BlissPoint Analytics

Occupation AtlasWaiters and Waitresses

O*NET · 35-3031.00

Waiters and Waitresses

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

Also called Banquet Server · Banquet Waiter · Banquet Waitress · Bar Waiter · Bar Waitress · Buffet Waiter · Buffet Waitress · Busser
26 more

Carhop · Club Waiter · Club Waitress · Cocktail Server · Cocktail Waitress · Deck Steward · Dining Car Server · Dining Car Waiter · Dining Car Waitress · Food Runner · Food Server · Formal Waiter · Formal Waitress · Informal Waiter · Informal Waitress · Restaurant Server · Room Service Server · Server · Server Assistant · Singing Waiter · Singing Waitress · Skating Carhop · Waiter · Waitress · Wine Steward · Wine Stewardess

Job Zone 2 — Some Preparation NeededHolland code CSR35 skills on file

Compare with another occupationCompare with Cooks, Short Order

Job Zone

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Zone 2: Some Preparation Needed

Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma, some previous work-related skill or experience, and a few months to a year of training with experienced workers.

Job Zone is O*NET's rating of how much education, experience and training an occupation typically needs — a property of the work, not of anyone doing it.

Occupational interest profile

CSRConventional · Social · Realistic — the three strongest interests, in order

  • C Conventional4.95
  • S Social4.72
  • R Realistic4.12
  • E Enterprising4.06
  • A Artistic1.84
  • I Investigative1.00

RIASEC (Holland) interests on O*NET's 0–7 scale: what the work draws on, not what any individual prefers. Hover a row for what each dimension means.

Education and experience

The education level respondents say the job requires, and the most common answer for experience and training.

  • Less than a High School Diploma32%
  • High School Diploma or the equivalent58%
  • Post-Secondary Certificate8%
  • Some College Courses1%
Related work experience
None (56%)
On-site or in-plant training
Up to and including 1 month (64%)
On-the-job training
Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month (55%)

Typically associated skills

All 35 O*NET skills, most important first. Importance (1–5) says how much a skill matters here; level (0–7) says how much of it the work calls for, with O*NET's example of a nearby level. Neither is a proficiency rating of a person.

  • Service Orientation3.93.0Level 2 looks like: Ask customers if they would like a cup of coffee
  • Speakingbasic3.52.6Level 2 looks like: Greet tourists and explain tourist attractions
  • Active Listeningbasic3.52.5Level 2 looks like: Take a customer's order
  • Social Perceptiveness3.42.5Level 2 looks like: Notice that customers are angry because they have been waiting too long
  • Coordination3.12.6Level 2 looks like: Schedule appointments for a medical clinic
  • Monitoringbasic3.02.6Level 2 looks like: Proofread and correct a letter
  • Critical Thinkingbasic2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Determine whether a subordinate has a good excuse for being late
  • Persuasion2.82.4Level 2 looks like: Solicit donations for a charity
  • Reading Comprehensionbasic2.82.1Level 2 looks like: Read step-by-step instructions for completing a form
  • Time Management2.82.1Level 2 looks like: Keep a monthly calendar of appointments
  • Judgment and Decision Making2.82.0Level 2 looks like: Decide how scheduling a break will affect work flow
  • Complex Problem Solving2.62.0Level 2 looks like: Lay out tools to complete a job
Show the other 23

Tasks

22 core · 3 supplemental

What people in this occupation do, as O*NET records it, core tasks first by importance (1–5).

