Server job description: duties, skills and qualifications.

Core duties

16

O*NET task statements

Preparation

Job Zone 1-2 of 5

very little to some preparation

Typical entry education

No formal educational credential

BLS 2025–35

Median pay

$35,230

BLS May 2025

Data Government data groups this job as Waiters and Waitresses (O*NET-SOC 35-3031.00). Figures on this page are for that occupation.

1. Collect payments from customers. importance 4.9 of 5
2. Check patrons' identification to ensure that they meet minimum age requirements for consumption of alcoholic beverages. importance 4.9 of 5
3. Write patrons' food orders on order slips, memorize orders, or enter orders into computers for transmittal to kitchen staff. importance 4.8 of 5
4. Check with customers to ensure that they are enjoying their meals, and take action to correct any problems. importance 4.8 of 5
5. Take orders from patrons for food or beverages. importance 4.8 of 5
6. Prepare checks that itemize and total meal costs and sales taxes. importance 4.7 of 5
7. Remove dishes and glasses from tables or counters, and take them to kitchen for cleaning. importance 4.7 of 5
8. Clean tables or counters after patrons have finished dining. importance 4.7 of 5
9. Serve food or beverages to patrons, and prepare or serve specialty dishes at tables as required. importance 4.6 of 5
10. Perform cleaning duties, such as sweeping and mopping floors, vacuuming carpet, tidying up server station, taking out trash, or checking and cleaning bathroom. importance 4.5 of 5
11. Present menus to patrons and answer questions about menu items, making recommendations upon request. importance 4.5 of 5
12. Prepare tables for meals, including setting up items such as linens, silverware, and glassware. importance 4.4 of 5
13. Stock service areas with supplies such as coffee, food, tableware, and linens. importance 4.4 of 5
14. Roll silverware, set up food stations, or set up dining areas to prepare for the next shift or for large parties. importance 4.4 of 5
15. Inform customers of daily specials. importance 4.3 of 5
16. Explain how various menu items are prepared, describing ingredients and cooking methods. importance 4.2 of 5

Work activities O*NET rates most important here: Performing for or Working Directly with the Public, Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events, Performing General Physical Activities, Handling and Moving Objects and Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates.

Also part of the job

Supplemental tasks O*NET lists for this occupation: less central than the core duties above, and not done in every job.

• Garnish and decorate dishes in preparation for serving.
• Bring wine selections to tables with appropriate glasses, and pour the wines for customers.
• Describe and recommend wines to customers.

Knowledge areas: Customer and Personal Service, English Language and Sales and Marketing.

Software O*NET lists for this occupation: Facebook, Compris Advanced Manager's Workstation, Compris software, Hospitality Control Solutions Aloha Point-of-Sale, Intuit QuickBooks Point of Sale, MICROS Systems HSI Profits Series. These are examples O*NET records for the job, not a list of tools every employer uses or a checklist of what you must know.

• Education: BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical entry-level education.
• Experience: BLS lists no work experience in a related occupation as typical to enter.
• Training on the job: BLS lists short-term on-the-job training as typical once hired.
• Preparation: O*NET places the job in Job Zone 1-2 of 5 (very little to some preparation). Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience.
• Licenses and certifications: not listed here. A license is a legal requirement set by a state; a certification is a credential from a private or professional body. Rules vary by state and employer, and a missing entry on this page does not mean none is required: check with your state's licensing board and see how to become a server.

Most servers surveyed by O*NET (58%) name a high school diploma or equivalent as the education the job requires.

Job title: Server
[Company] · [City, State] · [Full-time or part-time] · [Pay range, where your state requires one]

About the role
[Company] is hiring a Server to take orders and serve food and beverages to patrons at tables in dining establishment.
[One sentence on your team and why this role matters.]

What you will do
- Collect payments from customers.
- Check patrons' identification to ensure that they meet minimum age requirements for consumption of alcoholic beverages.
- Write patrons' food orders on order slips, memorize orders, or enter orders into computers for transmittal to kitchen staff.
- Check with customers to ensure that they are enjoying their meals, and take action to correct any problems.
- Take orders from patrons for food or beverages.
- Prepare checks that itemize and total meal costs and sales taxes.
- Remove dishes and glasses from tables or counters, and take them to kitchen for cleaning.
- Clean tables or counters after patrons have finished dining.

What we are looking for
- [Education: BLS lists no formal educational credential as typical for this occupation; set the level this role truly needs]
- [Experience: BLS lists no related work experience as typical to enter; set what this role needs]
- Strength in service orientation, active listening and speaking
- Working knowledge of Customer and Personal Service and English Language
- [Software your team uses, e.g. Facebook or Compris Advanced Manager's Workstation]
- [Any license or certification your state or company requires]

[Schedule, benefits and how to apply]

Illustrative: every name, employer, school, date and number in these samples is fictional or a bracketed placeholder. Replace each bracket with your own true details; never copy a result you did not achieve.

Not a real job posting. This template is TryHired's illustration built from government occupational data. It is not an opening at any employer, and no employer wrote it.

The median annual wage was $35,230 in May 2025. The median hourly wage was $16.94. BLS estimates about 2,270,910 jobs in this occupation in the U.S.

BLS projects employment of Waiters and Waitresses to grow 2.0% from 2025 to 2035, with about 423,100 openings a year over that period, including openings to replace workers who leave.

See the full server salary breakdown by percentile, state and metro.

• Read a real server posting next to the core duties above. Duties it repeats, such as “Collect payments from customers”, tell you what that employer weighs most; anything it adds is specific to that team.
• Tailor your resume to the posting, not to this page: describe only server work you have actually done, with your own results.
• Prepare a story for each of the top-rated skills (service orientation and active listening); server interview questions turns them into practice questions.