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The differences between server managers and lead servers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a server manager has an average salary of $61,639, which is higher than the $28,677 average annual salary of a lead server.
The top three skills for a server manager include customer service, payroll and POS. The most important skills for a lead server are customer service, new servers, and fine dining.
| Server Manager | Lead Server | |
| Yearly salary | $61,639 | $28,677 |
| Hourly rate | $29.63 | $13.79 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 153,999 | 123,215 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Average age | 39 | 28 |
| Years of experience | 4 | - |
As the name entails, server managers are responsible for managing and overseeing the serving areas in restaurants. This role is associated with several tasks, including checking the appearance of servers, checking a server's knowledge of the restaurant's daily specials and menu items, and greeting the customers. Additional tasks may include assisting new serving crews and evaluating their self-reliance and capabilities, managing the schedule of servers, and organizing staff training. The skills needed for this position may include excellent customer service skills, leadership skills, and communication skills.
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 managers and lead servers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Server Manager | Lead Server | |
| Average salary | $61,639 | $28,677 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $162,000 | Between $11,000 And $70,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | - | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | - | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | - | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a server manager and a lead server in terms of educational background:
| Server Manager | Lead Server | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between server managers' and lead servers' demographics:
| Server Manager | Lead Server | |
| Average age | 39 | 28 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 34.3% Female, 65.7% | Male, 37.5% Female, 62.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.1% Asian, 8.6% White, 58.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | 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 | 10% | 6% |