Waiter/waitress
Also known as: wait staff, chef de rang, waitress, event server, waiting staff, waiter
About this occupation
Waiters/waitresses supply guests with food and drinks as requested. Waiters/waitresses usually work in restaurants, bars and hotels. This involves the preparation of tables, serving food or beverages and taking payments.
Essential skills and knowledge
- advise guests on menus for special events
- prepare hot drinks
- alcoholic beverage products
- take payments for bills
- take food and beverage orders from customers
- serve wines
- attend to detail regarding food and beverages
- dietary regimes
- measure customer feedback
- serve beverages
- work in a hospitality team
- assist VIP guests
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Waiters and Waitresses (O*NET 35-3031.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- 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.
- Typical education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Preparation
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Interests
- Conventional, Social, Realistic
Top skills: Service Orientation, Active Listening, Speaking, Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Monitoring
US median pay: US$35,230 a year (2025), 2,270,910 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Subjects this work relies on
How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).
- English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageVery important (3.6)
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Preparation needed
Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Most common education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Related occupations
Occupations O*NET links to this one by similar work, skills and knowledge.
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers
- Bartenders
- Fast Food and Counter Workers
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop
- Baristas
- Food Preparation Workers
- Food Service Managers
- Cooks, Short Order
- First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.