How long does it take to become a Food Server?

It takes 2 years of professional experience to become a food server. That is the time it takes to learn specific food server skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education.

How To Become A Food Server: What It Is and Career Path

What is a food server and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

A food server is someone who works in the restaurant industry to assist customers with their dining experience. They take orders, serve food and drinks, and ensure customer satisfaction. They also handle payments, clean tables, and set up for the next customers. Food servers must have excellent communication skills and be able to work in a fast-paced environment while maintaining a friendly demeanor. They must ensure that they follow health and safety regulations.

ScoreFood ServerUS Average

Salary

2.0

Avg. Salary $25,209

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

5.1

Growth Rate 9%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

7.8

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.92%

Asian 8.72%

Black or African American 4.19%

Hispanic or Latino 20.37%

Unknown 5.36%

White 60.44%

Gender

female 64.04%

male 35.96%

Age - 43

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43

Stress Level

5.1

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

6.7

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

8.7

Work Life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a Food Server?

Pros

Ability to make good tips
Opportunity to interact with different people
Chance to learn about food and beverage industry
Flexible scheduling
Fast-paced and dynamic work environment

Cons

Physically demanding job with long periods of standing and walking
High stress environment with pressure to perform quickly and accurately
Potential for rude or difficult customers
Inconsistent income due to fluctuating tips
Late nights, weekends, and holidays often required

Key steps to become a food server

Explore food server education requirements

Most common food server degrees

High School Diploma

36.4 %

Bachelor's

30.8 %

Associate

18.9 %

Start to develop specific food server skills

Skills	Percentages
Beverage Orders	10.20%
Wine	9.06%
Cleanliness	8.85%
Customer Service	8.60%
Guest Service	6.20%

Complete relevant food server training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New food servers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a food server based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real food server resumes.

Research food server duties and responsibilities

Manage expediter window paying close attention to garnishes and presentation.
Provide outstanding customer service by communicating clearly and effectively while maintaining the cleanliness and organization of the restaurant.
Serve tables in a busy caf /bar environment.
Handle all transactions, both in person and by headset in drive-thru.

Prepare your food server resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your food server resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a food server resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Food Server Resume templates

Build a professional Food Server resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Food Server resume.

Apply for food server jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a food server job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do food servers rate their job?

5/5

Based On 1 Ratings

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Food Server reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2021

Pros

A total time you spend knowing and communicate and get attachment to the clients

Cons

Leaving work when it's time to leave

A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2020

Pros

Not sedentary, moving around. Creativity.

Cons

Repetitive tasks. Or obviously, working with people who are highly critical.

5.0

A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2020

Pros

I like food, I believe that food is a comfort and food brings people together, and I like being apart of this.

Cons

Many restaurants are corporate or franchisees, and they dont really have good management, which leads to not hiring people on skill, but just to fill the space, which leads to high turn over rates for both FOH, BOH and management. There's no stability

What is a food server and how to become one

What are the pros and cons of being a Food Server?

Food Server career paths

Key steps to become a food server

Explore food server education requirements

Most common food server degrees

Start to develop specific food server skills

Complete relevant food server training and internships

Research food server duties and responsibilities

Prepare your food server resume

Choose From 10+ Customizable Food Server Resume templates

Apply for food server jobs

How Did You Land Your First Food Server Job

Average food server salary

How do food servers rate their job?

Food Server reviews

Food Server FAQs

How long does it take to become a Food Server?

Search for food server jobs

Food Server jobs by state