Restaurant server demographics and statistics in the US
Restaurant server demographics research summary. Zippia estimates restaurant server demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our restaurant server estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about restaurant servers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 1,693,827 restaurant servers currently employed in the United States.
- 59.2% of all restaurant servers are women, while 40.8% are men.
- The average restaurant server age is 28 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of restaurant servers is White (52.2%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (20.9%), Black or African American (10.9%) and Asian (9.4%).
- Restaurant servers are most in-demand in New York, NY.
- Washington, DC pays an annual average wage of $34,261, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women restaurant servers earned 96% of what men earned.
- Arizona is the best state for restaurant servers to live.
- Restaurant servers are 76% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Restaurant server demographics by:
Restaurant server gender statistics
59.2% of restaurant servers are women and 40.8% of restaurant servers are men.
- Female, 59.2%
- Male, 40.8%
Restaurant server gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 59.2% |
| Male | 40.8% |
Restaurant server gender pay gap
Women earn 96¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$25,738
Female income
$24,781
Restaurant server gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in restaurant server positions over time. Currently, 59.2% of restaurant servers are female.
Restaurant server gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 37.35% | 62.65% |
| 2011 | 37.57% | 62.43% |
| 2012 | 37.98% | 62.02% |
| 2013 | 39.40% | 60.60% |
| 2014 | 39.01% | 60.99% |
| 2015 | 39.92% | 60.08% |
| 2016 | 41.91% | 58.09% |
| 2017 | 40.78% | 59.22% |
| 2018 | 40.73% | 59.27% |
| 2019 | 40.59% | 59.41% |
| 2020 | 41.66% | 58.34% |
| 2021 | 40.79% | 59.21% |
Restaurant server related jobs gender ratio
We compared restaurant servers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, busboy/waiter and host/waiter have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Barmaid | 5% | 95% |
| Head Waitress | 5% | 95% |
| Bartender, Cook, And Waitress | 5% | 95% |
| Restaurant Server | 41% | 59% |
| Bar Back & Bartender | 86% | 14% |
| Host/Waiter | 90% | 10% |
| Busboy/Waiter | 97% | 3% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Restaurant server demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among restaurant servers is White, which makes up 52.2% of all restaurant servers. Comparatively, 20.9% of restaurant servers are Hispanic or Latino and 10.9% of restaurant servers are Black or African American.
- White, 52.2%
- Hispanic or Latino, 20.9%
- Black or African American, 10.9%
- Asian, 9.4%
- Unknown, 5.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
Restaurant server race
| Restaurant server race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 52.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 20.9% |
| Black or African American | 10.9% |
| Asian | 9.4% |
| Unknown | 5.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.9% |
Restaurant server race and ethnicity over time
See how restaurant server racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Restaurant server race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 64.37% | 10.06% | 6.49% | 15.93% |
| 2011 | 63.02% | 11.11% | 6.80% | 15.83% |
| 2012 | 62.33% | 10.92% | 7.02% | 16.33% |
| 2013 | 61.68% | 10.71% | 7.01% | 17.24% |
| 2014 | 60.97% | 10.49% | 7.44% | 17.42% |
| 2015 | 58.77% | 10.81% | 7.67% | 18.88% |
| 2016 | 58.49% | 10.86% | 7.71% | 18.86% |
| 2017 | 57.96% | 10.85% | 7.77% | 19.28% |
| 2018 | 56.86% | 11.19% | 8.29% | 19.72% |
| 2019 | 57.68% | 10.77% | 8.49% | 19.11% |
| 2020 | 53.39% | 11.53% | 8.70% | 20.24% |
| 2021 | 52.23% | 10.91% | 9.44% | 20.88% |
Restaurant server wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino restaurant servers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american restaurant servers have the lowest average salary at $25,106.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $25,681 |
| White | $25,731 |
| Black or African American | $25,106 |
| Asian | $25,780 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $26,412 |
Average restaurant server age
See how the average age of restaurant servers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Restaurant server age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 24 | 25 |
| Unknown | 24 | 24 |
| Asian | 28 | 32 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 26 | 26 |
| White | 24 | 25 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 31 | 25 |
Restaurant server age breakdown
The average age of restaurant servers is 20-30 years years old, representing 48% of the restaurant server population.
Restaurant server age breakdown
| Restaurant Server Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 15% |
| 30-40 years | 20% |
| 20-30 years | 48% |
Restaurant server educational attainment
The most common degree for restaurant servers is bachelor's degree, with 48% of restaurant servers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are high school diploma degree at 22% and high school diploma degree at 19%.
- Bachelor's, 48%
- High School Diploma, 22%
- Associate, 19%
- Diploma, 4%
- Other Degrees, 7%
Restaurant servers by degree level
| Restaurant server degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 48% |
| High School Diploma | 22% |
| Associate | 19% |
| Diploma | 4% |
| Other Degrees | 7% |
Restaurant server jobs you might like
Restaurant server wage gap by degree level
According to the data, restaurant servers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $29,174 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, restaurant servers earn a median annual income of $28,107 compared to $26,578 for restaurant servers with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $29,174 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $25,133 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $28,107 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $26,578 |
Restaurant server employment statistics
Most restaurant servers work for a private in the hospitality industry.
Company size where restaurant servers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where restaurant servers work.
Restaurant server jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 5% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 12% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 16% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 5% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 36% |
| > 10,000 employees | 25% |
Restaurant server jobs by company type
Employees with the restaurant server job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most restaurant servers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Restaurant server jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 22% |
| Private | 76% |
| Government | 0% |
Restaurant server jobs by industry
The most common industries for restaurant servers are hospitality, retail and manufacturing.
Restaurant server industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Hospitality | 73% |
| Retail | 4% |
| Manufacturing | 3% |
| Fortune 500 | 3% |
| Professional | 3% |
| Media | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Education | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
Restaurant server turnover and employment statistics
Restaurant server unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for restaurant servers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Restaurant server unemployment rate by year
| Year | Restaurant server unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 12.70% |
| 2011 | 12.69% |
| 2012 | 11.74% |
| 2013 | 10.91% |
| 2014 | 9.64% |
| 2015 | 7.91% |
| 2016 | 7.56% |
| 2017 | 7.32% |
| 2018 | 6.98% |
| 2019 | 6.26% |
| 2020 | 13.68% |
| 2021 | 12.67% |
Average restaurant server tenure
The average restaurant server stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 8,172 restaurant servers resumes in Zippia's database.
Restaurant server tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 30% |
| 1-2 years | 34% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 12% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 5% |
Restaurant server LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of restaurant servers that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant Server | 6.48% | - |
| Food Porter | 6.98% | 57,175 |
| Barmaid | 7.82% | 79,746 |
| Associate Food Scientist | 7.82% | 160,215 |
Similar restaurant server jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Food Porter | 6.98% | 57,175 |
| Barmaid | 7.82% | 79,746 |
| Associate Food Scientist | 7.82% | 160,215 |
Foreign languages spoken by restaurant servers
The most common foreign language among restaurant servers is Spanish at 52.8%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 9.5% and Japanese is the third-most popular at 5.2%.
- Spanish, 52.8%
- French, 9.5%
- Japanese, 5.2%
- Chinese, 4.9%
- German, 4.9%
- Other, 22.7%
Restaurant server languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 52.8% |
| French | 9.5% |
| Japanese | 5.2% |
| Chinese | 4.9% |
| German | 4.9% |
| Other | 22.7% |
