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The differences between waitstaffs and servers 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 $25,104 average annual salary of a waitstaff.
The top three skills for a waitstaff include food service, beverage orders and culinary. The most important skills for a server are wine, customer service, and guest satisfaction.
| Waitstaff | Server | |
| Yearly salary | $25,104 | $29,901 |
| Hourly rate | $12.07 | $14.38 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 130,467 | 162,734 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Average age | 28 | 28 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
The waitstaff takes responsibility for tasks like recommending dishes based on the tastes and preferences of guests, accepting payments, and taking orders. Waitstaff delivers food to tables, ensures outstanding guest experience, and accepts payments. They work with diligence to get outstanding service quality and work with the other staff. It is part of their job to show customers their seats and provide menu options. They attend to tables for food service and guarantee cleanliness standard compliance.
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.
Waitstaffs and servers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Waitstaff | Server | |
| Average salary | $25,104 | $29,901 |
| Salary range | Between $19,000 And $32,000 | Between $21,000 And $42,000 |
| Highest paying City | Falmouth, MA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | New York |
| Best paying company | Mayo Clinic | Dell |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a waitstaff and a server in terms of educational background:
| Waitstaff | Server | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between waitstaffs' and servers' demographics:
| Waitstaff | Server | |
| Average age | 28 | 28 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 27.3% Female, 72.7% | Male, 32.0% Female, 68.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 18.8% Asian, 8.4% White, 56.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |