Restaurant Server Salary in the US in 2024
How Much Does a Server Make a Year?
The average Server salary in the United States is $35,457 per year. Discover how to earn more tips and other ways to increase your income through this guide.
Below, we’ll cover all the key information you need by providing an in-depth look at Server wages. But before you get started, check out our comparison tool below. It helps you see how your current or target Server salary compares to those in major U.S. cities.
What could I earn?
Find out how your salary compares to the average Server salary.Average Server Base Salary:
What can I earn as Server? Your salary is $0.00 on the US national average.Note: All salary figures in this guide have been calculated using OysterLink’s methodology.
How Much Does a Server Make an Hour?
Restaurant Servers working in the U.S. make $17.05 per hour, with tips on top. This number can significantly vary from state to state, but the above-mentioned Server wage stands as a national average.
Also, considering that this is a customer-facing role, Servers get tipped regularly.
How Much Does a Server Make Monthly?
On average, Servers make around $2,954 per month.
How Much Does a Server Make Weekly?
The Server’s weekly base salary is estimated at $681.87 per week — however, this can be much higher with tips included.
Server Salary by State
In the map below, you can check out Server’s salaries across all 50 states in the United States. Just like with other jobs, more developed states will offer higher salaries in comparison to states with a lower economic status.
However, it’s also important to take into consideration the state labor laws in the United States and conduct your own research so you can effectively protect your work rights.
[Calculated using Glassdoor, Indeed, ZipRecruiter, Salary.com, Talent.com and Zippia data]
This map is interactive. Hover your mouse over different parts of the map to see detailed data.
Server Salary in Major U.S. Cities
Out of these four cities, Servers are best paid in Los Angeles and Chicago. While Los Angeles is considered a more expensive city to live in than Chicago, it is also one of America’s top entertainment hubs. This means that Servers can find better job offers and career opportunities in California than in Illinois.
Miami
Average mean wage
$37,520
New York City
Average mean wage
$40,041
Chicago
Average mean wage
$40,380
Los Angeles
Average mean wage
$42,625
[Calculated using Glassdoor, Indeed and Talent.com data]
Among major U.S. cities, Miami is, as usual, ranked as the city with the lowest pay. Although some Americans still see Miami as one of the “most exciting cities”, its labor market is not competitive in comparison to other popular places.
According to the most recent American Community Survey (ACS) that’s released every five years, most of Miami’s residents work in management, business, science and arts.
Factors Affecting the Salary of a Server
Various factors can influence your salary as a Server. Considering this is an entry-level position, it’s possible that it’s also highly competitive.
That is why you want to make sure you are negotiating for the best offer based on your education and experience.
Years of experience
No matter how many years you’ve spent working as a Server, the employer will ask you a couple of interview questions to ensure you’re a good fit for their establishment. You can visit our webpage if you want to thoroughly prepare for the upcoming interview. If you’ve spent a couple of years in this role and you’ve proved yourself as a valuable member to the team, you should be able to negotiate a higher salary.
Educational background
Typically, Servers won’t be asked about their educational background. That is because the hospitality industry appreciates hands-on experience as well as soft skills more than certifications. However, some establishments might ask for food safety licenses or, in case you’re a Fine Dining Server, service etiquette training.
Type of establishment
As a Server, you can work in any establishment that’s serving food — be it a casual setting or fine dining. Apart from the types of guests it attracts, various establishments will also value Servers differently. For example, in high-end restaurants, you can expect to receive a higher salary but also to handle more demanding customers and follow stricter service guidelines.
How To Estimate Your Take-Home Pay as a Server?
You can use this simple calculator to calculate the take-home pay after deducting taxes.
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 $84,000.00 per year in the state of California, your net pay (or take home pay) will be $62,761.43 after tax deductions of 25.28% (or $21,238.57). Deductions include a total of [1] 13.39% (or $11,248.10) for the federal income tax, [2] 4.24% (or $3,564.47) for the state income tax, [3] 6.20% (or $5,208.00) for the social security tax and [4] 1.45% (or $1,218.00) 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.
However, bear in mind that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) clearly outlines that tips that you receive might be taxable, as well. This depends on several factors.
That’s why it’s important you keep track of the tips you got for the day. The IRS recommends noting down the dates and any other details that might be relevant, such as tips paid in tickets or vouchers. Lastly, you are obliged to report the tips to your employer, who will take it further with the IRS.
How To Get More Tips as a Restaurant Server
If you’re good at what you do, most customers will tip you. Unless the service is terrible, an average customer in the U.S. will pay from 20-25% extra.
