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What is an outside food server and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being an outside food server. For example, did you know that they make an average of $14.35 an hour? That's $29,857 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 9% and produce 372,900 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreOutside Food ServerUS Average
Salary
2.3

Avg. Salary $29,857

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
5.1

Growth rate 9%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
8.7
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.73%

Asian 8.80%

Black or African American 13.46%

Hispanic or Latino 16.38%

Unknown 4.82%

White 55.82%

Gender

female 34.48%

male 65.52%

Age - 43
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43
Stress level
5.1

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
6.7

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
8.7

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an outside food server

  1. Explore outside food server education requirements

    Most common outside food server degrees

    Bachelor's

    44.4 %

    High School Diploma

    27.8 %

    Diploma

    11.1 %
  2. Start to develop specific outside food server skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Customer Service100.00%
  3. Complete relevant outside food server training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New outside food servers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an outside food server based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real outside food server resumes.
  4. Research outside food server duties and responsibilities

    • Manage event reservations and party requests, inform customers about upcoming events and specials.
    • Establish a positive relationship with co-workers and managers through a solid work ethic, positive attitude, punctuality and dependability.
    • Develop credibility and confidence with VIP guests by maintaining confidentiality and complying with company standards.
  5. Prepare your outside food server resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your outside food server resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an outside food server resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable outside food server resume templates

    Build a professional outside food server resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your outside food server resume.
    Outside Food Server Resume
    Outside Food Server Resume
    Outside Food Server Resume
    Outside Food Server Resume
    Outside Food Server Resume
    Outside Food Server Resume
    Outside Food Server Resume
    Outside Food Server Resume
    Outside Food Server Resume
  6. Apply for outside food server jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an outside food server job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first outside food server job

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Average outside food server salary

The average outside food server salary in the United States is $29,857 per year or $14 per hour. Outside food server salaries range between $24,000 and $36,000 per year.

Average outside food server salary
$29,857 Yearly
$14.35 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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