Server vs busser

The differences between servers and bussers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a server has an average salary of $29,901, which is higher than the $24,111 average annual salary of a busser.

The top three skills for a server include wine, customer service and guest satisfaction. The most important skills for a busser are cleanliness, work ethic, and TIP.

Server vs busser overview

	Server	Busser
Yearly salary	$29,901	$24,111
Hourly rate	$14.38	$11.59
Growth rate	10%	9%
Number of jobs	162,734	14,989
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 40%	High School Diploma, 49%
Average age	28	39
Years of experience	-	-

What does a server do?

A server is a restaurant employee assigned to the main dining area of the restaurant to primarily attend to the customer's needs. Servers assist guests to their tables, wait for the guests to be ready with their orders, and take the guests' orders. They should be knowledgeable about the restaurant's offerings since they should be able to answer any questions asked by the guests regarding the menu. They communicate the guests' orders to the kitchen crew and serve the orders once they are ready. Once the guests are finished eating, servers provide their bills upon their request and clean up the table when they leave. Servers should have excellent customer service skills and hospitality management skills.

What does a busser do?

Busser, also known as dining room attendants or bartender helpers, is an entry-level position in the restaurant and dining industry. The bussers help in preparing the dining areas before guests arrive and decorating tables with a set of candles, napkins, linens, flowers, or other ornaments, especially if with a special theme for the day, usually when it's a national celebration or holidays. Also, they assist in cleaning the tables, clearing plates, used utensils, drinkware, and other dishes to the kitchen to be washed, refilling diners' glasses with water, and make the tables ready for the next set of service.

Server vs busser salary

Servers and bussers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Server	Busser
Average salary	$29,901	$24,111
Salary range	Between $21,000 And $42,000	Between $17,000 And $33,000
Highest paying City	Washington, DC	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	New York	Maine
Best paying company	Dell	Dell
Best paying industry	Hospitality	Hospitality

Differences between server and busser education

There are a few differences between a server and a busser in terms of educational background:

	Server	Busser
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 40%	High School Diploma, 49%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Server vs busser demographics

Here are the differences between servers' and bussers' demographics:

	Server	Busser
Average age	28	39
Gender ratio	Male, 32.0% Female, 68.0%	Male, 73.1% Female, 26.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 8.2% White, 54.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 8.7% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 20.1% Asian, 7.1% White, 57.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between server and busser duties and responsibilities

Server example responsibilities.

Manage expediter window paying close attention to garnishes and presentation.
Provide exceptional customer service, while frequently checking for food allergies, by utilizing excellent communication and multitasking skills.
Maximize profits by upselling food and alcoholic beverages and utilizing excellent customer service skills to ensure guests repeat business.
Clean bars, work areas, and tables.
Provide exceptional service to guests with charm, professionalism, respect, and bright personality.
Embrace serving on a more personal level due the quaint, small-town charm of the location.

Busser example responsibilities.

Cross-Train in all kitchen culinary positions including broiler, saut, banquets and room service food production.
Perform food preparation and serving duties, such as carving meat, preparing flambe dishes, or serving wine and liquor.
Schedule reservations and place and deliver room service orders.
Maintain both FOH and BOH duties in a fast-pace dining establishment.
Clean the dirty tables and make sure the restaurant are in tip top shape and look good.
Submit food and beverage orders to kitchen staff utilizing a POS register to tabulate and itemize orders.

Server vs busser skills

Common server skills

Wine, 15%
Customer Service, 10%
Guest Satisfaction, 8%
Cleanliness, 7%
Cash Handling, 7%
POS, 6%

Common busser skills

Cleanliness, 24%
Work Ethic, 9%
TIP, 8%
Food Handling, 5%
Dishwashers, 5%
Bus Tables, 4%

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Server vs Busser

Updated January 8, 2025

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