Food Servers, Nonrestaurant Salary
Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations · 294K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$35,360
Median hourly
$17
Average annual
$36,140
Typical range
$28,030–$46,120
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Food Servers, Nonrestaurant is $35,360 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $17 an hour at a full-time schedule.
Serve food to individuals outside of a restaurant environment, such as in hotel rooms, hospital rooms, residential care facilities, or cars..
Most earn between $28,030 and $46,120 a year. There are roughly 294K people employed as food servers, nonrestaurant in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Food Servers, Nonrestaurant.
- Hourly
- $17.00
- Daily
- $136
- Weekly
- $680
- Bi-weekly
- $1,360
- Monthly
- $2,947
- Annual
- $35,360
$35,360 a year is around the 50th percentile for Food Servers, Nonrestaurants. The median is $35,360.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1New York$39,370
- 2California$39,010
- 3Colorado$38,900
- 4Washington$38,870
- 5Alaska$38,090
- 6District of Columbia$37,920
- 7Hawaii$37,920
- 8Maine$37,680
- 9Vermont$37,540
- 10North Dakota$36,910
- 11Massachusetts$36,750
- 12New Hampshire$36,710
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1Kahului-Wailuku, HI$62,960
- 2San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$46,210
- 3Hanford-Corcoran, CA$45,030
- 4San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$44,710
- 5Napa, CA$41,850
- 6Burlington-South Burlington, VT$41,090
- 7Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$40,640
- 8Ithaca, NY$40,240
- 9Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$40,180
- 10Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO$39,850
- 11Lawton, OK$39,720
- 12Anchorage, AK$39,550
Related job titles
Employers advertise Food Servers, Nonrestaurant roles under these titles.
Related occupations
What a Food Servers, Nonrestaurant does
- 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.
- Carry food, silverware, or linen on trays or use carts to carry trays.
- Stock service stations with items, such as ice, napkins, or straws.
- Determine where patients or patrons would like to eat their meals and help them get situated.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Food Servers, Nonrestaurant make?
- The median annual wage for Food Servers, Nonrestaurant is $35,360 ($17 per hour). Pay ranges from about $28,030 at the 10th percentile to $46,120 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Food Servers, Nonrestaurant?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $36,140, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Food Servers, Nonrestaurants the most?
- New York has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $39,370.
- Is Food Servers, Nonrestaurant a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 294K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Food Servers, Nonrestaurant do?
- 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..