Cook and waitress/waiter vs server and hostess

The differences between cook and waitresses/waiter and server and hostesses can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a server and hostess has an average salary of $28,020, which is higher than the $27,271 average annual salary of a cook and waitress/waiter.

The top three skills for a cook and waitress/waiter include food handling, customer service and waiter. The most important skills for a server and hostess are POS, food preparation, and food orders.

Cook and waitress/waiter vs server and hostess overview

	Cook And Waitress/Waiter	Server And Hostess
Yearly salary	$27,271	$28,020
Hourly rate	$13.11	$13.47
Growth rate	10%	10%
Number of jobs	268,608	97,109
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 42%	High School Diploma, 39%
Average age	28	28
Years of experience	-	-

Cook and waitress/waiter vs server and hostess salary

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

	Cook And Waitress/Waiter	Server And Hostess
Average salary	$27,271	$28,020
Salary range	Between $20,000 And $36,000	Between $21,000 And $37,000
Highest paying City	-	Binghamton, NY
Highest paying state	-	New York
Best paying company	-	Blue Dolphin Energy
Best paying industry	-	Hospitality

Differences between cook and waitress/waiter and server and hostess education

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

	Cook And Waitress/Waiter	Server And Hostess
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 42%	High School Diploma, 39%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Cook and waitress/waiter vs server and hostess demographics

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

	Cook And Waitress/Waiter	Server And Hostess
Average age	28	28
Gender ratio	Male, 74.8% Female, 25.2%	Male, 18.3% Female, 81.7%
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, 11.4% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 20.8% Asian, 8.2% White, 53.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between cook and waitress/waiter and server and hostess 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.

Server and hostess example responsibilities.

Assist guests in booking reservations and manage guest history data using OpenTable reservation system.
Provide quality customer service, process customer transactions utilizing proprietary POS system, skillfully handle cash and credit card transactions.
Perform bartending duties during busy events or whenever require.
Coordinate with kitchen managerial staff using POS systems to ensure timely and accurate order preparation.
Provide guests with an excellent dining experience by asking questions about allergies or preferences and initiating conversation for customer confidence.
Manage expediter window paying close attention to garnishes and presentation.

Cook and waitress/waiter vs server and hostess 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 server and hostess skills

POS, 11%
Food Preparation, 10%
Food Orders, 9%
Customer Orders, 7%
Customer Service, 6%
Drink Orders, 5%

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Food Preparation and Restaurant Industry
Cook And Waitress/Waiter
Cook And Waitress/Waiter vs Server And Hostess

Updated January 8, 2025

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