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The differences between food servers and cocktail servers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a cocktail server has an average salary of $26,178, which is higher than the $25,209 average annual salary of a food server.
The top three skills for a food server include beverage orders, wine and cleanliness. The most important skills for a cocktail server are wine, cash handling, and beverage orders.
| Food Server | Cocktail Server | |
| Yearly salary | $25,209 | $26,178 |
| Hourly rate | $12.12 | $12.59 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 125,455 | 74,674 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 36% | Bachelor's Degree, 41% |
| Average age | 42 | 28 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
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.
A cocktail server's responsibilities revolve around taking orders and serving drinks in a restaurant or similar establishment, ensuring accuracy and customer satisfaction. Aside from this, a cocktail server may have to process payments, clean tables, and even offer suggestions when necessary. They also have to be alert for any signs of disruptive behavior from intoxicated to underage customers. Furthermore, it is essential to communicate and coordinate with the bartender and other kitchen staff to ensure that every patron gets their order, especially on days when there's a high customer presence.
Food servers and cocktail servers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Food Server | Cocktail Server | |
| Average salary | $25,209 | $26,178 |
| Salary range | Between $18,000 And $34,000 | Between $16,000 And $42,000 |
| Highest paying City | Los Angeles, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Vermont | Washington |
| Best paying company | Gettysburg College | Aspen Snowmass |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Media |
There are a few differences between a food server and a cocktail server in terms of educational background:
| Food Server | Cocktail Server | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 36% | Bachelor's Degree, 41% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between food servers' and cocktail servers' demographics:
| Food Server | Cocktail Server | |
| Average age | 42 | 28 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 36.0% Female, 64.0% | Male, 13.0% Female, 87.0% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 22.8% Asian, 8.1% White, 51.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 6% |