Waiters and Waitresses
SOC Code: 35-3031 Job Zone 2: Some Preparation Needed
Take orders and serve food and beverages to patrons at tables in dining establishment.
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Prevailing Wage Levels (National)
DOL/OFLC prevailing wage thresholds for Waiters and Waitresses. Hourly rates x 2,080 = annual.
FY2027 Weighted Lottery Impact
| Level | Lottery Entries | Est. Selection Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Level I (Entry) | 1 entry | ~16% |
| Level II (Qualified) | 2 entries | ~31% |
| Level III (Experienced) | 3 entries | ~45% |
| Level IV (Expert) | 4 entries | ~61% |
Prevailing Wages by Metro Area
| Metro Area | Level I | Level II | Level III | Level IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $30,285 | $54,288 | $78,270 | $102,274 |
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $39,312 | $53,331 | $67,330 | $81,349 |
| Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area | $29,120 | $44,699 | $60,299 | $75,878 |
| Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area | $31,283 | $44,928 | $58,594 | $72,238 |
| Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area | $30,555 | $43,451 | $56,368 | $69,264 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $38,459 | $48,277 | $58,074 | $67,891 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $29,120 | $41,496 | $53,872 | $66,248 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $32,469 | $43,618 | $54,766 | $65,915 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | $31,408 | $42,494 | $53,581 | $64,667 |
| Boulder, CO | $31,699 | $42,328 | $52,936 | $63,565 |
Key Skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Service Orientation | 3.9 | |
| Speaking | 3.5 | |
| Active Listening | 3.5 | |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.4 | |
| Coordination | 3.1 | |
| Monitoring | 3.0 | |
| Critical Thinking | 2.9 | |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.8 | |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 2.8 | |
| Persuasion | 2.8 |
Knowledge Areas
| Knowledge | Importance |
|---|---|
| Customer and Personal Service | 3.9 |
| English Language | 3.6 |
| Sales and Marketing | 3.3 |
| Food Production | 2.6 |
| Mathematics | 2.6 |
| Administration and Management | 2.5 |
| Psychology | 2.4 |
| Education and Training | 2.4 |
Education Requirements
| Education Level | % of Workers |
|---|---|
| High school diploma | 57.6% |
| Less than high school | 32.3% |
| Some college | 8.3% |
| Post-secondary certificate | 1.1% |
Typical Tasks
- Check patrons' identification to ensure that they meet minimum age requirements for consumption of alcoholic beverages.
- Collect payments from customers.
- Write patrons' food orders on order slips, memorize orders, or enter orders into computers for transmittal to kitchen staff.
- Take orders from patrons for food or beverages.
- Check with customers to ensure that they are enjoying their meals, and take action to correct any problems.
- Serve food or beverages to patrons, and prepare or serve specialty dishes at tables as required.
- Prepare checks that itemize and total meal costs and sales taxes.
- Present menus to patrons and answer questions about menu items, making recommendations upon request.
Technology Skills
Green = Hot Technology in demand
Facebook 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 Point of sale POS software The General Store
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