The earnings of food service workers are determined by a number of factors, such as the type, size, and location of the food establishment, union membership, experience and training of the workers, basic wages paid, and, in some cases, tips earned. Estimating the average wage scale is therefore difficult and has a wide margin of error. It should also be noted that half of all food service workers work part time, so the annual wages mentioned here apply only to full-time work.

Waiters depend a great deal on tips to supplement their basic wages, which in general are relatively small. According to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), waiters earned a median hourly wage of $10.47 (including tips) in May 2018. At this pay rate, a person working a 40-hour workweek on a full-time basis would earn $21,780 annually. The department also reports that the highest paid 10 percent of waiters earned more than $19.61 per hour ($40,780 annually), and the lowest 10 percent earned $8.33 per hour ($17,330 annually). Tips, usually ranging from 15 to 20 percent of the customers' checks, often amount to more than the actual wages, especially in the larger metropolitan areas. Naturally, waiters working in busy, expensive restaurants earned the most.

The DOL also reports the following figures for full-time workers in various positions in May 2018. (All earnings exclude tips.) Dining room and cafeteria attendants earned a median of $10.71 per hour, which is $22,270 per year for full-time work. Most of these attendants' earnings come from wages, while a portion may come from tip pools that are shared with other members of the wait staff. Hosts and hostesses made a median salary of $10.65 per hour. This translates into a yearly income of $22,160. Many hosts' and hostesses' earnings come from wages, but some may share in a tip pool with other dining room workers. Counter attendants at coffee shops, cafeterias, and other such establishments earned a mean hourly wage of $10.74, or $22,330 annually.

Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food, earned median annual salaries of $21,2500 in May 2018. Salaries ranged from less than $17,210 to $28,640 or more.

Full-time bartenders had median hourly wages of $10.84 in May 2018. A person working 40 hours a week at this pay rate would earn $22,550 annually. The lowest paid 10 percent of full-time bartenders earned less than $8.47 per hour (or less than $20.30 annually), and the highest paid 10 percent made more than $18.26 per hour (or more than $42,230 annually). Another reason earnings vary so widely in this industry is because special laws govern the minimum wage that must be paid to tipped workers. While the federal minimum wage is $7.25 (although minimum wage rates are higher in some states and cities), employers under certain circumstances are allowed to pay tipped workers less than this amount. As of January 2020, the minimum an employer could pay tipped workers was $2.13 per hour. The yearly income for a full-time worker making this amount is $4,430 without tips.

As a benefit, most businesses offer free or discounted meals to workers. Full-time workers often receive some benefits, such as health insurance and sick days.

Food Service Workers

Overview

Introduction

Quick Facts

Earnings

Work Environment

Outlook

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