Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between bussers 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 $24,111 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 food runner/busser are cleanliness, wine, and excellent guest.
| Busser | Food Runner/Busser | |
| Yearly salary | $24,111 | $28,577 |
| Hourly rate | $11.59 | $13.74 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 14,989 | 124,680 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 49% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Average age | 39 | 23 |
| 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 food runner or busser is an employee who works at a restaurant to provide quality food services to customers and patrons. Food runners or bussers perform food preparation and ensure that foods are delivered promptly to the appropriate customers' tables. In case the bar server is busy, food runners or bussers may take the drink orders of customers at the bar counter. They also make sure that tables are bussed, cleaned, and set up for the next paying customers.
Bussers and food runner/bussers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Busser | Food Runner/Busser | |
| Average salary | $24,111 | $28,577 |
| Salary range | Between $17,000 And $33,000 | Between $22,000 And $36,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Maine | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | Dell | The Culinary Institute of America |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a busser and a food runner/busser in terms of educational background:
| Busser | Food Runner/Busser | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 49% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between bussers' and food runner/bussers' demographics:
| Busser | Food Runner/Busser | |
| Average age | 39 | 23 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 73.1% Female, 26.9% | Male, 75.4% Female, 24.6% |
| 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, 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 | 6% | 8% |