Life As a Waiter or Waitress
Example of Waiter or Waitress Job Take orders and serve food and beverages to patrons at tables in dining establishment.
Life As a Waiter or Waitress: What Do They Do?
- Write patrons’ food orders on order slips, memorize orders, or enter orders into computers for transmittal to kitchen staff.
- Prepare tables for meals, including setting up items such as linens, silverware, and glassware.
- Remove dishes and glasses from tables or counters and take them to kitchen for cleaning.
- Collect payments from customers.
- Perform food preparation duties such as preparing salads, appetizers, and cold dishes, portioning desserts, and brewing coffee.
- Roll silverware, set up food stations, or set up dining areas to prepare for the next shift or for large parties.
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Qualities of a Waiter or Waitress
When polled, Waiters and Waitresses say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Waitress
- Informal Waiter/Waitress
- Cocktail Server
- Carhop
- Dining Car Waiter/Waitress
Waiter or Waitress Employment Estimates
In the United States, there were 2,600,500 jobs for Waiter or Waitress in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 7% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 182,500 new jobs for Waiter or Waitress by 2026. The BLS estimates 522,700 yearly job openings in this field.
The states with the most job growth for Waiter or Waitress are Utah, Washington, and Arizona. Watch out if you plan on working in Ohio, West Virginia, or Maine. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Do Waiters and Waitresses Make A Lot Of Money?
The typical yearly salary for Waiters and Waitresses is somewhere between $17,330 and $40,780.
Waiters and Waitresses who work in Hawaii, Vermont, or District of Columbia, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Waiters and Waitresses in different U.S. states.
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $19,750 |
| Alaska | $25,610 |
| Arizona | $30,220 |
| Arkansas | $20,040 |
| California | $30,250 |
| Colorado | $25,510 |
| Connecticut | $26,350 |
| Delaware | $23,690 |
| District of Columbia | $48,120 |
| Florida | $26,120 |
| Georgia | $20,280 |
| Hawaii | $52,110 |
| Idaho | $20,780 |
| Illinois | $22,900 |
| Indiana | $22,300 |
| Iowa | $21,850 |
| Kansas | $20,140 |
| Kentucky | $19,450 |
| Louisiana | $18,630 |
| Maine | $27,550 |
| Maryland | $24,160 |
| Massachusetts | $31,920 |
| Michigan | $23,920 |
| Minnesota | $25,540 |
| Mississippi | $20,560 |
| Missouri | $21,420 |
| Montana | $20,990 |
| Nebraska | $25,610 |
| Nevada | $24,980 |
| New Hampshire | $24,850 |
| New Jersey | $27,530 |
| New Mexico | $20,770 |
| New York | $34,460 |
| North Carolina | $22,400 |
| North Dakota | $21,140 |
| Ohio | $22,650 |
| Oklahoma | $20,060 |
| Oregon | $28,640 |
| Pennsylvania | $24,850 |
| Rhode Island | $27,380 |
| South Carolina | $20,290 |
| South Dakota | $21,930 |
| Tennessee | $19,870 |
| Texas | $23,520 |
| Utah | $24,000 |
| Vermont | $34,560 |
| Virginia | $24,070 |
| Washington | $35,930 |
| West Virginia | $23,140 |
| Wisconsin | $23,330 |
| Wyoming | $23,670 |
What Tools do Waiters and Waitresses Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Waiters and Waitresses:
- Point of sale POS software
- Intuit QuickBooks Point of Sale
- The General Store
- Compris software
- MICROS Systems HSI Profits Series
- NCR Advanced Checkout Solution
- NCR NeighborhoodPOS
- Compris Advanced Manager’s Workstation
- Hospitality Control Solutions Aloha Point-of-Sale
Becoming a Waiter or Waitress
Individuals working as a Waiter or Waitress have obtained the following education levels:
How Long Does it Take to Become a Waiter or Waitress?
Where Waiters and Waitresses Are Employed
The table below shows the approximate number of Waiters and Waitresses employed by various industries.
You May Also Be Interested In…
Those interested in being a Waiter or Waitress may also be interested in:
Career changers with experience as a Waiter or Waitress sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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