Bar host vs food runner/busser

The differences between bar hosts and food runner/bussers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a food runner/busser has an average salary of $28,577, which is higher than the $24,113 average annual salary of a bar host.

The top three skills for a bar host include reservations, wine and guest satisfaction. The most important skills for a food runner/busser are cleanliness, wine, and excellent guest.

Bar host vs food runner/busser overview

	Bar Host	Food Runner/Busser
Yearly salary	$24,113	$28,577
Hourly rate	$11.59	$13.74
Growth rate	9%	14%
Number of jobs	82,035	124,680
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 42%	High School Diploma, 42%
Average age	23	23
Years of experience	-	-

Bar host vs food runner/busser salary

Bar hosts and food runner/bussers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Bar Host	Food Runner/Busser
Average salary	$24,113	$28,577
Salary range	Between $18,000 And $31,000	Between $22,000 And $36,000
Highest paying City	-	Seattle, WA
Highest paying state	-	New Hampshire
Best paying company	-	The Culinary Institute of America
Best paying industry	-	Hospitality

Differences between bar host and food runner/busser education

There are a few differences between a bar host and a food runner/busser in terms of educational background:

	Bar Host	Food Runner/Busser
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 42%	High School Diploma, 42%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Bar host vs food runner/busser demographics

Here are the differences between bar hosts' and food runner/bussers' demographics:

	Bar Host	Food Runner/Busser
Average age	23	23
Gender ratio	Male, 71.1% Female, 28.9%	Male, 75.4% Female, 24.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.6% Unknown, 7.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.5% Asian, 5.8% White, 58.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	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	5%	8%

Differences between bar host and food runner/busser duties and responsibilities

Bar host example responsibilities.

Assist guests in booking reservations and manage guest history data using OpenTable reservation system.
Provide guests with an excellent dining experience by asking questions about allergies or preferences and initiating conversation for customer confidence.
Build relationships with guests -help prepare for restaurant opening -Maintain restaurant at all times -Persuasive- positive use of upselling techniques

Food runner/busser example responsibilities.

Manage event reservations and party requests, inform customers about upcoming events and specials.
Educate and experience in fine dining experience, professional etiquette and wine knowledge
Operate a POS system, highly experience with cash handling methods.
Give assistance to clients at POS to ensure a pleasant shopping experience.
Note allergies and special accommodations on receipts to ensure customer safety and satisfaction.
Collaborate closely alongside coworkers to ensure customer satisfaction and overall cleanliness of the establishment.

Bar host vs food runner/busser skills

Common bar host skills

Reservations, 24%
Wine, 10%
Guest Satisfaction, 7%
POS, 7%
Cleanliness, 7%
Fine Dining, 6%

Common food runner/busser skills

Cleanliness, 14%
Wine, 13%
Excellent Guest, 8%
Culinary, 6%
Water Glasses, 6%
Food Delivery, 5%

Bar Host vs. similar jobs

Bar Host related careers

Bar Host related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Food Preparation and Restaurant Industry
Bar Host
Bar Host vs Food Runner/Busser

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse food preparation and restaurant jobs