Waiters and Waitresses

High Risk
74%
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Vote Comments (25)
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AUTOMATION RISK
CALCULATED
70%
(High Risk)
POLLING
77%
(High Risk)
Average: 74%
LABOR DEMAND
GROWTH
10.3%
by year 2032
WAGES
$31,940
or $15.35 per hour
Volume
2,237,850
as of 2023
SUMMARY
JOB SCORE
3.6/10

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Calculated automation risk

70% (High Risk)

High Risk (61-80%): Jobs in this category face a significant threat from automation, as many of their tasks can be easily automated using current or near-future technologies.

More information on what this score is, and how it is calculated is available here.

Some quite important qualities of the job are difficult to automate:

  • Social Perceptiveness

  • Assisting and Caring for Others

User poll

77% chance of full automation within the next two decades

Our visitors have voted that it's probable this occupation will be automated. This assessment is further supported by the calculated automation risk level, which estimates 70% chance of automation.

What do you think the risk of automation is?

What is the likelihood that Waiters and Waitresses will be replaced by robots or artificial intelligence within the next 20 years?






Sentiment

The following graph is included wherever there is a substantial amount of votes to render meaningful data. These visual representations display user poll results over time, providing a significant indication of sentiment trends.

Sentiment over time (yearly)

Growth

Very fast growth relative to other professions

The number of 'Waiters and Waitresses' job openings is expected to rise 10.3% by 2032

Total employment, and estimated job openings

* Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the period between 2021 and 2031
Updated projections are due 09-2024.

Wages

Very low paid relative to other professions

In 2023, the median annual wage for 'Waiters and Waitresses' was $31,940, or $15 per hour

'Waiters and Waitresses' were paid 33.5% lower than the national median wage, which stood at $48,060

Wages over time

* Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics

Volume

Significantly greater range of job opportunities compared to other professions

As of 2023 there were 2,237,850 people employed as 'Waiters and Waitresses' within the United States.

This represents around 1.5% of the employed workforce across the country

Put another way, around 1 in 67 people are employed as 'Waiters and Waitresses'.

Job description

Take orders and serve food and beverages to patrons at tables in dining establishment.

SOC Code: 35-3031.00

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Comments

Leave a comment

reilly (Highly likely) 3 months ago
Japan.
0 0 Reply
ya (Highly likely) 7 months ago
Now I start to see more robot waiters which can mean that soon, waiter jobs will be taken.
0 0 Reply
youausduasdasa (Highly likely) 12 months ago
because they just walk around and take order. Japan is already doing it so we should too
0 0 Reply
Alisha 1 year ago
AI is REALLY taking over the world!!!
SCARED for the next generation!!
0 0 Reply
Ernest Onunze (Low) 1 year ago
It is because it involves emotion and social understanding. Can AI interprets moods, feelings and stress this what waiters and waitress does better
0 0 Reply
Gwen (Low) 1 year ago
Food service workers in fast food, buffets, etc., do face a risk of replacement and you can already see it happening. Actual servers who provide full table service do not face the same risk, in my opinion.

Ultimately, going out to eat is an experience. Going through a drive-thru serves a functional purpose, you need food and you need it within minutes. Full service restaurants exist to give people somewhere to *go*. Somewhere to socialize, celebrate, grab a drink, mourn a bad day, take a load off, sit down with a good book, write a good book, get some office work done, etc., etc. It’s about experiencing human connections, even if you’re eating alone, you still have the company of your server, of the other patrons surrounding you. We crave human connection, we’re social creatures by nature, otherwise, everyone would just stay home. To-go and delivery has existed for forever and full service restaurants still stand, because the *people* are the draw.

Customers want to become regulars, they delight in their name or order being remembered, couples want a place they think of as “theirs” that they return to every year for their anniversary, they want to tell the server it’s their birthday so they can get that free piece of cake, so their waiter will wish them well or sing for them. They want someone to joke around with, to tease and be teased, to flirt, to leave their number on a receipt even though they know they won’t call. They want their baby to be cooed at and made to laugh. They want the bartender to listen to them wax poetic about their bad breakup. Speaking of bartenders, I don’t think people realize how much they keep you safe. They’ll keep an eye on your drink, put your purse behind the bar, toss out the drunken idiot harassing everyone.

And on a less positive note—people *especially* want someone to level their fury at. When their order is messed up or the food isn’t to their liking or when they have to wait too long to be seated. You can’t be mad at a robot. I mean, you can be, but I’m certain it won’t give the same satisfaction that whatever it is miserable people get out of bullying waitstaff. What I’m saying is—people crave human interaction…and that includes asking for the manager.

Maybe it would be a different story if AI could mimic human behavior, but even then, it can’t get around the uncanny valley effect. People need people.
1 0 Reply
Stu 1 year ago
As a customer it won’t be nearly as fun to watch a robot run after the condiments. Haha
0 0 Reply
Cd Guthrie (No chance) 1 year ago
Can’t anticipate guests needs and time constraints simultaneously while providing the warmth of caring
1 0 Reply
Stefan Deleanu (Low) 2 years ago
It is highly unlikely due to the social aspect of being a waiter. We can see this based on the effect home delivery services had on the HORECA industry. People still want social contact and not some robotic interaction.

I assume culture will change in future generations. This is similar to how there are love hotels and vending machines for everything in Japan, which wouldn't be acceptable in the Western world.
0 0 Reply
Bro 2 years ago
All the fast food restaurants now do this and most restaurants use seamless/Grubhub for delivery. Delivery to my table in the restaurant via my phone is next.
0 0 Reply
Mitch (Highly likely) 2 years ago
Low skill. Unnecessary. Humans performing the task are unpredictable and often unreliable.
0 0 Reply
Karl (No chance) 3 years ago
Where do servers make 11$ an hour? That's crazy low.
0 0 Reply
Chloe (No chance) 3 years ago
I do think robots could replace waiters at certain restaurants but not entirely. As a waitress I feel a lot of the customers are looking for a waitress not a robot or a screen to press, they’re coming to be served and for the personal interaction. Just look at places like hooters or the restaurants where the staff is paid to make crude jokes and insults to you. A robot can’t do that.
0 0 Reply
Bruna 3 years ago
Will robots also hear your romantic dramas or give you advice? Waiters' job is also about interaction
0 0 Reply
Jeffro (Low) 3 years ago
Upscale restaurant servers will always be human.
0 0 Reply
Julia 3 years ago
I really hope not, some waiters and waitresses are really nice
0 0 Reply
austin (Uncertain) 4 years ago
i certainly see fast food waiters being eliminated however "fancy" dine-in i think is less likely
0 0 Reply
Noah R (No chance) 4 years ago
It’s not that it can’t be done but I don’t think people would be receptive to having robot servers
0 0 Reply
Abhudya (Highly likely) 4 years ago
Because some hotels have already done it.
0 0 Reply
Jon 4 years ago
Has anyone seen Sam and Cat? Just do the same thing they did.
0 0 Reply

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