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The differences between lead servers and cocktail servers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a lead server has an average salary of $28,677, which is higher than the $26,178 average annual salary of a cocktail server.
The top three skills for a lead server include customer service, new servers and fine dining. The most important skills for a cocktail server are wine, cash handling, and beverage orders.
| Lead Server | Cocktail Server | |
| Yearly salary | $28,677 | $26,178 |
| Hourly rate | $13.79 | $12.59 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 123,215 | 74,674 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 41% |
| Average age | 28 | 28 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A lead server is responsible for assisting the guests' needs, responding to their inquiries, and immediately addressing their dining concerns. Lead servers ensure the timely and accurate serving of orders, offering promotional menus and other additional services. Lead servers must have excellent communication skills to interact with the guests, as well as time-management and multitasking skills to perform duties in the fast-paced environment. They also help in developing strategic procedures and food menu recommendations by researching on the latest food trends in the industry to generate revenues and attract more customers.
A cocktail server's responsibilities revolve around taking orders and serving drinks in a restaurant or similar establishment, ensuring accuracy and customer satisfaction. Aside from this, a cocktail server may have to process payments, clean tables, and even offer suggestions when necessary. They also have to be alert for any signs of disruptive behavior from intoxicated to underage customers. Furthermore, it is essential to communicate and coordinate with the bartender and other kitchen staff to ensure that every patron gets their order, especially on days when there's a high customer presence.
Lead servers and cocktail servers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Server | Cocktail Server | |
| Average salary | $28,677 | $26,178 |
| Salary range | Between $11,000 And $70,000 | Between $16,000 And $42,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Washington |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | Aspen Snowmass |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Media |
There are a few differences between a lead server and a cocktail server in terms of educational background:
| Lead Server | Cocktail Server | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 41% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between lead servers' and cocktail servers' demographics:
| Lead Server | Cocktail Server | |
| Average age | 28 | 28 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 37.5% Female, 62.5% | Male, 13.0% Female, 87.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 19.7% Asian, 8.7% White, 53.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 22.8% Asian, 8.1% White, 51.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |