Overview
Responsibilities
T-A-S-K
Education
Income & Employability
Video Resources
Related Careers

Description

Take orders and serve food and beverages to patrons at tables in dining establishment.

Interests

  • Social
  • Conventional
  • Enterprising
  • Realistic

Learn More about Interests

Work Values

  • Relationships
  • Support
  • Achievement

Learn More about Work Values

Work Styles

  • Dependability
  • Attention to Detail
  • Self-Control
  • Cooperation
  • Stress Tolerance

Learn More about Work Styles

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

  • Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
  • Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
  • Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
  • Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
  • Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
  • Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
  • Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
  • 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

Abilities

  • Oral Comprehension
  • Oral Expression
  • Speech Clarity
  • Speech Recognition
  • Near Vision

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

ServSafe Alcohol

Certifying Organization

National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation

Type

Core

Certifying Organization

American Hotel and Lodging Association Educational Institute

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 PercentileAnnual Income
Low (10%)$27,237
Median (50%)$32,089
High (90%)$38,206

Income by Experience

This table shows how income typically grows with experience—from entry level (0–2 years), to mid-level (3–5 years), to senior level (6–8 years), to expert level (8+ years).

ExperienceIncome
Entry Level $32,474
Mid Level $39,080
Senior Level $41,858
Expert Level $44,949

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%

Related Careers

The career information and data on this site incorporates information from O*NET Web Services, Lightcast, CareerOneStop, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). For more details regarding the data sources and the specific information sourced, click here.

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