Hostess vs busser

The differences between hostesses and bussers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a hostess has an average salary of $26,298, which is higher than the $24,111 average annual salary of a busser.

The top three skills for a hostess include reservations, exceptional guest and seat guests. The most important skills for a busser are cleanliness, work ethic, and TIP.

Hostess vs busser overview

	Hostess	Busser
Yearly salary	$26,298	$24,111
Hourly rate	$12.64	$11.59
Growth rate	9%	9%
Number of jobs	82,629	14,989
Job satisfaction	4	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 37%	High School Diploma, 49%
Average age	23	39
Years of experience	-	-

What does a hostess do?

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.

What does a busser do?

Busser, also known as dining room attendants or bartender helpers, is an entry-level position in the restaurant and dining industry. The bussers help in preparing the dining areas before guests arrive and decorating tables with a set of candles, napkins, linens, flowers, or other ornaments, especially if with a special theme for the day, usually when it's a national celebration or holidays. Also, they assist in cleaning the tables, clearing plates, used utensils, drinkware, and other dishes to the kitchen to be washed, refilling diners' glasses with water, and make the tables ready for the next set of service.

Hostess vs busser salary

Hostesses and bussers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Hostess	Busser
Average salary	$26,298	$24,111
Salary range	Between $20,000 And $34,000	Between $17,000 And $33,000
Highest paying City	Portland, ME	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	Maine	Maine
Best paying company	V-Soft Consulting	Dell
Best paying industry	Hospitality	Hospitality

Differences between hostess and busser education

There are a few differences between a hostess and a busser in terms of educational background:

	Hostess	Busser
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 37%	High School Diploma, 49%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Hostess vs busser demographics

Here are the differences between hostesses' and bussers' demographics:

	Hostess	Busser
Average age	23	39
Gender ratio	Male, 14.1% Female, 85.9%	Male, 73.1% Female, 26.9%
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, 8.7% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 20.1% Asian, 7.1% White, 57.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage	5%	6%

Differences between hostess and busser duties and responsibilities

Hostess example responsibilities.

Assist guests in booking reservations and manage guest history data using OpenTable reservation system.
Welcome guests upon arrival and provide seating arrangements base upon OpenTable reservations and guest preference.
Greet by name and escort patrons to their personalize private dining area while coordinating reservations and exemplifying customer service
Help bar back when need and learned minimal skills in bartending.
Make managers aware of guests' special dining requirements and allergies.
Set up and maintain continental breakfast buffet, hors d'oeuvres and VIP bar.

Busser example responsibilities.

Cross-Train in all kitchen culinary positions including broiler, saut, banquets and room service food production.
Perform food preparation and serving duties, such as carving meat, preparing flambe dishes, or serving wine and liquor.
Schedule reservations and place and deliver room service orders.
Maintain both FOH and BOH duties in a fast-pace dining establishment.
Clean the dirty tables and make sure the restaurant are in tip top shape and look good.
Submit food and beverage orders to kitchen staff utilizing a POS register to tabulate and itemize orders.

Hostess vs busser skills

Common hostess skills

Reservations, 49%
Exceptional Guest, 9%
Seat Guests, 4%
To-Go Orders, 4%
Bus Tables, 3%
Telephone Calls, 2%

Common busser skills

Cleanliness, 24%
Work Ethic, 9%
TIP, 8%
Food Handling, 5%
Dishwashers, 5%
Bus Tables, 4%

Hostess vs. similar jobs

Hostess related careers

Hostess related jobs

Hostess jobs by location

Zippia Careers
Food Preparation and Restaurant Industry
Hostess
Hostess vs Busser

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse food preparation and restaurant jobs