Food server demographics and statistics in the US
Food server demographics research summary. Zippia estimates food server demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our food server estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about food servers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 1,423,556 food servers currently employed in the United States.
- 64.0% of all food servers are women, while 36.0% are men.
- The average food server age is 41 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of food servers is White (60.4%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (20.4%), Asian (8.7%) and Unknown (5.4%).
- In 2022, women earned 99% of what men earned.
- 7% of all food servers are LGBT.
- Food servers are 75% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Food server demographics by:
Food server gender statistics
64.0% of food servers are women and 36.0% of food servers are men.
- Female, 64.0%
- Male, 36.0%
Food server gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 64.0% |
| Male | 36.0% |
Food server gender pay gap
Women earn 99¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$25,823
Female income
$25,463
Food server gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in food server positions over time. Currently, 64.0% of food servers are female.
Food server gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 36.52% | 63.48% |
| 2011 | 35.72% | 64.28% |
| 2012 | 35.60% | 64.40% |
| 2013 | 34.72% | 65.28% |
| 2014 | 38.54% | 61.46% |
| 2015 | 36.97% | 63.03% |
| 2016 | 39.26% | 60.74% |
| 2017 | 41.46% | 58.54% |
| 2018 | 37.01% | 62.99% |
| 2019 | 37.95% | 62.05% |
| 2020 | 34.71% | 65.29% |
| 2021 | 35.96% | 64.04% |
Food server related jobs gender ratio
We compared food servers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, busboy/waiter and host/waiter have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Barmaid | 5% | 95% |
| Head Waitress | 5% | 95% |
| Bartender, Cook, And Waitress | 5% | 95% |
| Food Server | 36% | 64% |
| Bar Back & Bartender | 86% | 14% |
| Host/Waiter | 90% | 10% |
| Busboy/Waiter | 97% | 3% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Food server demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among food servers is White, which makes up 60.4% of all food servers. Comparatively, 20.4% of food servers are Hispanic or Latino and 8.7% of food servers are Asian.
- White, 60.4%
- Hispanic or Latino, 20.4%
- Asian, 8.7%
- Unknown, 5.4%
- Black or African American, 4.2%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
Food server race
| Food server race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 60.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 20.4% |
| Asian | 8.7% |
| Unknown | 5.4% |
| Black or African American | 4.2% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.9% |
Food server race and ethnicity over time
See how food server racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Food server race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 61.52% | 8.94% | 5.40% | 20.39% |
| 2011 | 60.85% | 10.13% | 6.46% | 18.88% |
| 2012 | 60.43% | 10.01% | 5.96% | 18.89% |
| 2013 | 61.46% | 8.85% | 6.24% | 19.13% |
| 2014 | 59.39% | 10.56% | 7.01% | 19.27% |
| 2015 | 60.40% | 8.64% | 6.76% | 19.57% |
| 2016 | 58.95% | 8.97% | 6.63% | 20.84% |
| 2017 | 61.06% | 6.89% | 6.84% | 21.68% |
| 2018 | 60.75% | 6.64% | 6.51% | 21.89% |
| 2019 | 62.22% | 4.66% | 8.95% | 19.73% |
| 2020 | 60.76% | 6.00% | 6.32% | 21.17% |
| 2021 | 60.44% | 4.19% | 8.72% | 20.37% |
Food server wage gap by race
According to our data, unknown food servers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. White food servers have the lowest average salary at $25,533.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $26,070 |
| White | $25,533 |
| Black or African American | $25,763 |
| Asian | $25,718 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $26,033 |
Average food server age
See how the average age of food servers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Food server age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 32 | 35 |
| White | 31 | 49 |
| Black or African American | 44 | 44 |
| Asian | 31.5 | 51.5 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 31.5 | 39 |
Food server age breakdown
The average age of food servers is 40+ years years old, representing 54% of the food server population.
Food server age breakdown
| Food Server Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 54% |
| 30-40 years | 15% |
| 20-30 years | 22% |
Food server educational attainment
The most common degree for food servers is high school diploma, with 36% of food servers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 31% and bachelor's degree degree at 19%.
- High School Diploma, 36%
- Bachelor's, 31%
- Associate, 19%
- Diploma, 8%
- Other Degrees, 6%
Food servers by degree level
| Food server degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 36% |
| Bachelor's | 31% |
| Associate | 19% |
| Diploma | 8% |
| Other Degrees | 6% |
Food server jobs you might like
Food server wage gap by degree level
According to the data, food servers with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $26,688 annually. With a Associate degree, food servers earn a median annual income of $26,103 compared to $25,733 for food servers with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $25,733 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $26,688 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $26,103 |
Food server employment statistics
Most food servers work for a private in the hospitality industry.
Company size where food servers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where food servers work.
Food server jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 8% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 7% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 16% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 7% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 36% |
| > 10,000 employees | 26% |
Food server jobs by company type
Employees with the food server job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most food servers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Food server jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 4% |
| Public | 20% |
| Private | 75% |
| Government | 1% |
Food server jobs by industry
The most common industries for food servers are hospitality, retail and health care.
Food server industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Hospitality | 63% |
| Retail | 8% |
| Media | 4% |
| Health Care | 4% |
| Fortune 500 | 4% |
| Education | 4% |
| Manufacturing | 3% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Professional | 2% |
| Government | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Food server turnover and employment statistics
Food server unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for food servers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Food server unemployment rate by year
| Year | Food server unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 9.00% |
| 2011 | 9.00% |
| 2012 | 7.30% |
| 2013 | 7.48% |
| 2014 | 6.46% |
| 2015 | 6.97% |
| 2016 | 5.37% |
| 2017 | 5.62% |
| 2018 | 5.54% |
| 2019 | 4.98% |
| 2020 | 8.94% |
| 2021 | 8.99% |
Average food server tenure
The average food server stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 33,209 food servers resumes in Zippia's database.
Food server tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 34% |
| 1-2 years | 34% |
| 3-4 years | 12% |
| 5-7 years | 10% |
| 8-10 years | 4% |
| 11+ years | 6% |
Food server LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of food servers that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Waiter And Cashier | 6.48% | 133,966 |
| Food Server | 6.98% | - |
| Cupola Tender | 7.82% | 24,005 |
| Set-Up Crew | 7.82% | 65,215 |
Similar food server jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Waiter And Cashier | 6.48% | 133,966 |
| Cupola Tender | 7.82% | 24,005 |
| Set-Up Crew | 7.82% | 65,215 |
Foreign languages spoken by food servers
The most common foreign language among food servers is Spanish at 62.7%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 6.6% and Mandarin is the third-most popular at 3.8%.
- Spanish, 62.7%
- French, 6.6%
- Mandarin, 3.8%
- Chinese, 3.7%
- Cantonese, 3.1%
- Other, 20.1%
Food server languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 62.7% |
| French | 6.6% |
| Mandarin | 3.8% |
| Chinese | 3.7% |
| Cantonese | 3.1% |
| Other | 20.1% |
