Fountain waitress/waiter vs counter server

The differences between fountain waitresses/waiter and counter servers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a counter server has an average salary of $32,460, which is higher than the $25,909 average annual salary of a fountain waitress/waiter.

The top three skills for a fountain waitress/waiter include food handling, customer service and . The most important skills for a counter server are food handling, excellent guest, and basic math.

Fountain waitress/waiter vs counter server overview

	Fountain Waitress/Waiter	Counter Server
Yearly salary	$25,909	$32,460
Hourly rate	$12.46	$15.61
Growth rate	14%	14%
Number of jobs	3,788	85,069
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 64%	Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Average age	23	23
Years of experience	-	-

Fountain waitress/waiter vs counter server salary

Fountain waitresses/waiter and counter servers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Fountain Waitress/Waiter	Counter Server
Average salary	$25,909	$32,460
Salary range	Between $20,000 And $32,000	Between $24,000 And $43,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between fountain waitress/waiter and counter server education

There are a few differences between a fountain waitress/waiter and a counter server in terms of educational background:

	Fountain Waitress/Waiter	Counter Server
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 64%	Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Fountain waitress/waiter vs counter server demographics

Here are the differences between fountain waitresses/waiter' and counter servers' demographics:

	Fountain Waitress/Waiter	Counter Server
Average age	23	23
Gender ratio	Male, 18.6% Female, 81.4%	Male, 28.0% Female, 72.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 6.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 6.5% White, 57.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 6.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 6.5% White, 57.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between fountain waitress/waiter and counter server duties and responsibilities

Fountain waitress/waiter example responsibilities.

Develop relationships with regular patrons; develop an understanding of their personal needs and expectations, including preferences and food allergies.
Monitor guest for intoxication and immediately report concerns to management.

Counter server example responsibilities.

Answer telephones and enter orders into POS system.
Operate POS terminal to process customers' orders, swipe credit cards, and enter cash amounts.
Provide guests with an excellent dining experience by asking questions about allergies or preferences and initiating conversation for customer confidence.
Prepare some salads, shakes, smoothies, and juices.
Monitor guest for intoxication and immediately report concerns to management.

Fountain waitress/waiter vs counter server skills

Common fountain waitress/waiter skills

Food Handling, 99%
Customer Service, 1%

Common counter server skills

Food Handling, 24%
Excellent Guest, 19%
Basic Math, 14%
Wine, 9%
Cash Handling, 6%
Culinary, 6%

Fountain Waitress/Waiter vs. similar jobs

Fountain Waitress/Waiter related careers

Fountain Waitress/Waiter related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Food Preparation and Restaurant Industry
Fountain Waitress/Waiter
Fountain Waitress/Waiter vs Counter Server

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse food preparation and restaurant jobs