What Does it Take to Be a Waiter or Waitress?
Waiter or Waitress Example Take orders and serve food and beverages to patrons at tables in dining establishment.
Life As a Waiter or Waitress: What Do They Do?
- Garnish and decorate dishes in preparation for serving.
- Serve food or beverages to patrons, and prepare or serve specialty dishes at tables as required.
- Fill salt, pepper, sugar, cream, condiment, and napkin containers.
- Prepare hot, cold, and mixed drinks for patrons, and chill bottles of wine.
- 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.
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What Skills Do You Need to Work as a Waiter or Waitress?
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
- Restaurant Server
- Bar Waiter/Waitress
- Headwaitress
- Informal Waiter/Waitress
- Headwaiter
Job Outlook for Waiters and Waitresses
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 2,600,500 jobs in the United States for Waiter or Waitress. 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.
How Much Does a Waiter or Waitress Make?
The salary for Waiters and Waitresses ranges between about $17,330 and $40,780 a year.
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
How do I Become a Waiter or Waitress?
Are there Waiters and Waitresses education requirements?
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.
Similar Careers
Those thinking about becoming a Waiter or Waitress might also be interested in the following careers:
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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