Counter waitress/waiter vs cocktail waitress

The differences between counter waitresses/waiter and cocktail waitresses can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a cocktail waitress has an average salary of $26,819, which is higher than the $25,920 average annual salary of a counter waitress/waiter.

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

Counter waitress/waiter vs cocktail waitress overview

	Counter Waitress/Waiter	Cocktail Waitress
Yearly salary	$25,920	$26,819
Hourly rate	$12.46	$12.89
Growth rate	14%	10%
Number of jobs	12,879	77,429
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 37%	Bachelor's Degree, 35%
Average age	23	28
Years of experience	-	-

Counter waitress/waiter vs cocktail waitress salary

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

	Counter Waitress/Waiter	Cocktail Waitress
Average salary	$25,920	$26,819
Salary range	Between $19,000 And $33,000	Between $19,000 And $36,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between counter waitress/waiter and cocktail waitress education

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

	Counter Waitress/Waiter	Cocktail Waitress
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 37%	Bachelor's Degree, 35%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Counter waitress/waiter vs cocktail waitress demographics

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

	Counter Waitress/Waiter	Cocktail Waitress
Average age	23	28
Gender ratio	Male, 5.8% Female, 94.2%	Male, 5.7% Female, 94.3%
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, 10.7% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 21.6% Asian, 7.8% White, 53.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	8%	6%

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

Counter waitress/waiter example responsibilities.

Counter staff, POS systems, and telephones.Waitress, serving guests, POS systems, running the kitchen.
Answer phones, put orders in through the POS, seat guests and take orders, clean the dinning area.
Develop relationships with regular patrons; develop an understanding of their personal needs and expectations, including preferences and food allergies.
Replace or attach bar code labels on every ammunition containers for identification and location.

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.

Counter waitress/waiter vs cocktail waitress skills

Common counter waitress/waiter skills

Food Handling, 89%
Customer Service, 5%
POS, 1%
Food Orders, 1%
Customer Orders, 1%
Customer Complaints, 1%

Common cocktail waitress skills

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

Counter Waitress/Waiter vs. similar jobs

Counter Waitress/Waiter related careers

Counter Waitress/Waiter related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Food Preparation and Restaurant Industry
Counter Waitress/Waiter
Counter Waitress/Waiter vs Cocktail Waitress

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse food preparation and restaurant jobs