Formal waiter/waitress vs cocktail waitress

The differences between formal waiter/waitresses and cocktail waitresses can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a cocktail waitress has an average salary of $26,819, which is higher than the $25,808 average annual salary of a formal waiter/waitress.

The top three skills for a formal waiter/waitress include wine, fine dining and . The most important skills for a cocktail waitress are customer service, drink orders, and non-alcoholic beverages.

Formal waiter/waitress vs cocktail waitress overview

	Formal Waiter/Waitress	Cocktail Waitress
Yearly salary	$25,808	$26,819
Hourly rate	$12.41	$12.89
Growth rate	10%	10%
Number of jobs	3,660	77,429
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 46%	Bachelor's Degree, 35%
Average age	28	28
Years of experience	-	-

Formal waiter/waitress vs cocktail waitress salary

Formal waiter/waitresses and cocktail waitresses have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Formal Waiter/Waitress	Cocktail Waitress
Average salary	$25,808	$26,819
Salary range	Between $20,000 And $33,000	Between $19,000 And $36,000
Highest paying City	New York, NY	-
Highest paying state	New York	-
Best paying company	Sunningdale Country Club	-
Best paying industry	Real Estate	-

Differences between formal waiter/waitress and cocktail waitress education

There are a few differences between a formal waiter/waitress and a cocktail waitress in terms of educational background:

	Formal Waiter/Waitress	Cocktail Waitress
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 46%	Bachelor's Degree, 35%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Formal waiter/waitress vs cocktail waitress demographics

Here are the differences between formal waiter/waitresses' and cocktail waitresses' demographics:

	Formal Waiter/Waitress	Cocktail Waitress
Average age	28	28
Gender ratio	Male, 51.5% Female, 48.5%	Male, 5.7% Female, 94.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.0% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 19.2% Asian, 8.5% White, 58.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 21.6% Asian, 7.8% White, 53.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between formal waiter/waitress and cocktail waitress duties and responsibilities

Formal waiter/waitress example responsibilities.

Set up, work in, and manage the private room events as both bartender and waiter.
Develop expertise in wine recommendations and pairings base on extensive winereserves.
Operate large volume cooking equipment like buger grills, fryers, and/or griddles.

Cocktail waitress example responsibilities.

Offer first--class customer service to ensure VIP guests enjoy their club experiences in very fast--pace environment.
Relay orders to bar and kitchen quickly and accurately recording guest selections and keying into the POS system.
Assist bar tenders in peak hours and cash out customers as they exit the restaurant (POS cash register system).
Serve customers alcoholic beverages and accommodate VIP and special requests
Establish a positive relationship with co-workers and managers through a solid work ethic, positive attitude, punctuality and dependability.
Uphold a high level of professionalism, service, and attentiveness to guests.

Formal waiter/waitress vs cocktail waitress skills

Common formal waiter/waitress skills

Wine, 78%
Fine Dining, 22%

Common cocktail waitress skills

Customer Service, 29%
Drink Orders, 10%
Non-Alcoholic Beverages, 8%
POS, 8%
Beverage Orders, 5%
Bartending, 4%

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Food Preparation and Restaurant Industry
Formal Waiter/Waitress
Formal Waiter/Waitress vs Cocktail Waitress

Updated January 8, 2025

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