Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between server and hostesses and lead 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 $28,020 average annual salary of a server and hostess.
The top three skills for a server and hostess include POS, food preparation and food orders. The most important skills for a lead server are customer service, new servers, and fine dining.
| Server And Hostess | Lead Server | |
| Yearly salary | $28,020 | $28,677 |
| Hourly rate | $13.47 | $13.79 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 97,109 | 123,215 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 39% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Average age | 28 | 28 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A server and hostess is an employee who plays the dual role of both a hostess and a server. As implied by this, a server and hostess is in-charge of welcoming guests as they enter the restaurant, ensuring that the guests' tables are ready before leading them to their assigned tables, handing over the menu, and waiting for the guests to finalize their order. Once the guests are ready to order, the server and hostess takes on the server role by bringing the guests' order to the kitchen, waiting for the food to be ready, and bringing the food to the guests' table.
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.
Server and hostesses and lead servers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Server And Hostess | Lead Server | |
| Average salary | $28,020 | $28,677 |
| Salary range | Between $21,000 And $37,000 | Between $11,000 And $70,000 |
| Highest paying City | Binghamton, NY | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | New York | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Blue Dolphin Energy | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a server and hostess and a lead server in terms of educational background:
| Server And Hostess | Lead Server | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 39% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between server and hostesses' and lead servers' demographics:
| Server And Hostess | Lead Server | |
| Average age | 28 | 28 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 18.3% Female, 81.7% | Male, 37.5% Female, 62.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 20.8% Asian, 8.2% White, 53.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |