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The differences between food runner/bussers and food servers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a food runner/busser has an average salary of $28,577, which is higher than the $25,209 average annual salary of a food server.
The top three skills for a food runner/busser include cleanliness, wine and excellent guest. The most important skills for a food server are beverage orders, wine, and cleanliness.
| Food Runner/Busser | Food Server | |
| Yearly salary | $28,577 | $25,209 |
| Hourly rate | $13.74 | $12.12 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 124,680 | 125,455 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 42% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Average age | 23 | 42 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A food runner or busser is an employee who works at a restaurant to provide quality food services to customers and patrons. Food runners or bussers perform food preparation and ensure that foods are delivered promptly to the appropriate customers' tables. In case the bar server is busy, food runners or bussers may take the drink orders of customers at the bar counter. They also make sure that tables are bussed, cleaned, and set up for the next paying customers.
A Food Server specializes in helping customers attain a pleasant dining experience while ensuring to meet all food handling and health regulation standards. Most of the responsibilities revolve around greeting customers and directing them to comfortable seats, responding to their inquires and taking their orders, and courteously suggesting options. Aside from serving meals, Food Servers must also accept payments, organize order receipts, replenish stocks in food containers and drinking stations, and clean tables for the new customers.
Food runner/bussers and food servers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Food Runner/Busser | Food Server | |
| Average salary | $28,577 | $25,209 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $36,000 | Between $18,000 And $34,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Los Angeles, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Hampshire | Vermont |
| Best paying company | The Culinary Institute of America | Gettysburg College |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Retail |
There are a few differences between a food runner/busser and a food server in terms of educational background:
| Food Runner/Busser | Food Server | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 42% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between food runner/bussers' and food servers' demographics:
| Food Runner/Busser | Food Server | |
| Average age | 23 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 75.4% Female, 24.6% | Male, 36.0% Female, 64.0% |
| 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, 4.2% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 20.4% Asian, 8.7% White, 60.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 7% |