Formal waiter/waitress vs head waitress

The differences between formal waiter/waitresses and head waitresses can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a head waitress has an average salary of $27,306, 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 head waitress are customer service, food preparation, and customer complaints.

Formal waiter/waitress vs head waitress overview

	Formal Waiter/Waitress	Head Waitress
Yearly salary	$25,808	$27,306
Hourly rate	$12.41	$13.13
Growth rate	10%	10%
Number of jobs	3,660	72,324
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 46%	Bachelor's Degree, 34%
Average age	28	28
Years of experience	-	-

Formal waiter/waitress vs head waitress salary

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

	Formal Waiter/Waitress	Head Waitress
Average salary	$25,808	$27,306
Salary range	Between $20,000 And $33,000	Between $19,000 And $38,000
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 head waitress education

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

	Formal Waiter/Waitress	Head Waitress
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 46%	Bachelor's Degree, 34%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Formal waiter/waitress vs head waitress demographics

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

	Formal Waiter/Waitress	Head Waitress
Average age	28	28
Gender ratio	Male, 51.5% Female, 48.5%	Male, 4.8% Female, 95.2%
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, 11.4% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 8.3% White, 55.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between formal waiter/waitress and head 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.

Head waitress example responsibilities.

Manage a recurring book of business of top VIP clients secure through networking.
Task with preparing all espresso beverages, smoothies, and food on the menu.
Operate POS terminals to input customers orders, swipe credit cards, and enter cash amounts receive.
Complete closing duties; assuring staff have fully restock inventory, closing out nightly sales and POS system.
Ensure requirements for all guests are met including small children, disable guests, and guests with allergies.
Prepare a wide variety of food and beverages such as smoothies, frappuccinos, sandwiches, and soup.

Formal waiter/waitress vs head waitress skills

Common formal waiter/waitress skills

Wine, 78%
Fine Dining, 22%

Common head waitress skills

Customer Service, 32%
Food Preparation, 7%
Customer Complaints, 5%
POS, 5%
Food Orders, 4%
Safety Procedures, 4%

Formal Waiter/Waitress vs. similar jobs

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

Updated January 8, 2025

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