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The differences between cocktail servers and bartenders 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 $26,178 average annual salary of a cocktail server.
The top three skills for a cocktail server include wine, cash handling and beverage orders. The most important skills for a bartender are wine, bartending, and exceptional guest.
| Cocktail Server | Bartender | |
| Yearly salary | $26,178 | $26,362 |
| Hourly rate | $12.59 | $12.67 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 18% |
| Number of jobs | 74,674 | 57,518 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.67 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 41% | Bachelor's Degree, 45% |
| Average age | 28 | 34 |
| Years of experience | - | 2 |
A cocktail server's responsibilities revolve around taking orders and serving drinks in a restaurant or similar establishment, ensuring accuracy and customer satisfaction. Aside from this, a cocktail server may have to process payments, clean tables, and even offer suggestions when necessary. They also have to be alert for any signs of disruptive behavior from intoxicated to underage customers. Furthermore, it is essential to communicate and coordinate with the bartender and other kitchen staff to ensure that every patron gets their order, especially on days when there's a high customer presence.
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.
Cocktail servers and bartenders have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Cocktail Server | Bartender | |
| Average salary | $26,178 | $26,362 |
| Salary range | Between $16,000 And $42,000 | Between $16,000 And $43,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Aspen Snowmass | OTTO |
| Best paying industry | Media | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a cocktail server and a bartender in terms of educational background:
| Cocktail Server | Bartender | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 41% | Bachelor's Degree, 45% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between cocktail servers' and bartenders' demographics:
| Cocktail Server | Bartender | |
| Average age | 28 | 34 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 13.0% Female, 87.0% | Male, 39.7% Female, 60.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 22.8% Asian, 8.1% White, 51.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 8% |