Bar waiter/waitress vs food server

The differences between bar waiter/waitresses and food servers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a food server has an average salary of $25,209, which is higher than the $24,853 average annual salary of a bar waiter/waitress.

The top three skills for a bar waiter/waitress include food handling, customer service and drink orders. The most important skills for a food server are beverage orders, wine, and cleanliness.

Bar waiter/waitress vs food server overview

	Bar Waiter/Waitress	Food Server
Yearly salary	$24,853	$25,209
Hourly rate	$11.95	$12.12
Growth rate	10%	9%
Number of jobs	68,749	125,455
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 39%	High School Diploma, 36%
Average age	28	42
Years of experience	-	-

Bar waiter/waitress vs food server salary

Bar waiter/waitresses and food servers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Bar Waiter/Waitress	Food Server
Average salary	$24,853	$25,209
Salary range	Between $16,000 And $38,000	Between $18,000 And $34,000
Highest paying City	Washington, DC	Los Angeles, CA
Highest paying state	California	Vermont
Best paying company	Compass Group USA	Gettysburg College
Best paying industry	Hospitality	Retail

Differences between bar waiter/waitress and food server education

There are a few differences between a bar waiter/waitress and a food server in terms of educational background:

	Bar Waiter/Waitress	Food Server
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 39%	High School Diploma, 36%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Bar waiter/waitress vs food server demographics

Here are the differences between bar waiter/waitresses' and food servers' demographics:

	Bar Waiter/Waitress	Food Server
Average age	28	42
Gender ratio	Male, 38.0% Female, 62.0%	Male, 36.0% Female, 64.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 19.3% Asian, 8.2% White, 54.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 4.2% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 20.4% Asian, 8.7% White, 60.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	6%	7%

Differences between bar waiter/waitress and food server duties and responsibilities

Bar waiter/waitress example responsibilities.

Set up, work in, and manage the private room events as both bartender and waiter.
Extend exceptional customer service to bar customers while maintaining hotel standards and Colorado state laws associate with bartending.
Handle cash money and POS machine.
Learned and used the cash register point of sale (POS) computer system/handle money.
Work in the kitchen as a grill cook, utilizing deep fryers and ovens as well.
Table service, bartending periodically, expediting & running food, at a very fast pace due to the volume.

Food server example responsibilities.

Manage expediter window paying close attention to garnishes and presentation.
Provide outstanding customer service by communicating clearly and effectively while maintaining the cleanliness and organization of the restaurant.
Serve tables in a busy caf /bar environment.
Handle all transactions, both in person and by headset in drive-thru.
Work the Drive-Thru counter assisting numerous customers at a fast and friendly pace.
Prepare and serve delicious espresso, coffee drinks, and smoothies according to memorize recipes.

Bar waiter/waitress vs food server skills

Common bar waiter/waitress skills

Food Handling, 50%
Customer Service, 12%
Drink Orders, 10%
Exceptional Dining, 3%
Waiter, 2%
Food Orders, 2%

Common food server skills

Beverage Orders, 10%
Wine, 9%
Cleanliness, 9%
Customer Service, 9%
Guest Service, 6%
Cash Handling, 5%

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Bar Waiter/Waitress
Bar Waiter/Waitress vs Food Server

Updated January 8, 2025

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