Occupational Profile

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Food and Beverage Server

Food and beverage servers accept and serve customers' food and beverage orders in restaurants and bars.

Easy Reading Profile

Avg. Salary $16,230.00
Avg. Wage $11.03
Minimum Education Varies
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Also Known As

Server, Waiter/Waitress

NOC & Interest Codes

The Food and Beverage Server is part of the following larger National Occupational Classification (NOC).

Food and Beverage Servers NOC 6453

Food and Beverage Servers

NOC code: 6453

METHODICAL: Interest in copying to take orders and relay them to kitchen and bar staff; in performing sensory evaluation of wines; and in ordering and maintaining inventory of wines and wine glassware
SOCIAL: Interest in serving food and beverages to patrons
objective: Interest in handling the preparation of specialty foods at patrons' tables

Reading Interest Codes

A Quick Guide

The interest code helps you figure out if you’d like to work in a particular occupation. It’s based on the Canadian Work Preference Inventory (CWPI), which measures 5 occupational interests: Directive, Innovative, Methodical, Objective and Social.

Each set of 3 interest codes is listed in order of importance.

A code in capital letters means it’s a strong fit for the occupation.

A code in all lowercase letters means the fit is weaker.

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Duties

Updated Mar 28, 2017

Food and beverage servers' duties vary considerably from one type of establishment to another. In fast food outlets, they often work behind counters and use computerized systems to take orders and tabulate bills. In coffee shops and cocktail lounges, they provide quick and efficient service for customers seated at tables. In formal dining establishments, they carefully observe established rules of service and etiquette, and pace the meal according to customer preference. In general, however, food and beverage servers:

prepare tables or counters for meals
stock the service area with supplies (for example, coffee, glassware)
greet customers, present menus and help customers select menu items
inform customers about daily specials
record and place orders with the kitchen and bar
pick up and serve orders
check that customers are enjoying their meals and resolve any customer complaints with the help of management
suggest and serve desserts and beverages
clean and maintain appearance of establishment
tabulate and present bills for payment.

Working Conditions

Updated Mar 28, 2017

Working conditions for food and beverage servers vary from one type of food and beverage establishment to another. Servers may be required to lift items weighing up to 10 kilograms.

Shift work and split shifts built around normal meal times are common in the food service industry. At busy times, food and beverage servers are constantly on their feet and under pressure to serve customers quickly. They take their own meal breaks between busy meal serving times.

Strength Required Lift up to 10 kg

Skills & Abilities

Updated Mar 28, 2017

Food and beverage servers need to possess:

good health
good grooming
good verbal communication skills
sensitivity to customer needs
good organization and multi-tasking skills
the ability to serve customers cheerfully, courteously and efficiently
the ability to work as part of a team
the ability to work with little supervision
the ability to work calmly under pressure.

Other requirements depend on the environment in which the server works. For example, serving in a coffee shop or cocktail lounge requires the ability to remember many orders and move very quickly.

Food and beverage servers should enjoy having clear rules and organized methods, working with people, and working with tools and equipment.

Educational Requirements

Updated Mar 28, 2017

There are no standard education or training requirements for food and beverage servers. However, server intervention training, food safety training and food allergy training are definite assets when looking for employment.

Food and beverage servers who serve liquor must be at least 18 years of age. In formal dining rooms, food and beverage servers also must:

know proper food service etiquette
use the correct terminology and be able to answer questions about wines and other beverages
be able to prepare tableside dishes (for example, flambe) at the customer's table if required.

Many food and beverage servers start as food service helpers or kitchen helpers (for more information, see the Kitchen Helper and Food Assembler occupational profile). They then go on to learn the necessary skills and knowledge by observing more experienced workers and taking short courses such as server intervention and food safety courses. Some employers use self-instructional programs to teach new employees food preparation and service skills.