Since Servers get to interact directly with the customer by taking their orders, you have a unique chance to leave a great impression and entice them to tip you generously. That said, here are some things you can do to v.
- Ask customers about what they’re in the mood for, so you can recommend food and beverages that they would likely enjoy.
- Answer customers’ questions confidently and accurately. If you’re unsure, let them know that you’ll need to double-check with a coworker first to ensure you give them the right information.
- Go above and beyond when it comes to fulfilling customers’ needs and requests. This can include remembering the dietary requirements of regular patrons or perhaps even giving a complimentary dessert if they’re celebrating a special occasion.
- Always be prompt and efficient — whether it’s serving orders or addressing a customer’s concern. It’s all about respecting the customer’s time.
- Read the room in order to better anticipate customers’ needs and preferences. This means not interrupting them if they’re talking to someone else, as well as presenting the bill once they’re ready and without making them feel like they’re being rushed to pay.
- Provide small extras such as complimentary bread at the start or a personalized thank-you note at the end of the meal. This will help you leave a lasting impression on the guest.
- Consider working for an establishment with a higher-end clientele, who are often more willing to give ample tips.
Perks and Benefits for Servers
One of the best things about becoming a Server is that you don’t need any experience to start. This low-entry barrier can help you not only land your first job but also change careers and start in a new field that offers endless possibilities.
When you get hired as a Server, you can expect the following benefits:
Meal discounts
According to a survey by OnePoll, the average American spends around $2,500 per year on eating out. Most of the Americans who participated in this survey were also actively using food vouchers and other saving hacks.
Since eating out is becoming increasingly more expensive, it’s worth considering working for a restaurant that provides meal discounts. Depending on the establishment you’re working at, most Servers will be eligible for free meals during and after their shift.
Shift flexibility
Although Servers have set job schedules, they don’t work standard working hours. Their shifts tend to be more flexible as they greatly depend on the business operations. As a result, Servers can easily swap shifts with other fellow Servers and have some control over their schedule.
In most cases, Servers work longer hours during holidays and weekends. For those looking to make some extra bucks, this can be a great way to increase their earnings as, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, employers must pay overtime hours.
How Much Do Similar Careers to Servers Get Paid?
As a Server, you will be earning less than a Fine Dining Server who typically works in upscale restaurants. However, you will make more than what a Food Runner or a Busser earns.
| Job Title | Avg Salary |
|---|---|
| Fine Dining Server | $56,584 |
| Food Runner | $29,691 |
| Busser | $30,040 |
Server Salary FAQ
Even though the average annual Server salary is $35,457 per year, there is potential to earn more. However, this will depend on a couple of factors, including your location, your working hours, as well as the type of establishment you’re working at.
Since working as a Server comes with some schedule flexibility, you will have opportunities to cover other shifts or work extra hours. If you are hard-working, knowledgeable about the menu and able to provide fast service, chances are that you will receive good tips on top of your base pay.
While we can’t make a well-informed guess about the highest salary of a Server, in this role, most of the earnings depend on your table waiting skills. Since you’re communicating directly with the customers, you will have a direct impact on their dining experience.
If they’re happy with the service you’ve provided, they can reward you with tips larger than 50% of the total bill. It’s important that you are attentive and proactive when serving the customers, so they feel welcomed, appreciated, and most importantly, happy to return.
Some establishments allow Servers to keep their tips. This is pretty simple and it just means that whoever got tipped gets to keep it.
In terms of tip distribution, there are two types of systems that employers use – tip pooling and tip sharing. If your employer is tip pooling, that means that they’re gathering all tips to distribute them evenly among the entire staff.
While this can be great for the back-of-house staff, it leaves out hard-working Servers without additional rewards. That’s why tip sharing might work better in some cases. This refers to giving a certain percentage of the total tips earned to non-tipped employees.
In both cases, it’s important that you’re aware of your rights as a tipped employee under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
Restaurant Servers can earn a significant portion of their income from tips, which can vary depending on factors like the type of establishment, location and level of service provided. In casual dining settings, tips may be more modest, while Servers in fine dining or high-end restaurants often earn larger tips.
Check out our tipping guides for New York City and Miami to get a better sense of how tipping trends differ in major cities.
The short answer: It depends.
A restaurant Server could potentially keep the entire tip if it was handed to them directly in cash by the customer. If the tips are given via card or mobile payment, some restaurants deduct processing fees before giving the tips to the Server.
However, in some dining establishments, Servers would need to share their tips with other employees like Bussers and sometimes even junior kitchen staff. This is usually done through a tip pool or another distribution system.