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The differences between bussers and dining room servers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a dining room server has an average salary of $29,540, which is higher than the $24,111 average annual salary of a busser.
The top three skills for a busser include cleanliness, work ethic and TIP. The most important skills for a dining room server are fine dining, food service, and cleanliness.
| Busser | Dining Room Server | |
| Yearly salary | $24,111 | $29,540 |
| Hourly rate | $11.59 | $14.20 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 14,989 | 99,079 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 42% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
Busser, also known as dining room attendants or bartender helpers, is an entry-level position in the restaurant and dining industry. The bussers help in preparing the dining areas before guests arrive and decorating tables with a set of candles, napkins, linens, flowers, or other ornaments, especially if with a special theme for the day, usually when it's a national celebration or holidays. Also, they assist in cleaning the tables, clearing plates, used utensils, drinkware, and other dishes to the kitchen to be washed, refilling diners' glasses with water, and make the tables ready for the next set of service.
A dining room server performs various tasks to give patrons a positive dining experience. Their job usually entails greeting customers and presenting the menu, taking their orders, answering inquiries, recommending products and other services, serving drinks and food, and handling concerns professionally and courteously. They are also responsible for coordinating with cashiers and kitchen staff, cleaning and preparing tables for new customers, and assisting staff as needed. In some establishments, a dining room server may also participate in preparing drinks or ingredients, monitoring supply inventories, and collecting payments.
Bussers and dining room servers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Busser | Dining Room Server | |
| Average salary | $24,111 | $29,540 |
| Salary range | Between $17,000 And $33,000 | Between $23,000 And $37,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Marysville, WA |
| Highest paying state | Maine | Washington |
| Best paying company | Dell | Eastmont School District |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a busser and a dining room server in terms of educational background:
| Busser | Dining Room Server | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 42% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between bussers' and dining room servers' demographics:
| Busser | Dining Room Server | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 73.1% Female, 26.9% | Male, 35.1% Female, 64.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.7% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 20.1% Asian, 7.1% White, 57.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 13.5% Asian, 7.5% White, 62.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |