Cook and waitress/waiter vs server

The differences between cook and waitresses/waiter and servers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a server has an average salary of $29,901, 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 are wine, customer service, and guest satisfaction.

Cook and waitress/waiter vs server overview

	Cook And Waitress/Waiter	Server
Yearly salary	$27,271	$29,901
Hourly rate	$13.11	$14.38
Growth rate	10%	10%
Number of jobs	268,608	162,734
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 42%	Bachelor's Degree, 40%
Average age	28	28
Years of experience	-	-

Cook and waitress/waiter vs server salary

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

	Cook And Waitress/Waiter	Server
Average salary	$27,271	$29,901
Salary range	Between $20,000 And $36,000	Between $21,000 And $42,000
Highest paying City	-	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	-	New York
Best paying company	-	Dell
Best paying industry	-	Hospitality

Differences between cook and waitress/waiter and server education

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

	Cook And Waitress/Waiter	Server
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 42%	Bachelor's Degree, 40%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Cook and waitress/waiter vs server demographics

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

	Cook And Waitress/Waiter	Server
Average age	28	28
Gender ratio	Male, 74.8% Female, 25.2%	Male, 32.0% Female, 68.0%
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, 12.0% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 8.2% White, 54.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between cook and waitress/waiter and server 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 example responsibilities.

Manage expediter window paying close attention to garnishes and presentation.
Provide exceptional customer service, while frequently checking for food allergies, by utilizing excellent communication and multitasking skills.
Maximize profits by upselling food and alcoholic beverages and utilizing excellent customer service skills to ensure guests repeat business.
Clean bars, work areas, and tables.
Provide exceptional service to guests with charm, professionalism, respect, and bright personality.
Embrace serving on a more personal level due the quaint, small-town charm of the location.

Cook and waitress/waiter vs server 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 skills

Wine, 15%
Customer Service, 10%
Guest Satisfaction, 8%
Cleanliness, 7%
Cash Handling, 7%
POS, 6%

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

Updated January 8, 2025

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