Food service attendant demographics and statistics in the US
Food service attendant demographics research summary. Zippia estimates food service attendant demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our food service attendant 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 service attendants after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 162,024 food service attendants currently employed in the United States.
- 59.9% of all food service attendants are women, while 40.1% are men.
- The average food service attendant age is 23 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of food service attendants is White (57.5%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (18.6%), Black or African American (9.6%) and Unknown (6.9%).
- In 2022, women earned 101% of what men earned.
- 8% of all food service attendants are LGBT.
- Food service attendants are 65% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Food service attendant demographics by:
Food service attendant gender statistics
59.9% of food service attendants are women and 40.1% of food service attendants are men.
- Female, 59.9%
- Male, 40.1%
Food service attendant gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 59.9% |
| Male | 40.1% |
Food service attendant gender pay gap
Women earn $1.01 for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$26,182
Female income
$26,400
Food service attendant gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in food service attendant positions over time. Currently, 59.9% of food service attendants are female.
Food service attendant gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 34.89% | 65.11% |
| 2011 | 34.89% | 65.11% |
| 2012 | 38.81% | 61.19% |
| 2013 | 37.99% | 62.01% |
| 2014 | 40.50% | 59.50% |
| 2015 | 37.86% | 62.14% |
| 2016 | 40.12% | 59.88% |
| 2017 | 41.01% | 58.99% |
| 2018 | 41.17% | 58.83% |
| 2019 | 42.32% | 57.68% |
| 2020 | 41.51% | 58.49% |
| 2021 | 40.13% | 59.87% |
Food service attendant related jobs gender ratio
We compared food service attendants 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 Service Attendant | 40% | 60% |
| 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 service attendant demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among food service attendants is White, which makes up 57.5% of all food service attendants. Comparatively, 18.6% of food service attendants are Hispanic or Latino and 9.6% of food service attendants are Black or African American.
- White, 57.5%
- Hispanic or Latino, 18.6%
- Black or African American, 9.6%
- Unknown, 6.9%
- Asian, 6.5%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
Food service attendant race
| Food service attendant race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 57.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 18.6% |
| Black or African American | 9.6% |
| Unknown | 6.9% |
| Asian | 6.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.9% |
Food service attendant race and ethnicity over time
See how food service attendant racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Food service attendant race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 65.31% | 13.07% | 3.29% | 14.66% |
| 2011 | 66.24% | 14.53% | 3.52% | 12.64% |
| 2012 | 65.06% | 14.43% | 3.94% | 13.05% |
| 2013 | 64.18% | 13.75% | 3.69% | 14.97% |
| 2014 | 64.11% | 14.58% | 3.91% | 13.79% |
| 2015 | 64.38% | 13.39% | 4.87% | 13.68% |
| 2016 | 63.01% | 13.46% | 4.15% | 14.93% |
| 2017 | 61.71% | 13.46% | 4.79% | 15.03% |
| 2018 | 64.11% | 11.49% | 5.21% | 15.12% |
| 2019 | 62.41% | 10.01% | 6.21% | 17.04% |
| 2020 | 59.95% | 9.82% | 6.36% | 16.74% |
| 2021 | 57.47% | 9.64% | 6.49% | 18.63% |
Food service attendant wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino food service attendants have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american food service attendants have the lowest average salary at $25,764.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $26,054 |
| White | $26,157 |
| Black or African American | $25,764 |
| Asian | $26,449 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $26,491 |
Average food service attendant age
See how the average age of food service attendants varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Food service attendant age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 22.5 | 21 |
| Unknown | 21 | 20.5 |
| Asian | 21 | 22 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 21 | 22 |
| White | 21 | 21 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 21 |
Food service attendant age breakdown
The average age of food service attendants is 20-30 years years old, representing 51% of the food service attendant population.
Food service attendant age breakdown
| Food Service Attendant Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 3% |
| 30-40 years | 12% |
| 20-30 years | 51% |
Food service attendant educational attainment
The most common degree for food service attendants is high school diploma, with 42% of food service attendants earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 28% and bachelor's degree degree at 18%.
- High School Diploma, 42%
- Bachelor's, 28%
- Associate, 18%
- Diploma, 7%
- Other Degrees, 5%
Food service attendants by degree level
| Food service attendant degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 42% |
| Bachelor's | 28% |
| Associate | 18% |
| Diploma | 7% |
| Other Degrees | 5% |
Food service attendant jobs you might like
Food service attendant wage gap by degree level
According to the data, food service attendants with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $27,140 annually. With a Associate degree, food service attendants earn a median annual income of $26,757 compared to $25,524 for food service attendants with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $25,524 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $27,140 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $26,757 |
Food service attendant employment statistics
Most food service attendants work for a private in the hospitality industry.
Company size where food service attendants work
Below, you can see the size of companies where food service attendants work.
Food service attendant jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 6% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 12% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 19% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 6% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 31% |
| > 10,000 employees | 26% |
Food service attendant jobs by company type
Employees with the food service attendant job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most food service attendants prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Food service attendant jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 12% |
| Public | 19% |
| Private | 65% |
| Government | 4% |
Food service attendant jobs by industry
The most common industries for food service attendants are hospitality, health care and education.
Food service attendant industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Hospitality | 30% |
| Health Care | 21% |
| Education | 9% |
| Retail | 8% |
| Fortune 500 | 8% |
| Media | 5% |
| Professional | 5% |
| Government | 3% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Manufacturing | 1% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
Food service attendant turnover and employment statistics
Food service attendant unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for food service attendants between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Food service attendant unemployment rate by year
| Year | Food service attendant unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 14.75% |
| 2011 | 16.23% |
| 2012 | 13.34% |
| 2013 | 12.58% |
| 2014 | 10.04% |
| 2015 | 8.71% |
| 2016 | 10.19% |
| 2017 | 9.58% |
| 2018 | 9.31% |
| 2019 | 8.07% |
| 2020 | 9.90% |
| 2021 | 9.86% |
Average food service attendant tenure
The average food service attendant stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 3,547 food service attendants resumes in Zippia's database.
Food service attendant tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 42% |
| 1-2 years | 31% |
| 3-4 years | 11% |
| 5-7 years | 9% |
| 8-10 years | 3% |
| 11+ years | 4% |
Food service attendant LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of food service attendants 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Take Out Waitress | 6.48% | 62,855 |
| Line Runner | 6.98% | 59,526 |
| Bartender Extra | 7.82% | 25,173 |
| Food Service Attendant | 7.82% | - |
Similar food service attendant jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Take Out Waitress | 6.48% | 62,855 |
| Line Runner | 6.98% | 59,526 |
| Bartender Extra | 7.82% | 25,173 |
Foreign languages spoken by food service attendants
The most common foreign language among food service attendants is Spanish at 60.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 11.3% and Portuguese is the third-most popular at 4.7%.
- Spanish, 60.0%
- French, 11.3%
- Portuguese, 4.7%
- Mandarin, 4.0%
- Chinese, 3.3%
- Other, 16.7%
Food service attendant languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 60.0% |
| French | 11.3% |
| Portuguese | 4.7% |
| Mandarin | 4.0% |
| Chinese | 3.3% |
| Other | 16.7% |
