Cook/server vs restaurant server

The differences between cook/servers and restaurant servers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a cook/server has an average salary of $29,716, which is higher than the $24,558 average annual salary of a restaurant server.

The top three skills for a cook/server include customer service, customer orders and safety standards. The most important skills for a restaurant server are wine, exceptional dining, and guest satisfaction.

Cook/server vs restaurant server overview

	Cook/Server	Restaurant Server
Yearly salary	$29,716	$24,558
Hourly rate	$14.29	$11.81
Growth rate	14%	10%
Number of jobs	257,582	141,250
Job satisfaction	4	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 52%	Bachelor's Degree, 48%
Average age	23	28
Years of experience	-	-

What does a cook/server do?

Cooks/servers are employees who take on the dual role of being a cook and a server in the restaurant. They are usually trained cooks who are in charge of preparing meals for the guests. They prepare ingredients, cook them according to the recipe, and serve them to guests. They are responsible for ensuring that the food is prepared and served to guests within the promised time. They are in charge of managing the pantry, ensuring that the stock is fresh, and checking whether the stock is low. They are expected to have culinary skills, precision, and time management skills.

What does a restaurant server do?

Also called food servers, restaurant servers perform food preparation, cleaning duties, and customer service in casual dining eateries and restaurants. The food servers stock supplies, handle credit cards and the cash register, and clean restaurant counters and tables. They provide assistance to restaurant patrons to take orders, deliver food, and answer customer questions. The skills they need include trustworthiness, organization, customer relations, and communication skills.

Cook/server vs restaurant server salary

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

	Cook/Server	Restaurant Server
Average salary	$29,716	$24,558
Salary range	Between $23,000 And $37,000	Between $15,000 And $37,000
Highest paying City	Bellingham, WA	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	Alaska	California
Best paying company	The Harley School	University of California, Berkeley
Best paying industry	Retail	Agriculture

Differences between cook/server and restaurant server education

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

	Cook/Server	Restaurant Server
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 52%	Bachelor's Degree, 48%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Cook/server vs restaurant server demographics

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

	Cook/Server	Restaurant Server
Average age	23	28
Gender ratio	Male, 45.9% Female, 54.1%	Male, 40.8% Female, 59.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 6.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 6.5% White, 57.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 20.9% Asian, 9.4% White, 52.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	8%	6%

Differences between cook/server and restaurant server duties and responsibilities

Cook/server example responsibilities.

Develop ability to manage multiple stations simultaneously while maintaining high levels of culinary excellence.
Assist customers, bag groceries, replenish carts, and clean store.
Pay close attention to detail while multitasking between communicating over the intercom, utilizing the POS, and order placing.
Make smoothies, coffee, customer service, cashier, fill bakery cooler, inventory, stock, and clean!
Operate the filtration system used for the fryers to keep all sanitation guidelines up to standards as per the health department.
Operate, and maintain clean and safe cooking equipment like pressure cooker deep fryers, plate grills, and deep fryers.

Restaurant server example responsibilities.

Demonstrate adequate culinary and Italian wine knowledge through suggestive selling.
Input orders in micros and issue guest check for each order.
Prepare the groceries for the customer in their request baggage handing.3.
Maintain clean, sanitize FOH area and ensure health & safety and hygiene procedures and standards are meet.
Work with operations manager in ordering and setting up all FOH systems need in opening a new restaurant.
Provide thorough knowledge of the restaurant's menu to make recommendations or answer questions, and enter POS charges.

Cook/server vs restaurant server skills

Common cook/server skills

Customer Service, 41%
Customer Orders, 8%
Safety Standards, 6%
Food Preparation, 5%
Kitchen Equipment, 4%
POS, 4%

Common restaurant server skills

Wine, 28%
Exceptional Dining, 6%
Guest Satisfaction, 5%
Cleanliness, 5%
POS, 5%
Food Service, 5%

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Food Preparation and Restaurant Industry
Cook/Server
Cook/Server vs Restaurant Server

Updated January 8, 2025

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