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| Occupation Profile
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WAITERS AND WAITRESSES: SOUTH CAROLINA
Occupation Description
Take orders and serve food and beverages to patrons at tables in dining establishment. Exclude "Counter Attendants, Cafeteria, Food Concession, and Coffee Shop".
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State and National Wages
| Location |
Pay
Period |
2008 |
| 10% |
25% |
Median |
75% |
90% |
| United States |
Hourly |
$6.73 |
$7.32 |
$8.01 |
$10.35 |
$14.26 |
| Yearly |
$14,000 |
$15,200 |
$16,700 |
$21,500 |
$29,700 |
| South Carolina |
Hourly |
$6.18 |
$6.55 |
$7.17 |
$7.96 |
$11.65 |
| Yearly |
$12,900 |
$13,600 |
$14,900 |
$16,600 |
$24,200 |
- High is the wage at which 90% of workers earn less and 10% earn more.
- Middle is the wage at which 50% of workers earn less and 50% earn more.
- Low is the wage at which 10% of workers earn less and 90% earn more.
- High is the wage at which 90% of workers earn less and 10% earn more.
- Middle is the wage at which 50% of workers earn less and 50% earn more.
- Low is the wage at which 10% of workers earn less and 90% earn more.
Occupation Wages FAQs
Median Wage by Occupation Across States
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National Data Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics Survey
State Data Source: South Carolina Wage Information
State and National Trends
| United States |
Employment |
Percent
Change |
Job Openings 1 |
| 2008 |
2018 |
Waiters and waitresses |
2,381,700 |
2,533,300 |
+6%
|
146,620
| South Carolina |
Employment |
Percent
Change |
Job Openings 1 |
| 2006 |
2016 |
| Waiters and waitresses |
38,830 |
42,780 |
+10%
|
2,500
|
1Job Openings refers to the average annual job openings due to growth and net replacement.
Note: The data for the State Employment Trends and the National Employment Trends are not directly comparable. The projections period for state data is 2006-2016, while the projections period for national data is 2008-2018.
Occupation Trends FAQs
Employment Trends by Occupation Across States
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Employment Trends by Industry and Occupation
National Data Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections
State Data Source: South Carolina Employment Security Commission
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
The most important knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) are listed for Waiters and Waitresses.
Knowledge:
- Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Sales and Marketing - Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
- Food Production - Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
- Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Skills:
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Abilities:
- Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
- Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
- Trunk Strength - The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without 'giving out' or fatiguing.
Source: Occupational Information Network: Waiters and Waitresses.
Tasks and Activities
Occupation specific tasks and the most important generalized work activities are listed for Waiters and Waitresses.
Occupation Specific Tasks:
- Bring wine selections to tables with appropriate glasses, and pour the wines for customers.
- Check patrons' identification to ensure that they meet minimum age requirements for consumption of alcoholic beverages.
- Check with customers to ensure that they are enjoying their meals and take action to correct any problems.
- Clean tables or counters after patrons have finished dining.
- Collect payments from customers.
- Describe and recommend wines to customers.
- Escort customers to their tables.
- Explain how various menu items are prepared, describing ingredients and cooking methods.
- Fill salt, pepper, sugar, cream, condiment, and napkin containers.
- Garnish and decorate dishes in preparation for serving.
- Inform customers of daily specials.
- Perform food preparation duties such as preparing salads, appetizers, and cold dishes, portioning desserts, and brewing coffee.
- Prepare checks that itemize and total meal costs and sales taxes.
- Prepare hot, cold, and mixed drinks for patrons, and chill bottles of wine.
- Prepare tables for meals, including setting up items such as linens, silverware, and glassware.
- Present menus to patrons and answer questions about menu items, making recommendations upon request.
- Remove dishes and glasses from tables or counters, and take them to kitchen for cleaning.
- Serve food or beverages to patrons, and prepare or serve specialty dishes at tables as required.
- Stock service areas with supplies such as coffee, food, tableware, and linens.
- Take orders from patrons for food or beverages.
- Write patrons' food orders on order slips, memorize orders, or enter orders into computers for transmittal to kitchen staff.
Generalized Work Activities:
- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
- Handling and Moving Objects - Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Detailed Work Activities:
- answer customer or public inquiries
- assist patrons at entertainment events
- assist patrons to make wine selection
- balance cash register
- calculate monetary exchange
- carve meat or bone fish or fowl
- check ID to ensure minimum age requirement is met
- clean rooms or work areas
- collect payment
- mix drinks or flavors for mixed drinks
- notify kitchen personnel of food orders, shortages, or special orders
- obtain information from individuals
- prepare appetizers, salads, or cold dishes
- prepare beverages
- prepare bill or check in restaurant or related food establishment
- provide customer service
- recognize customer intoxication
- replenish supplies of food, tableware or linen
- serve food or beverages
- set or clear tables in dining areas
- understand government alcoholic beverage service regulations
- understand government health, hotel or food service regulations
- use cash registers
- use computers to enter, access or retrieve data
- use knowledge of food handling rules
- use oral or written communication techniques
Source: Occupational Information Network: Waiters and Waitresses.
Tools and Technology
Waiters and Waitresses View Detailed Report
Tools:
- Cash registers - Cash registers
- Commercial use cutlery - Carving knives
- Magnetic card readers - Credit card readers
- Personal digital assistant PDAs or organizers - Personal digital assistants PDA, Portable barcode scanning systems
- Point of sale POS terminal - Point of service workstations, Point of service/sale POS terminals and interfaces
Technology:
- Point of sale POS software - Compris Advanced Manager's Workstation, Compris software, ICVERIFY software, Intuit QuickBooks Point of Sale, MICROS Systems HSI Profits Series
Source: Occupational Information Network: Waiters and Waitresses.
Education and Training
Occupation: Waiters and Waitresses
Most Common Educational/Training Level: Short-term on-the-job training
Related Instructional Programs: Food Service, Waiter/Waitress, and Dining Room Management/Manager
Distribution of Educational Attainment
| Occupation |
Percent of employees aged 25 to 44 in the occupation whose highest level of educational attainment is |
| Less than high school diploma |
High school diploma or equivalent |
Some college, no degree |
Associate's degree |
Bachelor's degree |
Master's degree |
Doctoral or professional degree |
| Waiters and waitresses |
17.1% |
36.2% |
26.2% |
7% |
11.7% |
1.3% |
0.4% |
| Food and Beverage Serving Workers |
19.3% |
41.6% |
23% |
6% |
8.8% |
1% |
0.3% |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related |
27.3% |
41.4% |
18% |
5.6% |
6.7% |
0.8% |
0.3% |
| Total, All Occupations |
10.7% |
27.6% |
20.6% |
8.9% |
19.4% |
8.3% |
4.5% |
Find colleges, training schools and instructional programs.
Access additional Education Resources in the Career Resource Library.
Use the Financial Aid Advisor to help find funds for financing education.
WIA Eligible Training Provider List: http://www.workforcesouthcarolina.com/provider/
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections (Education/Training Level, Educational Attainment); National Center for Education Statistics (Typical Instructional Programs)
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Web Resources
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