  1. Check patrons' identification to ensure that they meet minimum age requirements for consumption of alcoholic beverages.4.9
  2. Collect payments from customers.4.9
  3. Write patrons' food orders on order slips, memorize orders, or enter orders into computers for transmittal to kitchen staff.4.9
  4. Take orders from patrons for food or beverages.4.8
  5. Check with customers to ensure that they are enjoying their meals, and take action to correct any problems.4.8
  6. Prepare checks that itemize and total meal costs and sales taxes.4.7
  7. Clean tables or counters after patrons have finished dining.4.7
  8. Remove dishes and glasses from tables or counters, and take them to kitchen for cleaning.4.7
  9. Serve food or beverages to patrons, and prepare or serve specialty dishes at tables as required.4.6
  10. Present menus to patrons and answer questions about menu items, making recommendations upon request.4.5
  11. Perform cleaning duties, such as sweeping and mopping floors, vacuuming carpet, tidying up server station, taking out trash, or checking and cleaning bathroom.4.5
  12. Prepare tables for meals, including setting up items such as linens, silverware, and glassware.4.4
Show the other 13
  1. Stock service areas with supplies such as coffee, food, tableware, and linens.4.4
  2. Roll silverware, set up food stations, or set up dining areas to prepare for the next shift or for large parties.4.4
  3. Inform customers of daily specials.4.3
  4. Explain how various menu items are prepared, describing ingredients and cooking methods.4.3
  5. Fill salt, pepper, sugar, cream, condiment, and napkin containers.4.1
  6. Assist host or hostess by answering phones to take reservations or to-go orders, and by greeting, seating, and thanking guests.4.1
  7. Prepare hot, cold, and mixed drinks for patrons, and chill bottles of wine.4.0
  8. Perform food preparation duties, such as preparing salads, appetizers, and cold dishes, portioning desserts, and brewing coffee.4.0
  9. Escort customers to their tables.3.8
  10. Provide guests with information about local areas, including directions.3.5
  11. Garnish and decorate dishes in preparation for serving.4.0
  12. Describe and recommend wines to customers.3.8
  13. Bring wine selections to tables with appropriate glasses, and pour the wines for customers.3.8

Knowledge

Bodies of knowledge the work draws on.

  • Customer and Personal Service3.94.1Level 4 looks like: Be responsible for 10 children at daycare
  • English Language3.63.1Level 4 looks like: Edit an article for a news website
  • Sales and Marketing3.32.8
  • Food Production2.62.2Level 1 looks like: Grow herbs in the kitchen
  • Mathematics2.62.1Level 1 looks like: Add two numbers
  • Administration and Management2.51.9Level 1 looks like: Approve a reimbursement request
  • Computers and Electronics2.42.7
  • Education and Training2.42.3Level 1 looks like: Show someone how to bowl
Show all 33
  • Psychology2.42.5Level 1 looks like: Monitor several children on a playground
  • Sociology and Anthropology2.31.2Level 1 looks like: Identify two cultures in a story as being different
  • Telecommunications2.30.6Level 1 looks like: Send an email
  • Administrative2.11.6Level 1 looks like: Direct phone calls to the appropriate staff member
  • Communications and Media2.11.8Level 1 looks like: Write a thank you note
  • Economics and Accounting2.11.4Level 1 looks like: Answer billing questions from credit card customers
  • Public Safety and Security2.11.4Level 1 looks like: Use a seatbelt
  • Law and Government1.81.0Level 1 looks like: Describe the length of a U.S. presidential term
  • Personnel and Human Resources1.81.4Level 1 looks like: Fill out a medical claim form
  • Production and Processing1.81.6Level 1 looks like: Put a computer back into its packing materials
  • Chemistry1.61.1Level 1 looks like: Use a common household bug spray
  • Engineering and Technology1.61.1Level 1 looks like: Install a door lock
  • Mechanical1.61.1Level 1 looks like: Replace the filters in a furnace
  • Transportation1.60.8Level 1 looks like: Ride a train to work
  • Foreign Language1.50.8Level 1 looks like: Say "please" and "thank you" in a foreign language
  • Design1.4—
  • Medicine and Dentistry1.4—
  • Physics1.4—
  • Geography1.30.4Level 1 looks like: Know the capital of the United States
  • Building and Construction1.2—
  • Therapy and Counseling1.2—
  • Biology1.1—
  • Fine Arts1.1—
  • Philosophy and Theology1.1—
  • History and Archeology1.0—

Abilities

Enduring capacities the work calls for.

