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Waiter/waitress

Also called waiter, waitress, wait staff

Waiters/waitresses supply guests with food and drinks as requested. Waiters/waitresses usually work in restaurants, bars and hotels. This involves the preparation of tables, serving food or beverages and taking payments.

Will there be jobs?Yes, good prospectsShortage in 13 countries now. 26 jobs to fill by 2035 for every 100 people doing this work today.Personal service workersWhat does it pay?Below averageFrom about €900 (Bulgaria) to €3,900 (Denmark) a month, depending on the country.Estimate · Personal service workersWhat do I need to study?Upper secondary or vocational6 in 10 finished upper secondary or vocational training. 7 in 10 train through vocational routes.Personal service workersWill AI change it?LittleLevel 2 of 6. AI could take on part of some tasks, but none fully.Waiters · ILO

What you'd do

Waiters · ILO
  • Setting tables with clean linen, cutlery, crockery and glassware
  • Greeting customers and presenting them with menus and beverage lists
  • Advising on food and beverage choices
  • Taking orders for food and drinks and passing order to kitchen or bar staff
  • Serving food and beverages to clients at tables
  • Clearing tables and returning dishes and cutlery to kitchen
  • Presenting bills, accepting payment and operating point of sales machines and cash registers
Take food and beverage orders from customersServe winesCheck dining room cleanlinessPrepare alcoholic beveragesPrepare hot drinks+ 21 more essential skills
What the work is like
  • Indoors
  • On your feet most of the day
  • Constant contact with people
  • Some freedom to decide
  • Usually under 40 hours a week
  • Deadlines now and then
  • Some repetitive tasks
US data: based on the O*NET profile of the US job "Waiters and Waitresses"

Will there be jobs?

Yes, good prospects

13 EU countries are short of waiters now, and a typical number of jobs will need filling by 2035.

People working as personal service workers in the EU
10.21m10.63m10.46m 201520232035

Solid: measured. Dashed: forecast.

Jobs to fill, 2026–2035
3,074,000 replacing leavers 244,000 jobs disappear
Jobs to fill per 100 people working now
Personal service workers26
All jobs29
Right now
13 of 27 countries report a shortage of waiters, 7 a surplus.
Waiters · EURES

What does it pay?

Below average

Pay depends a lot on the country: from about €900 a month (Bulgaria) to €3,900 (Denmark), before tax.

Pick a country at the top of the page to see typical pay there, for people under 30, and compared with all jobs.

Among service and sales workers in the EU, women earn 3% less per hour than men. Service and sales workers · Eurostat

What do I need to study?

Upper secondary or vocational

Upper secondary or vocational training in food processing is the usual route.

Highest qualification of personal service workers (EU, 2025)
Degree 15%Vocational 46%General secondary 16%Basic schooling 23%
Field that teaches it
Food processing
Vocational route, EU
7 in 10 trainees in this field

Pick a country at the top of the page to see where to study and the official course finders.

Will AI change it?

Little

AI could take on part of some tasks, but none fully.

How exposed is this job? ILO scale
Very low
Low
Some tasks
Moderate
Significant
High

Average task score 0.28 on a scale from 0 (AI can't do it) to 1 (AI could do it fully).

See the score for each of the 7 tasks
Presenting bills, accepting payment and operating point of sales machines and cash registers0.52
Taking orders for food and drinks and passing order to kitchen or bar staff0.41
Greeting customers and presenting them with menus and beverage lists0.33
Advising on food and beverage choices0.33
Serving food and beverages to clients at tables0.17
Setting tables with clean linen, cutlery, crockery and glassware0.14
Clearing tables and returning dishes and cutlery to kitchen0.08

Based on what AI could technically do when assessed in 2025. It is not a forecast for a future year, and not a forecast of job losses. Scores for waiters. Source: ILO (2025), adapted (credits).