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Bar waiter/waitress vs restaurant server

The differences between bar waiter/waitresses and restaurant servers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a bar waiter/waitress has an average salary of $24,853, which is higher than the $24,558 average annual salary of a restaurant server.

The top three skills for a bar waiter/waitress include food handling, customer service and drink orders. The most important skills for a restaurant server are wine, exceptional dining, and guest satisfaction.

Bar waiter/waitress vs restaurant server overview

Bar Waiter/WaitressRestaurant Server
Yearly salary$24,853$24,558
Hourly rate$11.95$11.81
Growth rate10%10%
Number of jobs68,749141,250
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 39%Bachelor's Degree, 48%
Average age2828
Years of experience--

Bar waiter/waitress vs restaurant server salary

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

Bar Waiter/WaitressRestaurant Server
Average salary$24,853$24,558
Salary rangeBetween $16,000 And $38,000Between $15,000 And $37,000
Highest paying CityWashington, DCWashington, DC
Highest paying stateCaliforniaCalifornia
Best paying companyCompass Group USAUniversity of California, Berkeley
Best paying industryHospitalityAgriculture

Differences between bar waiter/waitress and restaurant server education

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

Bar Waiter/WaitressRestaurant Server
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 39%Bachelor's Degree, 48%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college--

Bar waiter/waitress vs restaurant server demographics

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

Bar Waiter/WaitressRestaurant Server
Average age2828
Gender ratioMale, 38.0% Female, 62.0%Male, 40.8% Female, 59.2%
Race ratioBlack 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, 10.9% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 20.9% Asian, 9.4% White, 52.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between bar waiter/waitress and restaurant 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.
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Restaurant server example responsibilities.

  • Demonstrate adequate culinary and Italian wine knowledge through suggestive selling.
  • Input orders in micros and issue guest check for each order.
  • Prepare the groceries for the customer in their request baggage handing.3.
  • Maintain clean, sanitize FOH area and ensure health & safety and hygiene procedures and standards are meet.
  • Work with operations manager in ordering and setting up all FOH systems need in opening a new restaurant.
  • Provide thorough knowledge of the restaurant's menu to make recommendations or answer questions, and enter POS charges.
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Bar waiter/waitress vs restaurant 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 restaurant server skills
  • Wine, 28%
  • Exceptional Dining, 6%
  • Guest Satisfaction, 5%
  • Cleanliness, 5%
  • POS, 5%
  • Food Service, 5%

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