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The differences between caterers and waitresses can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a caterer has an average salary of $28,891, which is higher than the $24,770 average annual salary of a waitress.
The top three skills for a caterer include food service, kitchen equipment and food delivery. The most important skills for a waitress are food orders, food preparation, and customer orders.
| Caterer | Waitress | |
| Yearly salary | $28,891 | $24,770 |
| Hourly rate | $13.89 | $11.91 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 1,648 | 87,315 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 41% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Average age | 37 | 28 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A caterer is responsible for monitoring food preparation and presentation, ensuring the adequacy and accuracy of food stock based on the clients' specifications and guest count. Caterers often work with clients for special occasions and events, identify their needs, including the menu and nutritional requirements. They arrange food services from the dinnerware to choosing the appropriate staff to help with assisting the food preparation in the event's location. A caterer should maintain the highest sanitary standards at all times to guarantee the foods' safety, as well as showcase communication skills when responding to the clients' inquiries and concerns.
Waitresses are responsible for ensuring that guests are given proper attention during their visit to the restaurant. They guide guests to their table, provide menu boards, answer any questions the guests may have, take the guests' order, and communicate the order to the kitchen. Once the order is ready, waitresses collect the food from the kitchen and serve it to the guests. They then give guests time to finish their meal. Upon the guests' request, waitresses bring them their bill and wait for them to finish paying up. Once the guests leave, waitresses are responsible for ensuring that the table is ready for the next guests.
Caterers and waitresses have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Caterer | Waitress | |
| Average salary | $28,891 | $24,770 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $36,000 | Between $17,000 And $35,000 |
| Highest paying City | Beverly, MA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New York | New York |
| Best paying company | The College of St. Scholastica | New York Institute of Technology |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a caterer and a waitress in terms of educational background:
| Caterer | Waitress | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 41% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between caterers' and waitresses' demographics:
| Caterer | Waitress | |
| Average age | 37 | 28 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 43.0% Female, 57.0% | Male, 19.9% Female, 80.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.7% Asian, 6.1% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 20.2% Asian, 8.6% White, 53.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 6% |