Restaurant Waiter Salary in the United States

How much does a Restaurant Waiter make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Restaurant Waiter in the United States is $26,748 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $13.

However, a Restaurant Waiter's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $30,412
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $24,637 to $28,666
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $22,714
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View as table View as graph 25% $24,637 10% $22,714 90% $30,412 75% $28,666 $26,748 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Restaurant Waiter Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $28,666 $2,389 $551 $14
Average $26,748 $2,229 $514 $13
25th Percentile $24,637 $2,053 $474 $12
Check out Restaurant Waiter Job Openings in the United States
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Key Factors That Influence Restaurant Waiter Salaries

A Restaurant Waiter'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 Restaurant Waiter Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Restaurant Waiter'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): $26,220
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $26,889
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $27,228
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $27,312
  • Expert (over 8 years): $27,453
Levels Salary
Entry Level Restaurant Waiter$26,220
Intermediate Level Restaurant Waiter$26,889
Senior Level Restaurant Waiter$27,228
Specialist Level Restaurant Waiter$27,312
Expert Level Restaurant Waiter$27,453
$26,220 0 yr
$26,889 < 2 yrs
$27,228 2-4 yrs
$27,312 5-8 yrs
$27,453 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Restaurant Waiters

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: $33,738
  • San Francisco: $33,406
  • Oakland: $32,665

What Skills Can Increase a Restaurant Waiter's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Customer Service (Mentioned in 12.76% 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.
  • Food Handling (Mentioned in 3.11% Job Postings): Food Handling means one or more operations of food production, manufacture, offering or displaying for sale, storage, preserving, wrapping, transportation, delivery, importation, exportation, or the licensing or approval for any of such activities.
  • Packaging (Mentioned in 1.57% Job Postings): Preparing products through wrapping or bottling to protect the goods from damages during transportation and storage.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Customer Service 12.76%
Food Handling 3.11%
Packaging 1.57%
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 Restaurant Waiter's salary.
  • Initiative: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • Accountability: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • Leadership: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Initiative
$28,888
8%
Accountability
$28,888
8%
Leadership
$28,621
7%
Team Management
$28,621
7%
Safety Policies and Procedures
$28,621
7%
Cash Handling
$28,353
6%
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Restaurant Waiter Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Restaurant Waiter'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.

Last Updated on January 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Restaurant Waiter

Salaries for a Restaurant Waiter can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $29,895 in 2023 to around $29,405 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Restaurant Waiter salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Restaurant Waiter Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$29,895
2024
$29,750
2025
$29,405
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $29,895
2024 $29,750
2025 $29,405
2026
View More
2027
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Most common benefits for Restaurant Waiter

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Restaurant Waiter

Here are companies hiring for Restaurant Waiter and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Restaurant Waiter Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Restaurant Waiter job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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