Food Servers, Nonrestaurant Career, Salary and Skills
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $35,360 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 293,900. Wage data is published for 406 locations.
Occupation description
Serve food to individuals outside of a restaurant environment, such as in hotel rooms, hospital rooms, residential care facilities, or cars.
O*NET code
35-3041.00
Job zone
2
Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Experience
None
National salary and employment
Median annual
$35,360
Hourly median
$17.00
Employment
293,900
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.00 | 2.38 |
| Service Orientation | 3.00 | 2.12 |
| Speaking | 3.00 | 2.50 |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.88 | 2.12 |
| Coordination | 2.88 | 2.62 |
| Critical Thinking | 2.88 | 2.38 |
| Time Management | 2.88 | 2.12 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.88 | 2.62 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 2.75 | 2.12 |
| Monitoring | 2.75 | 2.25 |
Typical tasks
- 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.
- Monitor food preparation or serving techniques to ensure that proper procedures are followed.
- Remove trays and stack dishes for return to kitchen after meals are finished.
Technology
- Capital Codeworks MenuMax
- CBORD Nutrition Service Suite
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Windows
- Picis CareSuite
Food Servers, Nonrestaurant salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant Salary in CAMedian $39,010 · Employment 32,430
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant Salary in New York, NYMedian $39,120 · Employment 19,450
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant Salary in FLMedian $33,930 · Employment 19,240
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant Salary in ILMedian $35,080 · Employment 17,560
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant Salary in NYMedian $39,370 · Employment 17,520
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant Salary in OHMedian $30,440 · Employment 15,320
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant Salary in TXMedian $29,300 · Employment 14,340
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant Salary in PAMedian $33,300 · Employment 13,940
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant Salary in Chicago, ILMedian $35,670 · Employment 12,200
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant Salary in Los Angeles, CAMedian $38,350 · Employment 11,850
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant Salary in NJMedian $36,390 · Employment 11,400
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant Salary in MNMedian $36,000 · Employment 11,090
Related careers
- Baggage Porters and BellhopsNational median $37,080
- Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk ClerksNational median $35,070
- Cooks, Private HouseholdNational median $47,940
- BartendersNational median $34,340
- Chefs and Head CooksNational median $62,470
- Cooks, Fast FoodNational median $30,890
- First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving WorkersNational median $44,080
- Locker Room, Coatroom, and Dressing Room AttendantsNational median $36,300
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.