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Lead server vs restaurant server

The differences between lead servers and restaurant 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 $24,558 average annual salary of a restaurant server.

The top three skills for a lead server include customer service, new servers and fine dining. The most important skills for a restaurant server are wine, exceptional dining, and guest satisfaction.

Lead server vs restaurant server overview

Lead ServerRestaurant Server
Yearly salary$28,677$24,558
Hourly rate$13.79$11.81
Growth rate10%10%
Number of jobs123,215141,250
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 49%Bachelor's Degree, 48%
Average age2828
Years of experience--

What does a lead server do?

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.

What does a restaurant server do?

Also called food servers, restaurant servers perform food preparation, cleaning duties, and customer service in casual dining eateries and restaurants. The food servers stock supplies, handle credit cards and the cash register, and clean restaurant counters and tables. They provide assistance to restaurant patrons to take orders, deliver food, and answer customer questions. The skills they need include trustworthiness, organization, customer relations, and communication skills.

Lead server vs restaurant server salary

Lead servers and restaurant servers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Lead ServerRestaurant Server
Average salary$28,677$24,558
Salary rangeBetween $11,000 And $70,000Between $15,000 And $37,000
Highest paying CityNew York, NYWashington, DC
Highest paying stateHawaiiCalifornia
Best paying companyMicrosoftUniversity of California, Berkeley
Best paying industryHospitalityAgriculture

Differences between lead server and restaurant server education

There are a few differences between a lead server and a restaurant server in terms of educational background:

Lead ServerRestaurant Server
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 49%Bachelor's Degree, 48%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college--

Lead server vs restaurant server demographics

Here are the differences between lead servers' and restaurant servers' demographics:

Lead ServerRestaurant Server
Average age2828
Gender ratioMale, 37.5% Female, 62.5%Male, 40.8% Female, 59.2%
Race ratioBlack 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, 10.9% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 20.9% Asian, 9.4% White, 52.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between lead server and restaurant server duties and responsibilities

Lead server example responsibilities.

  • Establish payroll policies and manage multiple areas of restaurant operations.
  • Manage technical support, business analysis, project management, application development and support, training, and facilitation.
  • Provide leadership to crew and shift managers guaranteeing great quality, customer service and cleanliness according to the public health code.
  • Train new employees on police, procedures, and micros system.
  • Take orders from customers, input orders into micros, and obtain payment and provide change.
  • Execute bartending duties and prepare service bar drinks (wine tasting flights, glass pours, cocktails, etc . )
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Restaurant server example responsibilities.

  • Demonstrate adequate culinary and Italian wine knowledge through suggestive selling.
  • Input orders in micros and issue guest check for each order.
  • Prepare the groceries for the customer in their request baggage handing.3.
  • Maintain clean, sanitize FOH area and ensure health & safety and hygiene procedures and standards are meet.
  • Work with operations manager in ordering and setting up all FOH systems need in opening a new restaurant.
  • Provide thorough knowledge of the restaurant's menu to make recommendations or answer questions, and enter POS charges.
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Lead server vs restaurant server skills

Common lead server skills
  • Customer Service, 22%
  • New Servers, 11%
  • Fine Dining, 9%
  • POS, 7%
  • Food Service, 6%
  • Guest Satisfaction, 4%
Common restaurant server skills
  • Wine, 28%
  • Exceptional Dining, 6%
  • Guest Satisfaction, 5%
  • Cleanliness, 5%
  • POS, 5%
  • Food Service, 5%

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