Food Servers, Nonrestaurant
Hospitality and TourismO*NET 35-3041.00United States
Serve food to individuals outside of a restaurant environment, such as in hotel rooms, hospital rooms, residential care facilities, or cars.
- Median annual earnings
- $35,332
- Projected change
- +7.2%
- Typical education
- High school diploma or less
- Employment
- 301.34K jobs
50th percentile, United States
2025 to 2035
75.2% of the workforce
Growing to 323.1K by 2035
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ASU learning related to this career
These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.
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The work
What food servers, nonrestaurant do
Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.
- Place food servings on plates or trays according to orders or instructions.
- Clean or sterilize dishes, kitchen utensils, equipment, or facilities.
- Monitor food distribution, ensuring that meals are delivered to the correct recipients and that guidelines, such as those for special diets, are followed.
- Examine trays to ensure that they contain required items.
- Load trays with accessories, such as eating utensils, napkins, or condiments.
- Take food orders and relay orders to kitchens or serving counters so they can be filled.
- Remove trays and stack dishes for return to kitchen after meals are finished.
- Monitor food preparation or serving techniques to ensure that proper procedures are followed.
- Carry food, silverware, or linen on trays or use carts to carry trays.
- Record amounts and types of special food items served to customers.
- Stock service stations with items, such as ice, napkins, or straws.
- Prepare food items, such as sandwiches, salads, soups, or beverages.
- Determine where patients or patrons would like to eat their meals and help them get situated.
Pay and outlook
What the job pays and where it is heading
Annual earnings range
Reported earnings by percentile, United States
- 10th percentile
- $27,889
- 25th percentile
- $31,048
- 50th percentile
- $35,332
- 75th percentile
- $38,604
- 90th percentile
- $46,591
The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $35,332 and half earn less.
Employment outlook
2025 to 2035 projection
+7.2%faster than average
2025301,344 jobs
2035 projected323,099 jobs
21,755 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.
Preparation
Education levels
What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.
- High school diploma or less
- 75.2%
- Some college
- 8.6%
- Doctoral degree or more
- 6.6%
- Bachelor's degree
- 6.2%
- Associate degree
- 2%
- Certificate
- 1.4%
Skills
Skills employers ask for
Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.
How the work gets done
Core competencies
Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.
- 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.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Management of Personnel Resources
- Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Persuasion
- Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
- Quality Control Analysis
- Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Instructing
- Teaching others how to do something.
- Negotiation
- Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
- Operations Monitoring
- Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Learning Strategies
- Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
In the market
Job titles and employers
Recent job postings in United StatesCommon job titles
- 01Food Runners10,223 postings
- 02Bussers/Food Runners3,036 postings
- 03Food Servers2,295 postings
- 04Food Runners/Expo777 postings
- 05Food and Beverage Servers409 postings
- 06Servers/Food Runners395 postings
- 07Restaurant Food Runners376 postings
- 08Cashiers/Food Runners316 postings
- 09Hosts/Hostesses/Food Runners161 postings
- 10Expeditors/Food Runners148 postings
- 11Food and Beverage Attendants/Runners129 postings
- 12Banquet Food Servers107 postings
- 13Servers/Food Prep106 postings
- 14Restaurant Servers94 postings
- 15Food Runners/Expediters81 postings
- 16Food Servers/Cashiers79 postings
- 17Food and Beverage Managers76 postings
- 18Hosts/Hostesses/Food Runners/Bussers74 postings
- 19Server Assistants/Food Runners59 postings
- 20Dishwashers/Food Prep49 postings
Top employers
- 01Chili's Grill & Bar2,282 postings
- 02Marriott International377 postings
- 03Hilton227 postings
- 04Hyatt209 postings
- 05Caesars Entertainment204 postings
- 06Landry's156 postings
- 07French Lick Resort132 postings
- 08MGM Resorts International118 postings
- 09Boyd Gaming112 postings
- 10Delaware North105 postings
- 11Dave & Busters Management73 postings
- 12Davidson Hospitality73 postings
- 13Nando's68 postings
- 14Pura Vida Miami67 postings
- 15Troon Golf, L.L.C.63 postings
- 16Omni Hotels & Resorts62 postings
- 17Four Seasons59 postings
- 18Puttshack58 postings
- 19Flanigan's Enterprises57 postings
- 20Compass Group55 postings
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