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The differences between waitresses and cocktail servers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a cocktail server has an average salary of $26,178, which is higher than the $24,770 average annual salary of a waitress.
The top three skills for a waitress include food orders, food preparation and customer orders. The most important skills for a cocktail server are wine, cash handling, and beverage orders.
| Waitress | Cocktail Server | |
| Yearly salary | $24,770 | $26,178 |
| Hourly rate | $11.91 | $12.59 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 87,315 | 74,674 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 36% | Bachelor's Degree, 41% |
| Average age | 28 | 28 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
Waitresses are responsible for ensuring that guests are given proper attention during their visit to the restaurant. They guide guests to their table, provide menu boards, answer any questions the guests may have, take the guests' order, and communicate the order to the kitchen. Once the order is ready, waitresses collect the food from the kitchen and serve it to the guests. They then give guests time to finish their meal. Upon the guests' request, waitresses bring them their bill and wait for them to finish paying up. Once the guests leave, waitresses are responsible for ensuring that the table is ready for the next guests.
A cocktail server's responsibilities revolve around taking orders and serving drinks in a restaurant or similar establishment, ensuring accuracy and customer satisfaction. Aside from this, a cocktail server may have to process payments, clean tables, and even offer suggestions when necessary. They also have to be alert for any signs of disruptive behavior from intoxicated to underage customers. Furthermore, it is essential to communicate and coordinate with the bartender and other kitchen staff to ensure that every patron gets their order, especially on days when there's a high customer presence.
Waitresses and cocktail servers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Waitress | Cocktail Server | |
| Average salary | $24,770 | $26,178 |
| Salary range | Between $17,000 And $35,000 | Between $16,000 And $42,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | New York | Washington |
| Best paying company | New York Institute of Technology | Aspen Snowmass |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Media |
There are a few differences between a waitress and a cocktail server in terms of educational background:
| Waitress | Cocktail Server | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 36% | Bachelor's Degree, 41% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between waitresses' and cocktail servers' demographics:
| Waitress | Cocktail Server | |
| Average age | 28 | 28 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 19.9% Female, 80.1% | Male, 13.0% Female, 87.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 20.2% Asian, 8.6% White, 53.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 22.8% Asian, 8.1% White, 51.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |