Work Environment

Food and beverage serving and related workers held about 4.4 million jobs in 2020. Employment in the detailed occupations that make up food and beverage serving and related workers was distributed as follows:

1. Fast food and counter workers - 3,455,500
2. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers - 389,000
3. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop - 333,600
4. Food servers, non-restaurant - 251,300

The largest employers of food and beverage serving and related workers were as follows:

• Restaurants and other eating places - 75%
• Healthcare and social assistance - 5%
• Retail trade - 5%
• Special food services - 4%
• Educational services; state, local, and private - 4%

Food and beverage serving and related workers spend most of their shift on their feet. They carry trays of food, dishes, or glassware, which are often heavy. During busy dining periods, they are under pressure to serve customers quickly and efficiently.

Injuries and Illnesses

Food preparation and serving areas in restaurants often have potential safety hazards, such as hot ovens and slippery floors. Common injuries include slips, cuts, and burns. To reduce these risks, workers may wear gloves, aprons, or nonslip shoes.

Work Schedules

Part-time work is common for food and beverage serving and related workers. Because restaurants and other eating places typically have extended dining hours, work shifts often include early mornings, late evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Work may be seasonal. Food and beverage serving and related workers may not work or may have limited hours during certain times of the year. For example, those in school cafeterias may work only during the school year, usually 9 to 10 months.

In addition, business hours in restaurants allow for flexible schedules that appeal to teenagers. Food and beverage serving and related workers employs more 16- to 19-year-olds than any other occupation.

Job Outlook

Overall employment of food and beverage serving and related workers is projected to grow 17 percent from 2020 to 2030, much faster than the average for all occupations.

About 1,032,100 openings for food and beverage serving and related workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

Much of the projected employment growth in these occupations is due to recovery from the COVID-19 recession that began in 2020. Employment growth will vary by occupation.

As a growing population continues to dine out, purchase take-out meals, or have food delivered, more restaurants, particularly fast-food and casual dining restaurants, are expected to open. In response, more food and beverage serving and related workers will be needed.

In addition, nontraditional food service operations, such as those inside grocery stores and cafeterias in hospitals and residential care facilities, will serve more prepared meals. Because these workers are essential to the operation of a food-serving establishment, they will continue to be in demand.

Earnings

The median hourly wage for food and beverage serving and related workers was $12.49 in May 2021. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $8.80, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $16.40.

Median hourly wages for food and beverage serving and related workers in May 2021 were as follows:

• Food servers, non-restaurant - $13.81
• Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers - $13.06
• Fast food and counter workers - $12.07
• Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop - $11.83

In May 2021, the median hourly wages for food and beverage serving and related workers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

• Healthcare and social assistance - $14.05
• Educational services; state, local, and private - $14.00
• Retail trade - $13.94
• Special food services - $13.56
• Restaurants and other eating places - $11.61

Although some workers in these occupations earn tips, most get their earnings from hourly wages alone.

In some restaurants, workers may contribute all or a portion of their tips to a tip pool, which is distributed among qualifying workers. Tip pools allow workers who do not usually receive tips directly from customers, such as dining room attendants, to be part of a team and to share in the rewards for good service.

Employers may provide meals and uniforms but may deduct those costs from the worker’s wages.

Part-time work is common for food and beverage serving and related workers. Because restaurants and other eating places typically have extended dining hours, work shifts often include early mornings, late evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Work may be seasonal. Food and beverage serving and related workers may not work or may have limited hours during certain times of the year. For example, those in school cafeterias may work only during the school year, usually 9 to 10 months.

In addition, business hours in restaurants allow for flexible schedules that appeal to teenagers. Food and beverage serving and related workers employs more 16- to 19-year-olds than any other occupation.