Key Factors That Influence Food Server/Host Salaries
A Food Server/Host's salary isn't a fixed number.
It's shaped by several important factors.
Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location and company size can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects Food Server/Host Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Food Server/Host's salary.
As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases.
Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:
Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $23,826
Early Career (1-2 years): $41,399
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $55,877
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $84,171
Expert (over 8 years): $117,211
Levels
Salary
Food Serv... Level Food Server/Host
$23,826
Assistant... Level Food Server/Host
$41,399
Restauran... Level Food Server/Host
$55,877
Regional ... Level Food Server/Host
$84,171
Restauran... Level Food Server/Host
$117,211
$23,8260 yr
$41,399< 2 yrs
$55,8772-4 yrs
$84,1715-8 yrs
$117,211> 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph
What Am I Worth?
How Do Food Server/Host Salaries Vary from State to State?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work.
States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors
often pay more to attract Food Server/Hosts.
For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $26,520.
California: $26,419.
Massachusetts: $26,067.
District of Columbia$26,520
California$26,419
Massachusetts$26,067
Washington$25,972
New Jersey$25,962
Alaska$25,928
Connecticut$25,598
New York$25,464
Hawaii$25,035
Rhode Island$24,834
Maryland$24,697
Minnesota$24,510
Colorado$24,439
Illinois$24,415
Oregon$24,324
Delaware$24,257
New Hampshire$24,214
Virginia$24,120
Pennsylvania$23,845
Nevada$23,706
North Dakota$23,660
Michigan$23,588
Wisconsin$23,562
Vermont$23,509
Texas$23,363
Maine$23,354
Arizona$23,339
Ohio$23,322
Georgia$23,102
Indiana$22,992
Wyoming$22,970
Utah$22,937
Iowa$22,922
Kansas$22,807
Louisiana$22,774
North Carolina$22,762
Missouri$22,757
Florida$22,664
Montana$22,613
Nebraska$22,566
Kentucky$22,539
South Carolina$22,443
Tennessee$22,384
Idaho$22,360
New Mexico$22,185
Oklahoma$22,146
Alabama$22,005
South Dakota$21,768
Arkansas$21,639
West Virginia$21,569
Mississippi$21,361
Top Paying Cities for Food Server/Hosts
Salaries can also vary between different cities.
Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay.
Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:
San Jose: $30,211
San Francisco: $29,880
Oakland: $29,251
San Jose, CA$30,211
San Francisco, CA$29,880
Oakland, CA$29,251
New York, NY$27,579
Paramus, NJ$27,243
Queens Village, NY$27,242
Passaic, NJ$27,219
Bergenfield, NJ$27,217
Stamford, CT$27,164
Huntington, NY$27,155
Newark, NJ$26,978
Bridgeport, CT$26,927
Vallejo, CA$26,879
New Brunswick, NJ$26,870
Petaluma, CA$26,855
Middlesex, NJ$26,810
Somerset, NJ$26,793
Santa Cruz, CA$26,762
Boston, MA$26,616
Monterey, CA$26,532
Seattle, WA$26,477
Santa Rosa, CA$26,472
Los Angeles, CA$26,465
Juneau, AK$26,403
Washington, DC$26,376
Orange, CA$26,291
Santa Ana, CA$26,228
Long Beach, CA$26,204
