Order taker vs food server

The differences between order takers and food servers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an order taker has an average salary of $30,383, which is higher than the $25,209 average annual salary of a food server.

The top three skills for an order taker include wine, cleanliness and guest satisfaction. The most important skills for a food server are beverage orders, wine, and cleanliness.

Order taker vs food server overview

	Order Taker	Food Server
Yearly salary	$30,383	$25,209
Hourly rate	$14.61	$12.12
Growth rate	-	9%
Number of jobs	77,938	125,455
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 41%	High School Diploma, 36%
Average age	43	42
Years of experience	2	-

Order taker vs food server salary

Order takers and food servers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Order Taker	Food Server
Average salary	$30,383	$25,209
Salary range	Between $23,000 And $39,000	Between $18,000 And $34,000
Highest paying City	Las Vegas, NV	Los Angeles, CA
Highest paying state	Vermont	Vermont
Best paying company	Raytheon Technologies	Gettysburg College
Best paying industry	Telecommunication	Retail

Differences between order taker and food server education

There are a few differences between an order taker and a food server in terms of educational background:

	Order Taker	Food Server
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 41%	High School Diploma, 36%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Order taker vs food server demographics

Here are the differences between order takers' and food servers' demographics:

	Order Taker	Food Server
Average age	43	42
Gender ratio	Male, 26.7% Female, 73.3%	Male, 36.0% Female, 64.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 5.9% White, 63.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 4.2% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 20.4% Asian, 8.7% White, 60.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	6%	7%

Differences between order taker and food server duties and responsibilities

Order taker example responsibilities.

Manage tracking for all orders, manage invoice input via QuickBooks and maintain communications with all clients and vendors.
Assist customers with food selections, using micros.
Assist concierge with guest amenities and VIP events.
Cash out checks through micros, take and complete to go orders.
Deliver all amenities direct to room when ready for VIP guest check-ins.
Possess extensive knowledge of menu in order to upsell and assist guests with suggestions.

Food server example responsibilities.

Manage expediter window paying close attention to garnishes and presentation.
Provide outstanding customer service by communicating clearly and effectively while maintaining the cleanliness and organization of the restaurant.
Serve tables in a busy caf /bar environment.
Handle all transactions, both in person and by headset in drive-thru.
Work the Drive-Thru counter assisting numerous customers at a fast and friendly pace.
Prepare and serve delicious espresso, coffee drinks, and smoothies according to memorize recipes.

Order taker vs food server skills

Common order taker skills

Wine, 9%
Cleanliness, 9%
Guest Satisfaction, 6%
POS, 6%
Basic Math, 6%
Room Service Orders, 6%

Common food server skills

Beverage Orders, 10%
Wine, 9%
Cleanliness, 9%
Customer Service, 9%
Guest Service, 6%
Cash Handling, 5%