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What Does it Take to Be a Waiter or Waitress?
Example of Waiter or Waitress Job Take orders and serve food and beverages to patrons at tables in dining establishment.
A Day in the Life of a Waiter or Waitress
- Garnish and decorate dishes in preparation for serving.
- Prepare hot, cold, and mixed drinks for patrons, and chill bottles of wine.
- Fill salt, pepper, sugar, cream, condiment, and napkin containers.
- Assist host or hostess by answering phones to take reservations or to-go orders, and by greeting, seating, and thanking guests.
- Serve food or beverages to patrons, and prepare or serve specialty dishes at tables as required.
- Collect payments from customers.
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Waiter or Waitress Skills
These are the skills Waiters and Waitresses say are the most useful in their careers:
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.
Types of Waiter or Waitress Jobs
- Carhop
- Waitress
- Car Hop
- Formal Waiter/Waitress
- Skating Carhop
Job Opportunities for Waiters and Waitresses
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. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 522,700 job openings in this field each year.
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.
Average Waiters and Waitresses Salary
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.
How much do Waiters and Waitresses make 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
- The General Store
- Intuit QuickBooks Point of Sale
- NCR NeighborhoodPOS
- MICROS Systems HSI Profits Series
- NCR Advanced Checkout Solution
- Compris software
- Compris Advanced Manager’s Workstation
- Hospitality Control Solutions Aloha Point-of-Sale
Becoming a Waiter or Waitress
What education or degrees do I need to become a Waiter or Waitress?
What work experience do I need to become a Waiter or Waitress?
Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Those interested in being a Waiter or Waitress may also be interested in:
Are you already one of the many Waiter or Waitress in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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