Anaheim, CA$26,199
Anchorage, AK$26,187
Santa Maria, CA$26,115
Everett, WA$26,111
Danbury, CT$26,026
Bremerton, WA$25,993
Tacoma, WA$25,907
New Suffolk, NY$25,906
Sacramento, CA$25,900
Santa Barbara, CA$25,873
Trenton, NJ$25,847
San Diego, CA$25,847
Brockton, MA$25,821
Fairbanks, AK$25,762
Lompoc, CA$25,701
Lowell, MA$25,682
Ventura, CA$25,677
Nashua, NH$25,672
Stockton, CA$25,670
Modesto, CA$25,495
Poughkeepsie, NY$25,442
Olympia, WA$25,397
Kennewick, WA$25,397
New Haven, CT$25,387
Lawrence, MA$25,301
Hartford, CT$25,277
Riverside, CA$25,272
New Bedford, MA$25,248
Richland, WA$25,248
Bakersfield, CA$25,215
San Bernardino, CA$25,205
New Britain, CT$25,203
Atlantic City, NJ$25,203
New London, CT$25,193
Norwich, CT$25,186
Portsmouth, NH$25,181
Boulder, CO$25,130
Portland, OR$25,097
Worcester, MA$25,095
Minneapolis, MN$25,021
Philadelphia, PA$24,987
Honolulu, HI$24,908
Saint Paul, MN$24,897
Vineland, NJ$24,891
Providence, RI$24,822
Chicago, IL$24,752
Bellingham, WA$24,724
Springfield, MA$24,705
Baltimore, MD$24,697
Chico, CA$24,637
Pittsfield, MA$24,573
Manchester, NH$24,527
Spokane, WA$24,422
Denver, CO$24,419
Albany, NY$24,307
Troy, NY$24,297
Nassau, NY$24,272
Schenectady, NY$24,247
Wilmington, DE$24,228
Burlington, VT$24,194
Salem, OR$24,185
Portland, ME$24,110
Yakima, WA$24,087
Rochester, MN$24,012
Reno, NV$24,000
Fresno, CA$24,000
Milwaukee, WI$23,979
Detroit, MI$23,955
Ann Arbor, MI$23,951
Allentown, PA$23,948
Colorado Springs, CO$23,907
Syracuse, NY$23,895
Carson City, NV$23,895
Houston, TX$23,861
Eugene, OR$23,849
Gary, IN$23,821
Springfield, OR$23,801
Bismarck, ND$23,797
Galveston, TX$23,780
Medford, OR$23,744
Fort Collins, CO$23,734
Concord, NH$23,722
Austin, TX$23,715
Mesa, AZ$23,665
Reading, PA$23,663
Phoenix, AZ$23,660
Dallas, TX$23,653
Saint Cloud, MN$23,630
Madison, WI$23,598
Utica, NY$23,533
Rochester, NY$23,495
Des Moines, IA$23,493
Raleigh, NC$23,490
Atlanta, GA$23,454
Battle Creek, MI$23,447
Salt Lake City, UT$23,440
Lancaster, PA$23,404
Harrisburg, PA$23,370
Kansas City, MO$23,346
Champaign, IL$23,342
Kansas City, KS$23,342
Fort Worth, TX$23,339
Columbus, OH$23,335
Boca Raton, FL$23,330
Pittsburgh, PA$23,320
Richmond, VA$23,310
Indianapolis, IN$23,306
Cleveland, OH$23,303
Las Vegas, NV$23,275
Cincinnati, OH$23,275
Petersburg, VA$23,239
Huntsville, AL$23,203
Lansing, MI$23,187
Lebanon, PA$23,184
Pueblo, CO$23,181
Appleton, WI$23,174
Buffalo, NY$23,164
Dayton, OH$23,157
Racine, WI$23,152
Charlotte, NC$23,150
Saint Louis, MO$23,143
York, PA$23,128
Elkhart, IN$23,128
Gastonia, NC$23,124
Billings, MT$23,118
Beaumont, TX$23,112
Lorain, OH$23,107
Benton Harbor, MI$23,102
Toledo, OH$23,097
Binghamton, NY$23,085
Rock Hill, SC$23,083
Rockford, IL$23,071
Springfield, IL$23,061
Elyria, OH$23,059
Fargo, ND$23,059
Flagstaff, AZ$23,042
Fort Lauderdale, FL$23,028
Duluth, MN$23,013
Miami, FL$23,013
Cheyenne, WY$22,997
Grand Forks, ND$22,997
Bangor, ME$22,944
Cedar Rapids, IA$22,918
Durham, NC$22,908
Louisville, KY$22,906
Grand Rapids, MI$22,901
Hialeah, FL$22,898
Casper, WY$22,865
Scranton, PA$22,836
New Orleans, LA$22,829
Virginia Beach, VA$22,827
Akron, OH$22,815
Peoria, IL$22,784
Sarasota, FL$22,779
