How Much Can a Catering Waitress Earn?

The catering waitress industry is growing, according to data offered from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This industry is expected to grow by at least six percent between 2008 and 2018, creating an estimated 151,600 new jobs over this 10-year period. Catering waitresses’ salaries are influenced by the geographical location of the waitress job and the given industry, where the catering is taking place.

A catering waitress provides waitress services for a catering company or at a catering event. These services include helping in the preparation of the dining area, cleanliness of the event or restaurant space and assist in the cleaning of glassware or utensils prior to the event. The waitress is responsible for bringing food dishes from the catering kitchen to the paying customers or guests at events in a professional and friendly manner.

The mean average salary for a waitress, including catering waitresses, as presented by the bureau falls around $9.99 per hour, which provides an annual salary of $20,790. The annual salary figure is only correct if the catering waitress works full-time, therefore the figure may not be correct if the catering waitress only works selected events or provides seasonal catering. However, a catering waitress may earn as little as $7.54 per hour and as much as $14.41 per hour, according to the bureau.

A catering waitress’ salary may be influenced by the industry or place where the catering event is taking place. For example, limited-service eating places may pay catering waitresses $8.98 per hour, whereas waitresses in local amusement or recreational parks may earn as much as $10.78 per hour. Some amusement and recreational catering positions may only be seasonal jobs.

The catering waitress salary may also be influenced by the geographical location, where the catering position is located. The District of Columbia has the highest paying hourly wage for catering waitresses, paying $14.30 per hour. Vermont is second on the list at $13.68 per hour, while Massachusetts is third at $13.59 per hour.

Food and beverage serving and related workers earned a median annual salary of $19,710 in 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. On the low end, food and beverage serving and related workers earned a 25th percentile salary of $18,170, meaning 75 percent earned more than this amount. The 75th percentile salary is $22,690, meaning 25 percent earn more. In 2016, 5,122,500 people were employed in the U.S. as food and beverage serving and related workers.