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The differences between servers and hostesses 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 $26,298 average annual salary of a hostess.
The top three skills for a server include wine, customer service and guest satisfaction. The most important skills for a hostess are reservations, exceptional guest, and seat guests.
| Server | Hostess | |
| Yearly salary | $29,901 | $26,298 |
| Hourly rate | $14.38 | $12.64 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 162,734 | 82,629 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | High School Diploma, 37% |
| Average age | 28 | 23 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
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.
Hostesses are responsible for managing guests who come to the restaurant. They greet guests, ensure that the guests have tables ready before letting them into the restaurant floor, guide the guests to their assigned tables, and introduce the guests to the waiter assigned to the table. Hostesses also manage the reservation list, often manning the restaurant's reservation hotline. They also control the entry of guests, answer any query that guests may have, and take note of any special requests. Hostesses ensure that guests have the best possible restaurant experience.
Servers and hostesses have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Server | Hostess | |
| Average salary | $29,901 | $26,298 |
| Salary range | Between $21,000 And $42,000 | Between $20,000 And $34,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Portland, ME |
| Highest paying state | New York | Maine |
| Best paying company | Dell | V-Soft Consulting |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a server and a hostess in terms of educational background:
| Server | Hostess | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | High School Diploma, 37% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between servers' and hostesses' demographics:
| Server | Hostess | |
| Average age | 28 | 23 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 32.0% Female, 68.0% | Male, 14.1% Female, 85.9% |
| 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, 9.7% Unknown, 6.8% Hispanic or Latino, 19.7% Asian, 5.8% White, 57.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 5% |