Cook and waitress/waiter vs cocktail waitress

The differences between cook and waitresses/waiter and cocktail waitresses can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a cook and waitress/waiter has an average salary of $27,271, which is higher than the $26,819 average annual salary of a cocktail waitress.

The top three skills for a cook and waitress/waiter include food handling, customer service and waiter. The most important skills for a cocktail waitress are customer service, drink orders, and non-alcoholic beverages.

Cook and waitress/waiter vs cocktail waitress overview

	Cook And Waitress/Waiter	Cocktail Waitress
Yearly salary	$27,271	$26,819
Hourly rate	$13.11	$12.89
Growth rate	10%	10%
Number of jobs	268,608	77,429
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 42%	Bachelor's Degree, 35%
Average age	28	28
Years of experience	-	-

Cook and waitress/waiter vs cocktail waitress salary

Cook and waitresses/waiter and cocktail waitresses have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Cook And Waitress/Waiter	Cocktail Waitress
Average salary	$27,271	$26,819
Salary range	Between $20,000 And $36,000	Between $19,000 And $36,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between cook and waitress/waiter and cocktail waitress education

There are a few differences between a cook and waitress/waiter and a cocktail waitress in terms of educational background:

	Cook And Waitress/Waiter	Cocktail Waitress
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 42%	Bachelor's Degree, 35%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Cook and waitress/waiter vs cocktail waitress demographics

Here are the differences between cook and waitresses/waiter' and cocktail waitresses' demographics:

	Cook And Waitress/Waiter	Cocktail Waitress
Average age	28	28
Gender ratio	Male, 74.8% Female, 25.2%	Male, 5.7% Female, 94.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 8.7% White, 54.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 21.6% Asian, 7.8% White, 53.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between cook and waitress/waiter and cocktail waitress duties and responsibilities

Cook and waitress/waiter example responsibilities.

Enter orders into a POS system to be send to the kitchen.
Assist in cashier duties using POS system to make all monetary transactions of food items.
Develop relationships with regular patrons; develop an understanding of their personal needs and expectations, including preferences and food allergies.
Service of drinks, cocktails and food in a busy, members only VIP environment.

Cocktail waitress example responsibilities.

Offer first--class customer service to ensure VIP guests enjoy their club experiences in very fast--pace environment.
Relay orders to bar and kitchen quickly and accurately recording guest selections and keying into the POS system.
Assist bar tenders in peak hours and cash out customers as they exit the restaurant (POS cash register system).
Serve customers alcoholic beverages and accommodate VIP and special requests
Establish a positive relationship with co-workers and managers through a solid work ethic, positive attitude, punctuality and dependability.
Uphold a high level of professionalism, service, and attentiveness to guests.

Cook and waitress/waiter vs cocktail waitress skills

Common cook and waitress/waiter skills

Food Handling, 58%
Customer Service, 14%
Waiter, 5%
Food Orders, 3%
Food Service, 2%
Food Preparation, 2%

Common cocktail waitress skills

Customer Service, 29%
Drink Orders, 10%
Non-Alcoholic Beverages, 8%
POS, 8%
Beverage Orders, 5%
Bartending, 4%

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Food Preparation and Restaurant Industry
Cook And Waitress/Waiter
Cook And Waitress/Waiter vs Cocktail Waitress

Updated January 8, 2025

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