Waiters & Waitresses Description OES Code: 650080 Serve food and/or beverages to patrons at tables. Usually take orders from patron and make out check. May set table with linen and silverware and take payment from patron. May serve customers at counter as well as table. Exclude workers who only work at counters. CA Wages/hour median range New, no experience: $7.00 minimum – $20.25 New, experienced: $7.50 minimum – $22.39 3 yrs+ experience: $8.38 minimum – $25.68 Although some very few are paid as much as $12.25 per hour, Waiters and Waitresses are usually paid minimum wage, plus tips. The amount of money you earn depends on the type of restaurant where you work. The bigger the restaurant the more tips you get; the more expensive the restaurant the bigger the tips you get. Local Wages • CCOIS Survey • OES Survey Hours & Benefits Waiters and Waitresses generally work a 32 hour work week; about half the employees in this occupation work part time, averaging 21 hours per week. The employer usually provides one or two free meals per shift, depending on the length of the shift. Some employers provide life insurance and health and dental insurance. These benefits often are tied to and dependent upon the number of hours worked per week. In some work places, uniforms are provided for Waiters and Waitresses and sometimes the employer takes responsibility for uniform laundering. Employment Trends Employment 1996 189,260 Projected Employment 2006 228,640 Growth Rate 1996-2006 20.8% Openings due to Separations 106,630 Employment Trends by California County Over the next ten years, there will be more job opportunities for Waiters and Waitresses than for any other kind of job in California. Advancement A few Waiters and Waitresses advance to supervisory jobs, like Head Waiter, Dining Room Supervisor, or Restaurant Manager. Getting the Job & Other Information If you're interested in getting work as a Waiter or Waitress, you should contact employers directly or file an application with the California Employment Development Department. You should also contact the local unions or read the newspaper want ads. For current job listings, browse CalJOBS or America's Job Bank.

Click arrow at bottom left of image to begin. Requires QuickTime Education and Training Waiters and Waitresses in restaurants that serve liquor must be at least 21 years old to serve alcohol. In some counties you have to pass a Food Handler course, which costs between $12.00 to $15.00, before being hired. Contact your county health department for a list of authorized schools that give the course. In some Mexican, Chinese, Vietnamese, etc., restaurants knowing how to speak the language is a plus and sometimes necessary. Skills & Other Requirements To be a Waiter or Waitress you have to be able to think fast and have a good memory and be good at arithmetic. That's because in a lot of places the customers want their food right away, and you have to be able to remember their orders and write them down on the check correctly. You have to add up the items on the check without making a mistake and be able to figure out the tax. In fancier places the customers are not in so much of a rush, but that also means they expect extra courtesy and better service. So, in these places you can relax a bit more, but you have to pay more attention to the customers. They might want you to explain what goes into their meal and how it is cooked. You might recommend what wine they'd like to drink or you might prepare simple items like salads at the table. Some smaller restaurants might have you doing things other types of workers are usually expected to do, like showing customers to their tables, or cleaning and setting up tables, or refilling salt and pepper shakers and making sure the mustard and ketchup bottles are full. References Note: The references below (and/or on other parts of this page) will link to pages on the internet outside the Career Video system. California Occupational Guide: Waiter/Waitress #42 Related Occupation: Dining Room Attendant #523 Training: California State Training Inventory © State of California EDD/LMID, US Department of Labor Unless indicated otherwise, wage data is based on Statewide aggregated CCOIS survey responses between 1995 and 1997. Questions or Comments? Contact us.