This is how high the average salary is for waitressing

The earnings of a waiter or waitress are not known to be particularly high, ranging on average between €1,645 and €2,242 gross per month, with hourly wages averaging just €12.79. On the other hand, it's pretty easy to get a job in food service, even without experience.

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Getting off to a flying start in the restaurant business without training

Without appropriate training, the average salary without tips in the lower range is € 1,500 gross per month. However, the hourly wage of a waiter must be at least €10.45 (as of August 2022) in accordance with the statutory minimum wage. For most mini-job assistants as a waiter in the catering industry, this is probably the regular hourly wage, which may add up to €450 during a month. It often depends on how big the company is in which you work or in which industry. Hotel employees or waiters in posh restaurants, for example, usually earn more than waiters in a small café.

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Top up your waitressing salary with tips

Trinkgeld ist für viele Kellner ein wichtiger Bestandteil ihres Gehalts. Gäste können zwar freiwillig entscheiden, ob sie Trinkgeld geben oder nicht, aber eigentlich gehört es in Deutschland zum guten Ton, der Bedienung zwischen 5 und 10 % des Rechnungsbetrages zusätzlich zu spendieren.

The waiters may either keep their own tips or they are collected and divided at the end of the shift between the entire service staff and usually also the kitchen staff of the shift. In addition, there is also the monthly distribution, where the collected tip is divided among the staff at the end of the month. On the other hand, the distribution of tips according to hierarchical position or length of service is rather unusual. At catering events, on the other hand, there is usually no tipping at all.

By the way, in the U.S., waiters, whether part-time or full-time, sometimes get no hourly pay at all and for this reason are completely dependent on tips from their guests, which for this reason is usually between 15 and 20%.

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Earning at special events such as the Oktoberfest

If you want to work as a waiter just once or for two weeks and increase your salary considerably in a short time, you can take a job at the Oktoberfest in Munich or at other well-attended events in Bavaria and throughout Germany. The salary at the Wiesn for waiters can be over €5,000 in total for 16 or 18 days, but the job is not only mentally but also physically demanding. A load of filled beer mugs weighs up to 30 kilos, and a waiter can walk a total of 20 kilometers back and forth during the day. And then there's the stress of dealing with guests, some of whom are heavily intoxicated, whom you always have to deal with in a firm, friendly and confident manner. In return, however, you usually get a hefty tip - which can be several hundred euros per day.

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Better salary opportunities for waiters with training

Compared to the temporary jobber or the part-time waiter without training, skilled waiters who work full time usually have a higher salary, as they are considered professional catering service staff. During the three-year training, they earn less than many an unskilled part-time worker, but after completing the exam, they can expect about €1,800 gross salary per month. Especially in an exclusive restaurant, the salary can be very respectable, as guests usually also tip for service, which can sometimes significantly increase the salary depending on the restaurant and visitor frequency. Often there is also overtime if you work full time, which can push your earnings up a bit. In addition, there are possible allowances for night hours or weekend and public holidays. And last but not least, you can also work your way up and, for example, take over shift management or even work additionally behind the bar, which usually brings in more money.

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Get more pay as a service worker with work experience

Of course, the experience of the employee is also important in the question of salary. Trained waiters with more than 3 years of experience often earn around €1,700 gross, and after more than 10 years of professional experience, the salary then rises to around €2,000 gross. Over 20 years of experience makes less difference, with an average of €2,100 gross salary. As mentioned, however, the salary can also be higher or lower depending on the industry and size of the company.

Would you rather waitress full time or part time?

The salary for waiters in a full-time job naturally exceeds the earnings in a 15- or 30-hour part-time job. However, the hours in a full-time job can vary greatly, as overtime is often required. If these overtime hours are paid, plus allowances for evening and night shifts, as well as weekends and holidays, a waiter's salary can increase greatly.

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Work location - Where in Germany are the best jobs for waiters?

You can practically always find a job as a waiter near your place of residence, whether in Frankfurt, Hamburg, Cologne, Stuttgart, Munich, Berlin or even in Switzerland or in a café in Vienna as a temp, reliable and motivated waiters are always being sought in many places. However, the salary sometimes differs significantly between regions and countries. In Zurich in Switzerland, for example, a waiter job is often significantly better paid than in Germany and Austria.

But of course there is also a difference in salary within Germany, from state to state. In richer states like Bavaria, the average salary for a waiter is higher than in economically somewhat weaker states like Saxony-Anhalt. The average salary in Baden-Württemberg, at €1,929 gross per month, is the highest, while in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania it is the lowest, at €1,478 gross per month.

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FAQ

Here you can find answers to the most frequently asked questions about the average salary of a waiter.

What is the salary in the restaurant industry for a waitress?

On average, a gastronomy service employee earns between €1,645 and €2,242 gross per month.

Where in Germany do you earn the most as a food service worker?

In Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria, the earnings of a waiter or waitress are the highest.

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What is the average hourly wage for waiters?

Der Arbeitgeber muss sich an den gesetzlichen Mindestlohn von 10,45 € (Stand August 2022) pro Stunde halten. Im Durchschnitt verdienen Gastro-Servicekräfte mit 12,79 € etwas mehr. Hier findest du alle Infos zum deutschen Durchschnittsgehalt.

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