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Waiters and Waitresses in Alabama

Want to work as a Waiters and Waitresses in Alabama? Here’s what the data says. Take orders and serve food and beverages to patrons at tables in dining establishment. Excludes “Fast Food and Counter Workers” (35-3023).

What do Waiters and Waitresses Make in Alabama?

For waiters and waitresses working in Alabama, the typical annual salary is $21,920 per year (or about $10.54/hour).Annual wages span from $15,950 at the 10th percentile to $35,560 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic	Annual	Hourly
10th percentile	$15,950	$7.67
25th percentile	$17,130	$8.24
Median (50th)	$21,920	$10.54
75th percentile	$28,020	$13.47
90th percentile	$35,560	$17.09

Location quotient — how concentrated this career is in Alabama relative to the national average — is 0.91.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, waiters and waitresses earn a median of $42,006 per year ($20.20/hour), lower than the Alabama median.

Employment Outlook

There are roughly 1,737,342 waiters and waitresses nationwide. In Alabama alone, approximately 28,540 people work in this role. That’s higher than the typical state, which employs around 27,800 waiters and waitresses.

Top Alabama Metros for Waiters and Waitresses

The metro areas below employ the most waiters and waitresses in Alabama.

Metro Area	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Birmingham, AL	6,820	$21,930
Huntsville, AL	3,070	$23,120
Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL	2,960	$21,990
Mobile, AL	2,510	$22,190
Montgomery, AL	2,230	$21,760
Tuscaloosa, AL	1,810	$22,740
Auburn-Opelika, AL	1,370	$22,090
Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL	1,080	$22,500
Dothan, AL	940	$21,830
Decatur, AL	750	$21,260
Anniston-Oxford, AL	680	$22,240
Gadsden, AL	560	$21,460

Top States for Waiters and Waitresses Employment

These states have the highest employment of waiters and waitresses work.

State	Number Employed
California	243,300
Texas	210,170
Florida	208,920
New York	140,890
Illinois	84,550
Pennsylvania	82,920
Ohio	76,260
North Carolina	74,110
Georgia	71,870
Michigan	64,920
Virginia	61,260
New Jersey	56,560
Arizona	55,010
Tennessee	53,400
Massachusetts	50,160
Indiana	43,880
South Carolina	43,730
Washington	43,720
Missouri	43,360
Colorado	42,510

Highest-Paying States for Waiters and Waitresses

Where waiters and waitresses earn the most: waiters and waitresses.

State	Annual Median Salary
Vermont	$60,910
Hawaii	$48,570
Washington	$47,490
New York	$46,460
District of Columbia	$45,770
Maine	$44,550
Rhode Island	$42,600
New Hampshire	$39,270
New Jersey	$38,720
Virginia	$36,990

Skills

Top waiters and waitresses skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Knowledge Areas

Key knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Abilities

Key abilities for waiters and waitresses, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Daily Tasks

Day-to-day, waiters and waitresses typically:

• Collect payments from customers.
• Check patrons' identification to ensure that they meet minimum age requirements for consumption of alcoholic beverages.
• Write patrons' food orders on order slips, memorize orders, or enter orders into computers for transmittal to kitchen staff.
• Check with customers to ensure that they are enjoying their meals, and take action to correct any problems.
• Take orders from patrons for food or beverages.
• Prepare checks that itemize and total meal costs and sales taxes.
• Remove dishes and glasses from tables or counters, and take them to kitchen for cleaning.
• Clean tables or counters after patrons have finished dining.
• Serve food or beverages to patrons, and prepare or serve specialty dishes at tables as required.
• Perform cleaning duties, such as sweeping and mopping floors, vacuuming carpet, tidying up server station, taking out trash, or checking and cleaning bathroom.
• Present menus to patrons and answer questions about menu items, making recommendations upon request.
• Prepare tables for meals, including setting up items such as linens, silverware, and glassware.

Work Activities

• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
• Performing General Physical Activities
• Handling and Moving Objects
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People
• Getting Information
• Assisting and Caring for Others
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
• Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards

Tools & Technology

Common tools and software used in this occupation include: Hot technologies: Facebook

Related Careers

Careers similar to waiters and waitresses include:

• Food Service Managers
• Chefs and Head Cooks
• First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers
• Cooks, Fast Food
• Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
• Cooks, Private Household

Also Known As

Banquet Server, Banquet Waiter, Banquet Waitress, Bar Waiter, Bar Waitress, Buffet Waiter, Buffet Waitress, Busser, Carhop, Club Waiter, Club Waitress, Cocktail Server, Cocktail Waitress, Deck Steward, Dining Car Server.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
• O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
• BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
• O*NET-SOC code: 35-3031.00