Nashville, TN$22,762
Omaha, NE$22,762
Green Bay, WI$22,762
Baton Rouge, LA$22,750
Charleston, SC$22,745
Jamestown, NY$22,733
Davenport, IA$22,733
Tucson, AZ$22,721
Saint Petersburg, FL$22,707
Tampa, FL$22,702
Evansville, IN$22,688
Port Arthur, TX$22,688
Bradenton, FL$22,678
Santa Fe, NM$22,635
Orlando, FL$22,592
Clearwater, FL$22,585
Canton, OH$22,534
La Crosse, WI$22,534
Albuquerque, NM$22,520
Newport News, VA$22,518
High Point, NC$22,510
Ogden, UT$22,501
Corpus Christi, TX$22,482
Norfolk, VA$22,467
Laramie, WY$22,467
Rock Island, IL$22,453
Saginaw, MI$22,448
Jacksonville, FL$22,446
Salisbury, NC$22,441
Boise, ID$22,436
Moline, IL$22,424
Fort Myers, FL$22,417
Memphis, TN$22,412
Tulsa, OK$22,400
Waterloo, IA$22,386
Spartanburg, SC$22,362
Lincoln, NE$22,350
Fort Wayne, IN$22,345
Provo, UT$22,343
Cedar Falls, IA$22,314
San Antonio, TX$22,304
Greensboro, NC$22,295
South Bend, IN$22,292
Savannah, GA$22,266
Muskegon, MI$22,257
Birmingham, AL$22,254
Winston Salem, NC$22,242
Lake Charles, LA$22,185
Anderson, IN$22,180
Lexington, KY$22,173
Augusta, GA$22,166
Greenville, SC$22,166
Lima, OH$22,146
Wichita, KS$22,144
Tuscaloosa, AL$22,144
Columbia, SC$22,122
Springfield, OH$22,118
Asheville, NC$22,079
Bloomington, IN$22,063
Knoxville, TN$21,976
Shreveport, LA$21,974
Wilmington, NC$21,943
Roanoke, VA$21,943
Topeka, KS$21,900
Frankfort, KY$21,897
Oklahoma City, OK$21,881
Chillicothe, OH$21,871
Longview, TX$21,869
Melbourne, FL$21,866
Sioux Falls, SD$21,828
Mobile, AL$21,825
Terre Haute, IN$21,816
Altoona, PA$21,801
Amarillo, TX$21,785
Killeen, TX$21,778
Fayetteville, AR$21,758
Chattanooga, TN$21,751
Sioux City, IA$21,730
Idaho Falls, ID$21,725
Lynchburg, VA$21,706
Gainesville, FL$21,675
Portsmouth, OH$21,663
Little Rock, AR$21,658
Lafayette, LA$21,648
Youngstown, OH$21,648
Daytona Beach, FL$21,634
Clarksville, TN$21,631
Pensacola, FL$21,629
Temple, TX$21,627
Hopkinsville, KY$21,557
Erie, PA$21,552
Florence, SC$21,543
Charleston, WV$21,504
Great Falls, MT$21,492
Macon, GA$21,459
Tallahassee, FL$21,457
Fayetteville, NC$21,452
Waco, TX$21,447
Helena, MT$21,430
Pine Bluff, AR$21,421
Vincennes, IN$21,392
Lubbock, TX$21,382
Alamogordo, NM$21,368
Twin Falls, ID$21,346
Rapid City, SD$21,339
Jackson, MS$21,296
Huntington, WV$21,294
Greenville, MS$21,294
Parkersburg, WV$21,269
Montgomery, AL$21,265
Wichita Falls, TX$21,241
Springfield, MO$21,241
Biloxi, MS$21,229
Monroe, LA$21,205
Johnstown, PA$21,188
Sumter, SC$21,179
Columbus, GA$21,176
Pascagoula, MS$21,131
Abilene, TX$21,131
Kingsport, TN$21,069
Albany, GA$21,069
Gulfport, MS$21,061
Alexandria, LA$20,982
Fort Smith, AR$20,922
El Paso, TX$20,858
Las Cruces, NM$20,750
Harlingen, TX$20,689
Pocatello, ID$20,685
Florence, AL$20,654
Brownsville, TX$20,649
Mcallen, TX$20,599
Dothan, AL$20,566
Columbus, MS$20,423
Altus, OK$20,312
Lawton, OK$20,266
Pierre, SD$20,180
What Skills Can Increase a Food Server/Host's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Customer Service (Mentioned in 11.92% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
Point of Sale (Mentioned in 2.74% Job Postings): Accepting payments from customers for goods and services either in person or online.
