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The differences between waitresses and hostesses can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a hostess has an average salary of $26,298, which is higher than the $24,770 average annual salary of a waitress.
The top three skills for a waitress include food orders, food preparation and customer orders. The most important skills for a hostess are reservations, exceptional guest, and seat guests.
| Waitress | Hostess | |
| Yearly Salary | $24,770 | $26,298 |
| Hourly rate | $11.91 | $12.64 |
| Growth Rate | 10% | 9% |
| Number Of Jobs | 87,315 | 82,629 |
| Job Satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most Common Degree | High School Diploma, 36% | High School Diploma, 37% |
| Average Age | 28 | 23 |
| Years Of Experience | - | - |
Waitresses are responsible for ensuring that guests are given proper attention during their visit to the restaurant. They guide guests to their table, provide menu boards, answer any questions the guests may have, take the guests' order, and communicate the order to the kitchen. Once the order is ready, waitresses collect the food from the kitchen and serve it to the guests. They then give guests time to finish their meal. Upon the guests' request, waitresses bring them their bill and wait for them to finish paying up. Once the guests leave, waitresses are responsible for ensuring that the table is ready for the next guests.
Hostesses are responsible for managing guests who come to the restaurant. They greet guests, ensure that the guests have tables ready before letting them into the restaurant floor, guide the guests to their assigned tables, and introduce the guests to the waiter assigned to the table. Hostesses also manage the reservation list, often manning the restaurant's reservation hotline. They also control the entry of guests, answer any query that guests may have, and take note of any special requests. Hostesses ensure that guests have the best possible restaurant experience.
Waitresses and hostesses have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Waitress | Hostess | |
| Average Salary | $24,770 | $26,298 |
| Salary Range | Between $17,000 And $35,000 | Between $20,000 And $34,000 |
| Highest Paying City | Washington, DC | Portland, ME |
| Highest Paying State | New York | Maine |
| Best Paying Company | New York Institute of Technology | V-Soft Consulting |
| Best Paying Industry | Hospitality | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a waitress and a hostess in terms of educational background:
| Waitress | Hostess | |
| Most Common Degree | High School Diploma, 36% | High School Diploma, 37% |
| Most Common Major | Business | Business |
| Most Common College | - | - |
Here are the differences between waitresses' and hostesses' demographics:
| Waitress | Hostess | |
| Average Age | 28 | 23 |
| Gender Ratio | Male, 19.9% Female, 80.1% | Male, 14.1% Female, 85.9% |
| Race Ratio | Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 20.2% Asian, 8.6% White, 53.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 6.8% Hispanic or Latino, 19.7% Asian, 5.8% White, 57.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 5% |