,770 |
| Salary range | Between $19,000 And $33,000 | Between $17,000 And $35,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New York | New York |
| Best paying company | El Camino High School | New York Institute of Technology |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a bar back and a waitress in terms of educational background:
| Bar Back | Waitress | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 36% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between bar backs' and waitresses' demographics:
| Bar Back | Waitress | |
| Average age | 39 | 28 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.0% Female, 11.0% | Male, 19.9% Female, 80.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 17.7% Asian, 6.4% White, 59.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 20.2% Asian, 8.6% White, 53.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |