Bartender vs beverage server

The differences between bartenders and beverage servers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a bartender has an average salary of $26,362, which is higher than the $25,886 average annual salary of a beverage server.

The top three skills for a bartender include wine, bartending and exceptional guest. The most important skills for a beverage server are drink orders, guest service, and beverage orders.

Bartender vs beverage server overview

	Bartender	Beverage Server
Yearly salary	$26,362	$25,886
Hourly rate	$12.67	$12.45
Growth rate	18%	10%
Number of jobs	57,518	79,100
Job satisfaction	4.67	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 45%	Bachelor's Degree, 32%
Average age	34	28
Years of experience	2	-

What does a bartender do?

A bartender is an expert in mixing and serving alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages, either directly to customers at the bar or through waitstaff who place drink orders for dine-in or room customers. Bartenders should have a wide range of knowledge of drink recipes and be able to assess customers' needs and preferences to make recommendations. They should mix drinks accurately, quickly, and without waste. They are also responsible for checking the customers' identification to ensure they are of legal drinking age and monitor the level of their intoxication.

What does a beverage server do?

A beverage server specializes in mixing and preparing drinks, serving them to customers courteously. Their responsibilities also include greeting the customers, taking orders, answering inquiries, offering recommendations when necessary, and checking the customers' identification to confirm their ages. They may also provide assistance to managers by monitoring beverage inventories, receiving and unloading deliveries, organizing supplies and equipment, and maintaining the cleanliness of work areas. Moreover, as a beverage server, it is essential to have a clear communication line with co-workers for smooth work operations.

Bartender vs beverage server salary

Bartenders and beverage servers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Bartender	Beverage Server
Average salary	$26,362	$25,886
Salary range	Between $16,000 And $43,000	Between $20,000 And $33,000
Highest paying City	Seattle, WA	-
Highest paying state	Hawaii	-
Best paying company	OTTO	-
Best paying industry	Hospitality	-

Differences between bartender and beverage server education

There are a few differences between a bartender and a beverage server in terms of educational background:

	Bartender	Beverage Server
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 45%	Bachelor's Degree, 32%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Bartender vs beverage server demographics

Here are the differences between bartenders' and beverage servers' demographics:

	Bartender	Beverage Server
Average age	34	28
Gender ratio	Male, 39.7% Female, 60.3%	Male, 13.6% Female, 86.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 5.6% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 3.7% White, 65.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 19.3% Asian, 8.3% White, 54.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	8%	6%

Differences between bartender and beverage server duties and responsibilities

Bartender example responsibilities.

Train and manage all new bartenders achieving significant results in their productivity and knowledge.
Manage bar and staff, tend bar, DJ and operate karaoke equipment.
Manage and promote company Facebook account.
Provide seamless beverage service, managing inventory and operating POS terminal.
Manage payroll and timekeeping including completion of proper paperwork for new hires and terminations.
Direct bartending operations, overseeing beverage service, scheduling, inventory management and customer service.

Beverage server example responsibilities.

Open and close the register, provide credit card and cash reports, and batches on POS.
Learned more about different liquor, cocktails and wine, drink mixes and special drink of the month.
Work with large amounts of cash as well as credit cards, and knowledge of the POS system.
Present menus to guest, answer and give information about menu items such as wine selections to pair with meal.
Maintain cleanliness in assign section utilizing a silent service approach.
Supervise daily operations to ensure food safety, product preparation, cleanliness standards are maintain.

Bartender vs beverage server skills

Common bartender skills

Wine, 23%
Bartending, 10%
Exceptional Guest, 7%
Cleanliness, 6%
Non-Alcoholic Beverages, 5%
Cash Handling, 4%

Common beverage server skills

Drink Orders, 10%
Guest Service, 9%
Beverage Orders, 8%
Exceptional Guest, 6%
Guest Satisfaction, 5%
Professional Appearance, 5%

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Food Preparation and Restaurant Industry
Bartender
Bartender vs Beverage Server

Updated January 8, 2025

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