Waiters and Waitresses
Food Preparation and Serving Related
Work happens on the dining floor, moving between tables, the kitchen, and the register. You take food and drink orders—writing them down, memorizing them, or entering them on a computer—then serve meals and keep checking that guests are satisfied. You also check IDs before serving alcohol, prepare itemized bills, collect payment, and clear and wipe tables when people finish. The pace is set by the room: rushes, special requests, and problems at the table all need a quick response. Suits people who like face-to-face service, remembering details, and working as part of a kitchen and floor team.
Typical education: High School Diploma or GED
Annual Median Wage in Field (2025)
$35'230
Median Wage Market Position
$35'230
What you might do
- Take food and drink orders from guests
- Pass those orders along to the kitchen
- Bring meals and drinks to the table
- Check that guests are enjoying their meal
- Add up the check and take payment
- Carry dirty dishes back to the kitchen
Skills that matter
- Table-side food and drink orders
- Order slips written or entered for the kitchen
- Follow-up to see if meals are enjoyed
- Corrections when a meal has problems
- Itemized checks with meal tax totals
- ID checks before alcohol service
AI & the future of this role
Tablet ordering and kitchen displays may absorb more of the routine order relay. Table-side service, reading guest needs, and handling special requests still lean on in-person presence and judgment.
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Includes O*NET® 30.3 Database information by USDOL/ETA under CC BY 4.0; modified by LostInCareer. Wage/outlook from BLS. Attribution details