Head waitress vs waitstaff

The differences between head waitresses and waitstaffs 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 $25,104 average annual salary of a waitstaff.

The top three skills for a head waitress include customer service, food preparation and customer complaints. The most important skills for a waitstaff are food service, beverage orders, and culinary.

Head waitress vs waitstaff overview

	Head Waitress	Waitstaff
Yearly salary	$27,306	$25,104
Hourly rate	$13.13	$12.07
Growth rate	10%	10%
Number of jobs	72,324	130,467
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 34%	Bachelor's Degree, 40%
Average age	28	28
Years of experience	-	-

Head waitress vs waitstaff salary

Head waitresses and waitstaffs have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Head Waitress	Waitstaff
Average salary	$27,306	$25,104
Salary range	Between $19,000 And $38,000	Between $19,000 And $32,000
Highest paying City	-	Falmouth, MA
Highest paying state	-	Massachusetts
Best paying company	-	Mayo Clinic
Best paying industry	-	Health Care

Differences between head waitress and waitstaff education

There are a few differences between a head waitress and a waitstaff in terms of educational background:

	Head Waitress	Waitstaff
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 34%	Bachelor's Degree, 40%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Head waitress vs waitstaff demographics

Here are the differences between head waitresses' and waitstaffs' demographics:

	Head Waitress	Waitstaff
Average age	28	28
Gender ratio	Male, 4.8% Female, 95.2%	Male, 27.3% Female, 72.7%
Race ratio	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%	Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 18.8% Asian, 8.4% White, 56.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between head waitress and waitstaff duties and responsibilities

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.

Waitstaff example responsibilities.

Set up, work in, and manage the private room events as both bartender and waiter.
Assist with stocking of pantry when groceries arrive.
Cater private events and perform light bartending duties.
Increase total restaurant sales by upselling specials and top-shelf liquors.
Work regularly on the pass as well as a waiter.
Offer meal suggestions base on diverse culinary repertoire and expert food knowledge.

Head waitress vs waitstaff skills

Common head waitress skills

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

Common waitstaff skills

Food Service, 23%
Beverage Orders, 19%
Culinary, 19%
Team Work, 16%
Meal Orders, 8%
Wine, 3%

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Food Preparation and Restaurant Industry
Head Waitress
Head Waitress vs Waitstaff

Updated January 8, 2025

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