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The differences between hostesses and banquet servers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a banquet server has an average salary of $29,017, which is higher than the $26,298 average annual salary of a hostess.
The top three skills for a hostess include reservations, exceptional guest and seat guests. The most important skills for a banquet server are wine, cleanliness, and food service.
| Hostess | Banquet Server | |
| Yearly salary | $26,298 | $29,017 |
| Hourly rate | $12.64 | $13.95 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 82,629 | 125,381 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 37% | Bachelor's Degree, 41% |
| Average age | 23 | 28 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
Hostesses are responsible for managing guests who come to the restaurant. They greet guests, ensure that the guests have tables ready before letting them into the restaurant floor, guide the guests to their assigned tables, and introduce the guests to the waiter assigned to the table. Hostesses also manage the reservation list, often manning the restaurant's reservation hotline. They also control the entry of guests, answer any query that guests may have, and take note of any special requests. Hostesses ensure that guests have the best possible restaurant experience.
A banquet server is responsible for assisting guests in food catering events. Banquet servers' duties include arranging tables as the client desires, preparing the catering setup, refilling foods and beverages, managing guests' inquiries and possible complaints, keeping the food area clean, and maintaining the highest sanitation standards for the guests' best banquet experience. A banquet server should have excellent communication and time-management skills, especially on serving guests that would require utmost care and safe handling.
Hostesses and banquet servers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Hostess | Banquet Server | |
| Average salary | $26,298 | $29,017 |
| Salary range | Between $20,000 And $34,000 | Between $20,000 And $40,000 |
| Highest paying City | Portland, ME | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Maine | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | V-Soft Consulting | Endicott College |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Professional |
There are a few differences between a hostess and a banquet server in terms of educational background:
| Hostess | Banquet Server | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 37% | Bachelor's Degree, 41% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between hostesses' and banquet servers' demographics:
| Hostess | Banquet Server | |
| Average age | 23 | 28 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 14.1% Female, 85.9% | Male, 37.5% Female, 62.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 6.8% Hispanic or Latino, 19.7% Asian, 5.8% White, 57.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 19.7% Asian, 7.9% White, 54.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 6% |