Product Quality (Mentioned in 1.88% Job Postings): Product quality refers to how well a product satisfies customer needs, serves its purpose and meets industry standards. When evaluating product quality, businesses consider several key factors, including whether a product solves a problem, works efficiently or suits customers' purposes.
See More Skills
Skills
Demand Percentage
Customer Service
11.92%
Point of Sale
2.74%
Product Quality
1.88%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay.
Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Food Server/Host's salary.
Products and Services: Can increase your salary by up to 26%.
Problem Solving: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Skill
Salary
Salary % Increase
Products and Services
$30,180
26%
Problem Solving
$24,671
3%
Collaboration
$24,671
3%
Team Management
$24,671
3%
Food Safety
$24,192
1%
Leadership
$24,192
1%
Get Latest Data
Food Server/Host Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Food Server/Host roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential
by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit,
offers compensation 20% above the average. Conversely,
Food Server/Host positions in Hospitality & Leisure typically offer lower base pay,
as this sector often view Food Server/Host as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industry for a Food Server/Host
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
$28,743
$14.0
20%
Food Server/Host Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Food Server/Host's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting.
Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role.
Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
Salaries for a Food Server/Host can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $30,070 in 2023
to around $29,578 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Food Server/Host salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Food Server/Host Over Time
2022
$???
2023
$30,070
2024
$29,924
2025
$29,578
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$30,070
2024
$29,924
2025
$29,578
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Food Server/Host
Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
For Employers
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Compensation Planning
Common company salaries for Food Server/Host
Here are companies hiring for Food Server/Host and their salaries, click below for more details.
N
$97,099/per year
New York Police Department
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$95,962/per year
State of New York - Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$94,615/per year
US Department of Transportation
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$93,141/per year
US General Services Administration
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
L
$92,342/per year
Los Angeles County
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
D
$92,011/per year
Department of Justice - Federal Bureau of Prisons
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$91,967/per year
US Department of Commerce
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$91,755/per year
US Department of Energy
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
F
$91,673/per year
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
N
$90,276/per year
Naval Sea Systems Command
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
T
$88,975/per year
The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$88,721/per year
San Diego County
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
T
$88,664/per year
The TTB
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
L
$87,569/per year
Lutheran Services
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
M
$85,066/per year
Maryland Inc
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$83,780/per year
State University of New York
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
N
$82,969/per year
New York State
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
P
$82,703/per year
Puerto Rico Department of Education
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$80,526/per year
US Central Command
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
H
$80,286/per year
Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
A
$79,270/per year
Air Force Reserve
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
A
$78,505/per year
American Automobile Association (AAA)
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$76,678/per year
State of Florida - Department of Health
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
N
$75,183/per year
New York State Department
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$75,106/per year
State University System of Florida
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
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