Counter waitress/waiter vs counter server

The differences between counter waitresses/waiter and counter servers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a counter server has an average salary of $32,460, 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 counter server are food handling, excellent guest, and basic math.

Counter waitress/waiter vs counter server overview

	Counter Waitress/Waiter	Counter Server
Yearly salary	$25,920	$32,460
Hourly rate	$12.46	$15.61
Growth rate	14%	14%
Number of jobs	12,879	85,069
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 37%	Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Average age	23	23
Years of experience	-	-

Counter waitress/waiter vs counter server salary

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

	Counter Waitress/Waiter	Counter Server
Average salary	$25,920	$32,460
Salary range	Between $19,000 And $33,000	Between $24,000 And $43,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between counter waitress/waiter and counter server education

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

	Counter Waitress/Waiter	Counter Server
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 37%	Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Counter waitress/waiter vs counter server demographics

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

	Counter Waitress/Waiter	Counter Server
Average age	23	23
Gender ratio	Male, 5.8% Female, 94.2%	Male, 28.0% Female, 72.0%
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, 9.6% Unknown, 6.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 6.5% White, 57.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between counter waitress/waiter and counter server 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.

Counter server example responsibilities.

Answer telephones and enter orders into POS system.
Operate POS terminal to process customers' orders, swipe credit cards, and enter cash amounts.
Provide guests with an excellent dining experience by asking questions about allergies or preferences and initiating conversation for customer confidence.
Prepare some salads, shakes, smoothies, and juices.
Monitor guest for intoxication and immediately report concerns to management.

Counter waitress/waiter vs counter server skills

Common counter waitress/waiter skills

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

Common counter server skills

Food Handling, 24%
Excellent Guest, 19%
Basic Math, 14%
Wine, 9%
Cash Handling, 6%
Culinary, 6%

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Food Preparation and Restaurant Industry
Counter Waitress/Waiter
Counter Waitress/Waiter vs Counter Server

Updated January 8, 2025

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