All staff involved in the sale and service of liquor in licensed premises (for example, owners, managers and supervisors, retailers, bartenders and servers, greeters and hosts, and security staff) must have ProServe Liquor Staff Training. This is a provincial government training program designed to ensure liquor service and sales activities are conducted with integrity and in a socially responsible manner. ProServe is available online, as a self-directed program of home study using a video and a manual, or by seminar.

In Alberta, food safety courses are offered by:

post-secondary schools (NAIT, SAIT, Red Deer College, Lethbridge College)
Alberta Health Services
the First Nations Inuit Health Branch of Health Canada
industry associations such as Restaurants Canada and, in the United States, the National Restaurant Association
private vocational schools and independent trainers.

Visit the Government of Alberta website or contact 780-427-7164 for a listing of approved food safety training options.

The Government of Alberta awards a Food Sanitation and Hygiene Certification to those who complete approved training and achieve at least 70% on a provincial exam. Food facilities generally must employ at least 1 person who is certified. Where 6 or more people are working on site, at least 1 person present must be certified. Where fewer people are working on site, the certified person may be absent.

For a broad list of programs and courses that may be related to this occupation try searching using keywords.

Certification Requirements

Updated Mar 28, 2017

Certification is not required, as there is currently no legislation regulating this occupation.

However, Tourism HR Canada (formerly the Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council or CTHRC) offers a voluntary Food and Beverage Server certification. Recognized across Canada, this training, which leads to a Tourism Certified Professional (TCP) designation, is accessible from the emerit website.

Employment & Advancement

Updated Mar 28, 2017

Above-average occupational growth is expected in Alberta for 2016 to 2020. Job openings are a result of employment turnover and newly created positions.

Food and beverage servers are employed in restaurants, coffee shops, bars, clubs, hotels and other retail eating and drinking establishments. There are more part-time positions in this occupation than there are in most occupations, and most food and beverage servers are young.

Experienced food and beverage servers can move to better paying jobs in larger and more formal food establishments. They may advance to lead hand positions such as captain or head waiter/waitress, maitre d' hotel or other supervisory positions (for more information, see the Food and Beverage Service Supervisor in Formal Dining Rooms occupational profile). Although some larger organizations provide management training programs or training on the job for dependable workers who have leadership ability, related post-secondary education and emerit certification are definite assets for advancement.

In Alberta, 90% of people employed as food and beverage servers work in the Accommodation and Food Services (PDF) industry.

The employment outlook (PDF) in this occupation will be influenced by a wide variety of factors including:

trends and events affecting overall employment (especially in the Accommodation and Food Services industry)
location in Alberta
employment turnover (work opportunities generated by people leaving existing positions)
occupational growth (work opportunities resulting from the creation of new positions)
size of the occupation.

Over 29,200 Albertans are employed in the Food and beverage servers occupational group. This group is expected to have an above-average annual growth of 2.2% from 2016 to 2020. As a result, 642 new positions are forecast to be created each year, in addition to job openings created by employment turnover.

There is a relatively high employment turnover rate (particularly in lower priced restaurants) so job openings occur quite frequently. However, competition is keen for positions that offer the opportunity to earn more money in tips.

Wage & Salary

Updated Mar 28, 2017

Food and beverage servers often are paid just above minimum wage, plus tips. (As of October 1, 2016, the minimum wage in Alberta is $12.20 per hour for most jobs. For more information, see Alberta Employment Standards.) Servers' incomes from tips are generally higher during peak periods such as summer or holiday seasons than in January and February. In many restaurants, food and beverage servers contribute a portion of their tips to a tip pool which is distributed among all servers, food service helpers, hosts/hostesses and bartenders.

Servers who provide superior customer service, particularly in restaurants where meal prices are higher, generally earn most of their income from tips.

Food and beverage servers are part of the larger 2011 National Occupational Classification 6513: Food and beverage servers.

According to the 2015 Alberta Wage and Salary Survey, Albertans in the Food and beverage servers occupational group earned on average from $10.23 to $12.47 an hour. The overall average wage was $11.03 an hour. For more information, see the Food and beverage servers wage profile.

Related High School Subjects

Health, Recreation and Human Services
- Tourism