Food and beverage attendant vs server and hostess

The differences between food and beverage attendants 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 $25,569 average annual salary of a food and beverage attendant.

The top three skills for a food and beverage attendant include cleanliness, food handling and culinary. The most important skills for a server and hostess are POS, food preparation, and food orders.

Food and beverage attendant vs server and hostess overview

	Food And Beverage Attendant	Server And Hostess
Yearly salary	$25,569	$28,020
Hourly rate	$12.29	$13.47
Growth rate	10%	10%
Number of jobs	203,747	97,109
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 41%	High School Diploma, 39%
Average age	28	28
Years of experience	-	-

What does a food and beverage attendant do?

Going to a restaurant to meet a smiling face is one of the world's greatest delights. When visiting a restaurant, the first smiling face that greets you is often that of a food and beverage attendant. Naturally, the role of a food and beverage attendant involves more than just smiling. They seat customers comfortably, address any complaints, and take customer orders. Their primary role is simply to keep restaurant customers satisfied.

What does a server and hostess do?

A server and hostess is an employee who plays the dual role of both a hostess and a server. As implied by this, a server and hostess is in-charge of welcoming guests as they enter the restaurant, ensuring that the guests' tables are ready before leading them to their assigned tables, handing over the menu, and waiting for the guests to finalize their order. Once the guests are ready to order, the server and hostess takes on the server role by bringing the guests' order to the kitchen, waiting for the food to be ready, and bringing the food to the guests' table.

Food and beverage attendant vs server and hostess salary

Food and beverage attendants and server and hostesses have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Food And Beverage Attendant	Server And Hostess
Average salary	$25,569	$28,020
Salary range	Between $20,000 And $32,000	Between $21,000 And $37,000
Highest paying City	Highland, CA	Binghamton, NY
Highest paying state	California	New York
Best paying company	Target	Blue Dolphin Energy
Best paying industry	Government	Hospitality

Differences between food and beverage attendant and server and hostess education

There are a few differences between a food and beverage attendant and a server and hostess in terms of educational background:

	Food And Beverage Attendant	Server And Hostess
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 41%	High School Diploma, 39%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Food and beverage attendant vs server and hostess demographics

Here are the differences between food and beverage attendants' and server and hostesses' demographics:

	Food And Beverage Attendant	Server And Hostess
Average age	28	28
Gender ratio	Male, 33.9% Female, 66.1%	Male, 18.3% Female, 81.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.2% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 22.2% Asian, 9.1% White, 51.1% 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 food and beverage attendant and server and hostess duties and responsibilities

Food and beverage attendant example responsibilities.

Manage expediter window paying close attention to garnishes and presentation.
Operate POS terminals to input customer orders, swipe credit cards and enter amounts receive.
Place plates, spoons, and bowls on the bar.
Keep the buffet stock with food, plates, and spoons.
Act as main bartender during schedule bartending shifts.
Wait tables, checking customer preferences and upselling specials.

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.

Food and beverage attendant vs server and hostess skills

Common food and beverage attendant skills

Cleanliness, 21%
Food Handling, 12%
Culinary, 10%
Guest Service, 6%
Math, 5%
Wine, 5%

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
Food And Beverage Attendant
Food And Beverage Attendant vs Server And Hostess

Updated January 8, 2025

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