  • Oral Comprehension3.93.0Level 2 looks like: Understand a television commercial
  • Oral Expression3.83.3Level 4 looks like: Give instructions to a lost motorist
  • Speech Clarity3.83.0Level 4 looks like: Make stadium-wide announcements during a sporting event
  • Speech Recognition3.83.1Level 4 looks like: Identify a former customer's voice over the phone
  • Stamina3.32.8
  • Time Sharing3.32.8Level 3 looks like: Watch street signs while driving at 30 miles an hour
  • Trunk Strength3.33.0Level 2 looks like: Sit up in an office chair
  • Problem Sensitivity3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Notice from a subtle difference in a client's mood that something is bothering them
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  • Arm-Hand Steadiness3.02.4Level 2 looks like: Light a candle
  • Deductive Reasoning3.02.4Level 2 looks like: Know that a stalled car can coast downhill
  • Information Ordering3.02.3Level 2 looks like: Follow the correct steps to make change
  • Manual Dexterity3.02.8
  • Near Vision3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Read indicators on the dashboard of a car
  • Finger Dexterity2.92.3Level 2 looks like: Put coins in a parking meter
  • Gross Body Coordination2.92.8Level 2 looks like: Get in and out of a truck
  • Selective Attention2.92.4Level 2 looks like: Answer a business call with coworkers talking nearby
  • Written Comprehension2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Understand signs on the highway
  • Extent Flexibility2.82.8Level 2 looks like: Reach to adjust the radio in a car
  • Far Vision2.82.3Level 2 looks like: Read a roadside billboard
  • Inductive Reasoning2.82.0Level 2 looks like: Decide what to wear based on the weather report
  • Static Strength2.82.3Level 1 looks like: Push an empty shopping cart
  • Auditory Attention2.62.4Level 2 looks like: Listen to a lecture while people nearby are talking
  • Category Flexibility2.62.1Level 2 looks like: Sort paintbrushes based on length
  • Memorization2.62.6
  • Written Expression2.62.1Level 1 looks like: Write a note to remind someone to take food out of the freezer
  • Dynamic Strength2.52.1Level 2 looks like: Use pruning shears to trim a bush
  • Multilimb Coordination2.52.3Level 2 looks like: Row a boat
  • Flexibility of Closure2.32.0Level 2 looks like: Detect that your phone is ringing while at a concert
  • Visual Color Discrimination2.32.3Level 1 looks like: Separate laundry into colors and whites
  • Visualization2.31.8Level 2 looks like: Imagine how to place paper in a printer so that the letterhead comes out on top
  • Control Precision2.11.9Level 2 looks like: Adjust a room light with a dimmer switch
  • Fluency of Ideas2.12.0Level 2 looks like: Name four different uses for a screwdriver
  • Gross Body Equilibrium2.11.9Level 2 looks like: Stand on a ladder
  • Mathematical Reasoning2.11.5Level 1 looks like: Determine how much 20 oranges will cost when they are priced at 5 for 4 dollars
  • Hearing Sensitivity2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Notice a doorbell ringing
  • Number Facility2.01.9Level 1 looks like: Add 2 and 7
  • Originality2.01.9Level 2 looks like: Use a credit card to open a locked door
  • Perceptual Speed2.02.1Level 2 looks like: Sort mail according to ZIP codes with no time pressure
  • Speed of Closure2.02.0Level 3 looks like: Recognize a song after hearing only the first few notes
  • Explosive Strength1.90.9
  • Depth Perception1.80.8
  • Spatial Orientation1.80.9
  • Speed of Limb Movement1.60.6
  • Reaction Time1.50.5
  • Dynamic Flexibility1.40.5
  • Peripheral Vision1.1—
  • Rate Control1.1—
  • Sound Localization1.1—
  • Wrist-Finger Speed1.1—
  • Glare Sensitivity1.0—
  • Night Vision1.0—
  • Response Orientation1.0—

Work activities

Kinds of activity the work is made of.

