Description
Take orders and serve food and beverages to patrons at tables in dining establishment.
Interests
- Social
- Conventional
- Enterprising
- Realistic
Work Values
- Relationships
- Support
- Achievement
Work Styles
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Self-Control
- Cooperation
- Stress Tolerance
Tasks
- Take orders from patrons for food or beverages.
- Check with customers to ensure that they are enjoying their meals, and take action to correct any problems.
- Check patrons' identification to ensure that they meet minimum age requirements for consumption of alcoholic beverages.
- Collect payments from customers.
- Write patrons' food orders on order slips, memorize orders, or enter orders into computers for transmittal to kitchen staff.
Work Activities
- Getting Information
- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
- Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others
Detailed Work Activities
- Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
- Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
- Assisting and Caring for Others - Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
- Handling and Moving Objects - Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
- Performing General Physical Activities - Performing general physical activities includes doing activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
Technology Skills
- Web page creation and editing software
- Instant messaging software
- Point of sale POS software
Skills
- Active Listening
- Service Orientation
- Speaking
- Social Perceptiveness
- Coordination
Knowledge
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Sales and Marketing
- Food Production
Most Common Education Level
The “Most Common Education Level” refers to the level of education held by the majority of workers in a given occupation. For example, if the highest percentage of workers in a role have an Associate’s Degree, that suggests this is the typical educational requirement. Knowing this helps you plan how many years of education you may need to pursue that career.
Certificates
Certificate name
Certified Restaurant ServerCertifying Organization
American Hotel and Lodging Association Educational Institute
Type
Core
Certificate name
ServSafe AlcoholCertifying Organization
National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation
Type
Core
Income Percentile
The income percentiles show how earnings are distributed within a profession. The 10th percentile means that 10% of workers earned less than that amount. The median (50th percentile) indicates that half of workers earned more, and half earned less. The 90th percentile reflects what the top 10% of earners in the field make.
| Income Percentile | Income |
|---|---|
| Low (10%) | $NaN |
| Median (50%) | $NaN |
| High (90%) | $NaN |
Income by Experience
This table shows how income typically grows with experience—from entry level (0–2 years), to mid-level (3–7 years), to senior level (8+ years).
| Experience | Income |
|---|---|
| Entry Level | $50,000 |
| Mid Level | $100,000 |
| Senior Level | $150,000 |
Employability
There are currently 2,277,900 jobs in this career path. Over the next 10 years, that number is expected to increase to 2,300,800 positions, reflecting a projected growth of 1%.
The Projected Job Growth figure refers to the expected increase or decrease in employment within a specific career field over a certain period of time.
Projected Job Growth of 1%
The career information and data on this site incorporates information from O*NET Web Services by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), with ONET® being a registered trademark of USDOL/ETA. Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA; CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (DOLETA) and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED); and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
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