Server assistant vs fine dining server

The differences between server assistants and fine dining servers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a fine dining server has an average salary of $32,140, which is higher than the $25,654 average annual salary of a server assistant.

The top three skills for a server assistant include cleanliness, reservations and service stations. The most important skills for a fine dining server are wine, fine dining, and cleanliness.

Server assistant vs fine dining server overview

	Server Assistant	Fine Dining Server
Yearly salary	$25,654	$32,140
Hourly rate	$12.33	$15.45
Growth rate	9%	10%
Number of jobs	194,248	77,549
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 40%	Bachelor's Degree, 53%
Average age	39	28
Years of experience	-	-

What does a server assistant do?

A server assistant, also known as a busser, is a restaurant employee who assists food servers in providing prompt and polite service to their guests. Server assistants are responsible for the preparation of tables for their arriving guests at the same time to help deliver food to tables when the food servers are busy. Aside from entertaining guests, server assistants must ensure that beverages are refilled, menus are sanitized, and process payments. Server assistants must also possess excellent communication and customer service skills.

What does a fine dining server do?

Fine dining servers the people who make your stay at a restaurant enjoyable. They deliver well-written orders for the kitchen to prepare and bring your food and beverage. Being a fine dining server is no easy task, as certain skill sets need to be met in order to become an effective dining server. An efficient server is detail-oriented, observant to the needs of the diners, and intuitive. An extensive knowledge of wines and other specific food categories may be required depending on the restaurant.

Server assistant vs fine dining server salary

Server assistants and fine dining servers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Server Assistant	Fine Dining Server
Average salary	$25,654	$32,140
Salary range	Between $19,000 And $33,000	Between $21,000 And $47,000
Highest paying City	Seattle, WA	-
Highest paying state	Maine	-
Best paying company	Pioneer High School	-
Best paying industry	Hospitality	-

Differences between server assistant and fine dining server education

There are a few differences between a server assistant and a fine dining server in terms of educational background:

	Server Assistant	Fine Dining Server
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 40%	Bachelor's Degree, 53%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Server assistant vs fine dining server demographics

Here are the differences between server assistants' and fine dining servers' demographics:

	Server Assistant	Fine Dining Server
Average age	39	28
Gender ratio	Male, 59.2% Female, 40.8%	Male, 39.6% Female, 60.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.1% Asian, 7.7% White, 59.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%	Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 19.6% Asian, 8.2% White, 54.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between server assistant and fine dining server duties and responsibilities

Server assistant example responsibilities.

Manage event reservations and party requests, inform customers about upcoming events and specials.
Set up chairs, tables, and workstations.
Stock the bar and service areas for bartenders and beverage servers.
Deliver food orders to guests accordingly to five stars five diamonds standards.
Direct other beverage servers and bartenders when to take breaks and for how long.
Assist servers with taking orders, ringing in orders on the POS and running food.

Fine dining server example responsibilities.

Schedule and prioritize workload while managing multiple tasks as a representative of this distinctive establishment frequent by wine enthusiasts.
Maintain Microsoft windows base computer system.
Work closely with management to implement new organizational systems to facilitate efficient wine service and inventory.
Craft featured cocktails and signature drinks when bartending.
Inform chefs if guests have any allergies or other requests.
Maintain cleanliness of work areas, china, glass, etc., throughout the day.

Server assistant vs fine dining server skills

Common server assistant skills

Cleanliness, 16%
Reservations, 13%
Service Stations, 10%
Wine, 6%
Ruby, 5%
Exceptional Dining, 5%

Common fine dining server skills

Wine, 27%
Fine Dining, 24%
Cleanliness, 7%
Customer Service, 5%
Beverage Orders, 4%
POS, 4%

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Server Assistant vs Fine Dining Server

Updated January 8, 2025

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