  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public4.04.4Level 4 looks like: Sell shoes in a crowded shoe store
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events3.93.9Level 4 looks like: Judge the suitability of food products for an event
  • Performing General Physical Activities3.82.9
  • Handling and Moving Objects3.74.0Level 4 looks like: Arrange books in a library
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates3.63.8Level 4 looks like: Report the results of a sales meeting to a supervisor
  • Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People3.53.3Level 4 looks like: Determine the value of property lost in a fire
  • Getting Information3.32.6
  • Assisting and Caring for Others3.23.1Level 4 looks like: Help a medical patient find in-home assistance or healthcare
Show all 41
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships3.23.7Level 4 looks like: Maintain good working relationships with almost all coworkers and clients
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others3.13.4Level 4 looks like: Organize the cleanup crew after a major sporting event
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards3.12.7
  • Selling or Influencing Others3.12.8
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge3.12.8
  • Developing and Building Teams3.02.1Level 1 looks like: Encourage two coworkers to stick with a tough assignment
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others3.02.8
  • Working with Computers3.02.6
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials2.82.1Level 1 looks like: Check that doors to building are locked
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings2.82.8
  • Thinking Creatively2.82.3Level 1 looks like: Change the spacing on a printed report
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others2.71.2Level 1 looks like: Interpret a blood pressure reading
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems2.72.1Level 1 looks like: Determine the meal selection for a cafeteria
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information2.62.1Level 1 looks like: Estimate the size of household furniture to be shipped
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work2.62.0Level 1 looks like: Organize a work schedule that is repetitive and easy to plan
  • Coaching and Developing Others2.42.1Level 1 looks like: Show a coworker how to operate a piece of equipment
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization2.41.7Level 1 looks like: Have little contact with people outside the organization
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates2.41.8Level 1 looks like: Work occasionally as a backup supervisor
  • Training and Teaching Others2.41.8Level 1 looks like: Give coworkers brief instructions on a simple procedural change
  • Analyzing Data or Information2.31.5Level 1 looks like: Skim a short article to gather the main point
  • Processing Information2.31.8Level 1 looks like: Calculate the costs for shipping packages
  • Controlling Machines and Processes2.21.6Level 1 looks like: Operate a cash register
  • Providing Consultation and Advice to Others2.12.0Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that requires little advising of others
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies2.01.6Level 1 looks like: Plan the holiday schedule for an airline workforce
  • Monitoring and Controlling Resources2.01.7Level 1 looks like: Work as a server responsible for keeping track of utensils
  • Scheduling Work and Activities1.81.6Level 1 looks like: Make appointments for patients using a predetermined schedule
  • Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment1.70.8Level 1 looks like: Use display settings to adjust a television picture
  • Performing Administrative Activities1.61.1Level 1 looks like: Complete routine paperwork
  • Staffing Organizational Units1.50.7Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that has minimal staffing requirements
  • Documenting/Recording Information1.3—
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment1.30.5Level 1 looks like: Drive a car
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment1.3—
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment1.1—

Work context

The conditions most characteristic of the work, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale.

  • Contact With Others4.8
  • Spend Time Standing4.7
  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.5
  • Spend Time Walking or Running4.5
  • Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team4.5
  • Indoors, Environmentally Controlled4.3
  • Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities3.9
  • Health and Safety of Other Workers3.9
  • Physical Proximity3.9
  • Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls3.8

Technology

10 tools

Software used in this work. In demand: among the tools job postings for this occupation name most. Hot: often named in job postings across the economy.

Hot (1)

  • Facebook
Other tools (9)
  • Blink
  • Compris Advanced Manager's Workstation
  • Compris software
  • Hospitality Control Solutions Aloha Point-of-Sale
  • Intuit QuickBooks Point of Sale
  • MICROS Systems HSI Profits Series
  • NCR Advanced Checkout Solution
  • NCR NeighborhoodPOS
  • The General Store

Related occupations

O*NET's own list of the occupations most related to this one, closest first.

  1. Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers
  2. Food Servers, Nonrestaurant
  3. Bartenders
  4. Fast Food and Counter Workers
  5. Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop
  6. Baristas
  7. Food Preparation Workers
  8. Food Service Managers
  9. Cooks, Short Order
  10. First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers

ESCO equivalents

From the official ESCO–O*NET crosswalk, strongest match first. A broader occupation takes in this one; a narrower one is a part of it.

Closest occupations

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Other O*NET occupations whose importance ratings on the 35 skills both rate are nearest to this one's, with the biggest differences named. A plain rule, not a hidden score.

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. ESCO occupations and skills are from the European Commission's ESCO classification, and the occupation crosswalk is the official ESCO–O*NET mapping by the ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA. This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission. BlissPoint Analytics has modified all or some of this information: skill, task and descriptor ratings are rounded to one decimal, and ESCO occupations show Job Zone and interests copied from a crosswalked O*NET occupation. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.