Fine Dining Server Salary in the United States
How Much Does a Fine Dining Server Make Annually?
In the United States, the average Fine Dining Server salary is $56,584 per year. This does not take tips into account, which could significantly boost a Fine Dining Server’s salary.
Fine Dining Servers typically earn generous tips since they serve wealthier patrons and the bills in upscale establishments are much higher.
The tipping standard for upscale restaurants is between 16 and 18 percent, while anything below 15% is generally considered unacceptable. As you can imagine, that can lead to some pretty significant tips when bills get into the hundreds of dollars as they often do in these premium establishments.
What could I earn?
Find out how your salary compares to the average Fine Dining Server salary.Average Fine Dining Server Base Salary:
What can I earn as Fine Dining Server? Your salary is $0.00 on the US national average.What Impacts a Fine Dining Server’s Salary?
Many factors come into play in determining a Fine Dining Server salary. Location is one of them since many tourist destination cities have a higher demand for Fine Dining Servers.
The type of establishment and previous experience of the applicant are two other major factors. Servers who have previous experience in upscale establishments will command higher wages than those who have experience only working in casual restaurants.
Best-Paying States for Fine Dining Servers
Below is a map of the United States and Fine Dining Server salaries for each state. You can see how salaries vary depending on the state.
[Calculated using Indeed, Salary.com and ZipRecruiter data]
This map is interactive. Hover your mouse over different parts of the map to see detailed data.
States with a lower cost of living, such as Maryland and Iowa, offer lower salaries for Fine Dining Servers, whereas states like Vermont and Wyoming, which have more upscale establishments such as exclusive resorts, offer higher salaries for Fine Dining Servers.
High-Paying Cities for Fine Dining Servers
Out of these four major U.S. cities, New York City offers Fine Dining Servers an annual salary above the national average. Miami, with a lower cost of living and a lower minimum wage, can only offer Fine Dining Servers an average of $55,052 per year.
Miami
Annual mean wage
$55,052
New York City
Annual mean wage
$62,882
Chicago
Annual mean wage
$58,539
Los Angeles
Annual mean wage
$57,968
[Calculated using Indeed, Salary.com and ZipRecruiter data]
Estimate Your Take-Home Pay as a Fine Dining Server
Use our Paycheck Calculator to estimate how much you’d earn as a Fine Dining Server after federal, local and state taxes are deducted. Simply input your state and salary and you’ll get an answer in seconds.
Paycheck Calculator
Disclaimer: Please note that this paycheck calculator is designed to provide an estimate and should not be considered as professional tax advice. The actual withholding amounts and taxes owed may vary depending on individual circumstances and other factors. For accurate and personalized tax advice, we recommend consulting with a tax professional.
If your gross pay is $74,000.00 per year in the state of New York, your net pay (or take home pay) will be $55,385.89 after tax deductions of 25.15% (or $18,614.11). Deductions include a total of [1] 12.23% (or $9,048.10) for the federal income tax, [2] 5.28% (or $3,905.01) for the state income tax, [3] 6.20% (or $4,588.00) for the social security tax and [4] 1.45% (or $1,073.00) for Medicare.
The Federal Income Tax is collected by the government and is consistent across all U.S. regions. In contrast, the State Income Tax is levied by the state of residence and work, leading to substantial variations. The Social Security Tax is used to fund Social Security, which benefits retirees, persons with disabilities and survivors of deceased workers. Medicare involves a federal payroll tax designated for the Medicare insurance program. As of 2022, Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming do not levy a state income tax.
Salary Negotiation Tips for Fine Dining Servers
When negotiating for a higher Fine Dining Server salary, start off by mentioning your previous experience and accomplishments. If you worked in an upscale establishment, even as a Waiter/Waitress, be sure to mention that since it shows you have previous experience in a fine dining setting.
List all your abilities that are suitable for this role. Fine Dining Servers need to have excellent communication skills, so if that’s you, make sure you mention it. Greeting and serving customers is the most important aspect of this job, so any previous customer experience you may have, even if it’s outside the hospitality industry, can come in handy.
Perks and Benefits for Fine Dining Servers
In addition to salary, Fine Dining Servers can make use of other benefits establishments offer for full-time employees. These include things like health insurance plans, 401(k) retirement plans and employee meal discounts.
How Much Do Similar Careers to a Fine Dining Server Get Paid?
Fine Dining Servers earn more than Servers and Hosts/Hostesses, but less than Sommeliers.
| Job Title | Avg Salary |
|---|---|
| Host/Hostess | $30,750 |
| Server | $35,457 |
| Sommelier | $65,581 |
Fine Dining Server Salary FAQs
Cities that have a higher demand for Fine Dining Servers and therefore have more fine dining establishments pay more to workers in this role.
Generally speaking, larger cities like New York City and Los Angeles will see you earn more as a Fine Dining Server, and you’ll have a higher chance of earning bigger tips due to the sheer volume of tourists visiting these cities.
There’s no specific upper limit to the amount of money you can earn working as a Fine Dining Server.
If you work as a Fine Dining Server in a prestigious establishment in New York City, for example, your base salary may be upwards of $80,000, and with tips, you can be well into six-figure territory, earning more than $100,000 per year.
Yes, and they typically earn generous tips if the patrons are satisfied with the service offered. In fact, those working as a Waiter/Waitress often transition to the role of a Server because it pays significantly better.
Methodology and Data Resources
When calculating salaries, we have our own strict methodology we use to bring you the most accurate and up-to-date information possible.