Server/barista vs bartender server

The differences between server/baristas and bartender servers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a bartender server has an average salary of $32,591, which is higher than the $30,749 average annual salary of a server/barista.

The top three skills for a server/barista include cleanliness, wine and customer service. The most important skills for a bartender server are bartending, POS, and non-alcoholic beverages.

Server/barista vs bartender server overview

	Server/Barista	Bartender Server
Yearly salary	$30,749	$32,591
Hourly rate	$14.78	$15.67
Growth rate	14%	18%
Number of jobs	173,073	106,784
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 48%	Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Average age	23	34
Years of experience	-	2

What does a server/barista do?

A server/barista is someone who makes and serves beverages and foods, such as coffee, tea, and sandwiches or baked goods. He/She or she should be able to explain menu items to customers to ensure customer satisfaction. Other responsibilities include knowing food and beverage quality controls and updating displays to attract customers. The core skills that a server/barista should possess include excellent listening and communication skills and the ability to cope up with a physically demanding work environment. A candidate with a high school diploma or equivalent could qualify for the position.

What does a bartender server do?

Bartender servers are employees who work in the restaurant's bar area. They are responsible for assembling customers' drink orders and serving these to customers. They should be sound drink mixers and must be familiar with cocktail combinations and other mixes. They should also know the ingredients of the restaurant's drinks and should be able to use alternatives should specific components be unavailable. Some bartender servers engage in flairtending, a way of mixing drinks that entertains the guests waiting for their drinks.

Server/barista vs bartender server salary

Server/baristas and bartender servers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Server/Barista	Bartender Server
Average salary	$30,749	$32,591
Salary range	Between $23,000 And $40,000	Between $23,000 And $46,000
Highest paying City	-	Edmonds, WA
Highest paying state	-	Hawaii
Best paying company	-	Earth Fare
Best paying industry	-	Hospitality

Differences between server/barista and bartender server education

There are a few differences between a server/barista and a bartender server in terms of educational background:

	Server/Barista	Bartender Server
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 48%	Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Most common major	Psychology	Business
Most common college	-	-

Server/barista vs bartender server demographics

Here are the differences between server/baristas' and bartender servers' demographics:

	Server/Barista	Bartender Server
Average age	23	34
Gender ratio	Male, 28.2% Female, 71.8%	Male, 33.8% Female, 66.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 6.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 6.5% White, 57.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 5.9% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 18.4% Asian, 3.8% White, 65.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between server/barista and bartender server duties and responsibilities

Server/barista example responsibilities.

Open and close the cafe, work a POS system, manage inventory, stock the cafe.
Practice organization and cleanliness while managing individual tasks.
Greet and seat customer, take orders through POS system, and deliver food and drinks to customers.
Cash handling experience, maintain cleanliness of restaurant, ensure customer satisfaction through superior customer interaction.
Maintain regular and consistent attendance and punctuality as well as trained new team members with positive reinforcement and respectfully encouraging coaching
Maintain an organize and time sensitive backroom with various perishables.

Bartender server example responsibilities.

Use micros, handle money, give change, manage bar cost, keep good customer relations to gain repeat business.
Direct bartending operations, seamless beverage services, inventory management and customer service.
Provide efficient hands-on food and beverage delivery while successfully upselling food and beverage orders.
Optimize bar revenue by upselling drinks and facilitating repeat business by cultivating relationships to encourage repeat patronage.
Fast pace serving customers, bartender on occasion, put orders in micros and get people their checks in a timely matter
Experience utilizing POS system quickly and accurately.

Server/barista vs bartender server skills

Common server/barista skills

Cleanliness, 24%
Wine, 17%
Customer Service, 11%
Multitasking, 10%
Presentation Standards, 9%
POS, 4%

Common bartender server skills

Bartending, 15%
POS, 10%
Non-Alcoholic Beverages, 9%
Fine Dining, 7%
Drink Orders, 5%
Customer Service, 5%

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Server/Barista vs Bartender Server

Updated January 8, 2025

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