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The differences between catering assistants and waitstaffs can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a catering assistant has an average salary of $32,101, which is higher than the $25,104 average annual salary of a waitstaff.
The top three skills for a catering assistant include patients, food service and customer service. The most important skills for a waitstaff are food service, beverage orders, and culinary.
| Catering Assistant | Waitstaff | |
| Yearly salary | $32,101 | $25,104 |
| Hourly rate | $15.43 | $12.07 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 10,042 | 130,467 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Average age | 37 | 28 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A catering assistant is responsible for supporting catering operations, especially on outdoor gatherings and social events. Catering assistants prepare the buffet area and ensure the adequacy of foods and beverages, and provide the best customer service for the guests' satisfaction. Catering assistants must have excellent communication skills, responding to the guests' inquiries and concerns about the dish, and resolving immediate complaints. They maintain the cleanliness of the buffet station, strictly adhering to the sanitary standards and hygienic regulations.
The waitstaff takes responsibility for tasks like recommending dishes based on the tastes and preferences of guests, accepting payments, and taking orders. Waitstaff delivers food to tables, ensures outstanding guest experience, and accepts payments. They work with diligence to get outstanding service quality and work with the other staff. It is part of their job to show customers their seats and provide menu options. They attend to tables for food service and guarantee cleanliness standard compliance.
Catering assistants and waitstaffs have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Catering Assistant | Waitstaff | |
| Average salary | $32,101 | $25,104 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $38,000 | Between $19,000 And $32,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Falmouth, MA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Massachusetts General Hospital | Mayo Clinic |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a catering assistant and a waitstaff in terms of educational background:
| Catering Assistant | Waitstaff | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between catering assistants' and waitstaffs' demographics:
| Catering Assistant | Waitstaff | |
| Average age | 37 | 28 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 32.2% Female, 67.8% | Male, 27.3% Female, 72.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.3% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 7.2% White, 56.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% | Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 18.8% Asian, 8.4% White, 56.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |