The average salary for a Waiter in Jacksonville is 31,667 $ per year on a 40-hour full-time equivalent, or 2,639 $ gross per month and 15.22 $ gross per hour. The reported full-time salary range is 19,579 $ to 48,267 $. The analysis is based on 35 salary reports from workers and employers in Jacksonville. Part-time salaries are proportionally converted to 40 weekly hours so the values are comparable.
| Date | Job title | Weekly hours | Reported gross/year | Normalized to 40h/year | Gross/month 40h | Gross/hour 40h | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06/10/2026 | Senior Head Waiter | 45.0 h | 48,000 $ | 42,667 $ | 3,556 $ | 20.51 $ | I'm the senior head waiter at a large upscale restaurant and oversee multiple dining rooms and training. This is my gross annual income including elevated tips and service charges. |
| 04/12/2026 | Waiter (Self-employed - Catering) | 30.0 h | 36,200 $ | 48,267 $ | 4,022 $ | 23.21 $ | I'm self-employed doing private events and small catering gigs, averaging about 30 hours a week. Income varies by season but this was my annual gross. |
| 01/05/2026 | Lead Server | 42.0 h | 42,100 $ | 40,095 $ | 3,341 $ | 19.28 $ | I coordinate shifts and handle conflicts as a lead server while still working service shifts. My role comes with extra responsibilities and higher annual gross. |
| 10/22/2025 | Server | 34.0 h | 29,200 $ | 34,353 $ | 2,863 $ | 16.52 $ | I work part-time evenings at a busy bar-and-grill while attending classes. This is what I grossed last year combining hourly and tips. |
| 06/18/2025 | Senior Server | 40.0 h | 45,100 $ | 45,100 $ | 3,758 $ | 21.68 $ | I'm a senior server at an upscale coastal restaurant with responsibilities for large parties and mentoring staff. My experience and consistent high tips are reflected in this pay. |
| 03/14/2025 | Waiter | 36.0 h | 31,100 $ | 34,556 $ | 2,880 $ | 16.61 $ | I work full time at a waterfront restaurant and have several years of experience. Evening dinner services and tourist season bump my annual earnings. |
| 11/03/2024 | Banquet Lead (Server) | 40.0 h | 37,900 $ | 37,900 $ | 3,158 $ | 18.22 $ | I lead the banquet team for a large venue, coordinating events and serving large parties. My pay includes a leadership premium and tips from big events. |
| 07/30/2024 | Server | 35.0 h | 30,100 $ | 34,400 $ | 2,867 $ | 16.54 $ | I'm a full-time server with a 35-hour schedule at a busy casual dining chain. I take a lot of weekend shifts which increases my tip income. |
| 03/08/2024 | Shift Lead (Server) | 41.0 h | 39,050 $ | 38,098 $ | 3,175 $ | 18.32 $ | As a shift lead I handle opening and closing duties, staff coordination, and still serve a section. My extra responsibilities are reflected in this pay. |
| 02/17/2024 | Fine Dining Server | 40.0 h | 42,100 $ | 42,100 $ | 3,508 $ | 20.24 $ | I work full time in an upscale restaurant and specialize in wine and tasting menus. Tips and service charges put my annual earnings at this level. |
| 12/13/2023 | Fine Dining Server | 40.0 h | 43,200 $ | 43,200 $ | 3,600 $ | 20.77 $ | I work full time in a highly-rated fine dining establishment with several years of experience. My knowledge of wine and pairing leads to higher checks and tips. |
| 09/05/2023 | Head Waiter | 44.0 h | 40,100 $ | 36,455 $ | 3,038 $ | 17.53 $ | I run the floor at a high-volume upscale restaurant and handle scheduling, guest relations, and training. My role is managerial and this is my gross pay. |
| 06/25/2023 | Waiter | 30.0 h | 24,250 $ | 32,333 $ | 2,694 $ | 15.54 $ | I work part-time while finishing school, about three shifts a week at a casual diner. My tip-heavy weekend shifts help me reach this annual total. |
| 01/11/2023 | Server | 38.5 h | 27,950 $ | 29,039 $ | 2,420 $ | 13.96 $ | I've been a full-time server at a busy neighborhood restaurant. I work about 38.5 hours a week including one long closing shift, and this was my yearly pay. |
| 11/23/2022 | Waiter | 40.0 h | 29,650 $ | 29,650 $ | 2,471 $ | 14.25 $ | I'm a full-time server at a popular downtown spot; consistent dinner service and tips during events increased my annual gross to this number. |
| 08/29/2022 | Lead Server | 42.0 h | 36,200 $ | 34,476 $ | 2,873 $ | 16.58 $ | As a lead server I manage shift assignments and step in for the manager when needed, on top of serving. This is what I grossed for the year. |
| 03/15/2022 | Banquet Server | 34.0 h | 24,200 $ | 28,471 $ | 2,373 $ | 13.69 $ | I do part-time banquet and event serving for a caterer, usually evenings and weekends. Some seasons are busier and increase my annual earnings to this amount. |
| 12/02/2021 | Fine Dining Server | 40.0 h | 34,900 $ | 34,900 $ | 2,908 $ | 16.78 $ | I work full time at a high-end restaurant and have several years in fine dining service. Large parties and wine pairings drive my tip income up to this level. |
| 09/09/2021 | Server | 38.0 h | 27,500 $ | 28,947 $ | 2,412 $ | 13.92 $ | I work full time nights at a casual seafood spot and have built a steady regular clientele. This is my gross pay for the reporting year. |
| 06/10/2021 | Waiter | 40.0 h | 26,000 $ | 26,000 $ | 2,167 $ | 12.50 $ | I'm a full-time server at a family-style restaurant and have been here about four years. This was my gross annual income, combining hourly pay and tips. |
| 12/28/2020 | Lead Server | 40.0 h | 25,200 $ | 25,200 $ | 2,100 $ | 12.12 $ | In late 2020 I held a lead server role but with reduced covers due to the pandemic; I still managed shifts and served, and this was my annual gross. |
| 09/21/2020 | Server (Bar shifts) | 32.0 h | 21,200 $ | 26,500 $ | 2,208 $ | 12.74 $ | I split my time between bar shifts and dining room service at a mid-size restaurant. In 2020 my hours were reduced but tips on late shifts helped reach this total. |
| 03/20/2020 | Waiter | 25.0 h | 17,500 $ | 28,000 $ | 2,333 $ | 13.46 $ | In 2020 I had my hours cut and worked part-time during the pandemic at a casual spot. This is the actual annual gross I earned that year. |
| 11/18/2019 | Head Waiter | 44.0 h | 33,100 $ | 30,091 $ | 2,508 $ | 14.47 $ | I was the head waiter at an upscale restaurant, coordinating the floor and training staff while still serving. This is what I grossed last year including tips. |
| 07/30/2019 | Server | 36.0 h | 22,200 $ | 24,667 $ | 2,056 $ | 11.86 $ | I've been a full-time server at a busy suburban restaurant for two years. My schedule is steady and includes some late night shifts that boost tips. |
| 02/07/2019 | Server | 30.0 h | 20,100 $ | 26,800 $ | 2,233 $ | 12.88 $ | I did part-time shifts at a neighborhood pub and averaged about 30 hours a week. Tips were decent on weekends and this is what I grossed in 2019. |
| 12/05/2018 | Lead Server | 42.0 h | 29,250 $ | 27,857 $ | 2,321 $ | 13.39 $ | I work as a lead server and help run shifts and mentor newer staff. I'm essentially part supervisor while still serving; this is my gross pay for the year. |
| 10/19/2018 | Restaurant Server | 40.0 h | 28,000 $ | 28,000 $ | 2,333 $ | 13.46 $ | I worked full time at a seasonal tourist restaurant in 2018; summer months were busy and pushed my tips up to this annual amount. |
| 05/20/2018 | Fine Dining Server | 40.0 h | 23,800 $ | 23,800 $ | 1,983 $ | 11.44 $ | I'm a full-time server in a fine dining restaurant with about three years in this role. I handle high-ticket tables and get sizable tips most nights, which is reflected in this yearly total. |
| 12/20/2017 | Banquet Server | 28.0 h | 16,175 $ | 23,107 $ | 1,926 $ | 11.11 $ | I worked part-time weekends for a banquet company doing weddings and corporate events. Seasonal swings affect income but this was my annual total in 2017. |
| 08/23/2017 | Banquet Server | 30.0 h | 15,250 $ | 20,333 $ | 1,694 $ | 9.78 $ | I work part-time for an events catering company doing weekend banquets and private events. Hours fluctuate a lot, but this was my annual gross for the year I reported. |
| 03/03/2017 | Server | 22.5 h | 17,050 $ | 30,311 $ | 2,526 $ | 14.57 $ | I do part-time evening shifts at a casual restaurant while in school. My hours average out to about 22.5 per week and this was my yearly total in 2017. |
| 11/10/2016 | Waiter | 38.0 h | 18,600 $ | 19,579 $ | 1,632 $ | 9.41 $ | I've been working full time as a waiter for a casual restaurant for just over a year. Most of my pay is hourly plus tips; last year this is what I actually took home. |
| 09/01/2016 | Restaurant Server | 20.0 h | 14,050 $ | 28,100 $ | 2,342 $ | 13.51 $ | I worked part-time at a small local cafe back in 2016 while doing freelance work. Weekend shifts made up most of my hours and this was my yearly gross. |
| 07/15/2016 | Server | 20.0 h | 12,500 $ | 25,000 $ | 2,083 $ | 12.02 $ | I'm a part-time server at a small neighborhood diner and have been here about six months. I work mostly weekend brunch shifts and rely heavily on tips to make this income. |
Jacksonville’s restaurant scene is shaped by its riverfront core, fast-growing suburbs, beach towns, and a steady calendar of sports and cultural events. For a waiter, this mix generally means year-round opportunities across casual seafood spots, upscale steakhouses, hotel dining rooms, country clubs, and large event venues. Strong population growth in Northeast Florida, business travel tied to healthcare and financial services, and steady tourism to the Beaches often keep dining rooms busy and employers hiring.
The city’s dining demand is not limited to weekends or tourist season. Downtown offices, the Southside corporate corridor near St. Johns Town Center, medical campuses such as Mayo Clinic, and Navy installations at Mayport and NAS Jacksonville all contribute to weekday lunch and dinner traffic. Beach weather most of the year, NFL and college football weekends at EverBank Stadium, and high-profile events like THE PLAYERS Championship in nearby Ponte Vedra typically create noticeable spikes in guest volume that can translate into added shifts for servers.
Jacksonville’s hospitality market is broad and spread out, so waiters can often find work in distinct micro-markets: independent restaurants in Riverside/Avondale and San Marco, chain and chef-driven concepts at St. Johns Town Center, seafood houses at the Beaches, and resort outlets to the south and north. Employers frequently seek flexible availability for nights, weekends, and holidays, and many will consider candidates with limited experience for entry-level service roles if they show strong guest-service skills.
Seasonality here is milder than in many tourist-only destinations. Demand usually rises in spring (beach season starts early, and THE PLAYERS draws crowds), late summer through fall (Jaguars home games, the annual Florida–Georgia game, concerts and festivals), and the winter holidays. Fine-dining and steakhouse operators, country clubs, and hotel banquet departments in particular often look for experienced servers who can handle coursed service, wine pairings, and private events.
The outlook is helped by ongoing development. St. Johns Town Center continues to attract national concepts, the Northbank riverfront is adding amenities, and a planned Four Seasons hotel at the Shipyards is under construction, which can expand future food-and-beverage hiring. JAXPORT’s cruise activity, major conventions, and a busy arena and ballpark schedule also tend to support steady banquet and suite-service needs.
Waiters in Jacksonville can typically find roles across hotels, resorts, independent restaurants, national brands, private clubs, and event venues. Examples include:
Entry-level servers frequently start in high-volume casual or family dining, then move into upscale seafood or steakhouse service, hotel outlets, or banquet teams. With experience, a waiter can advance to lead server, trainer, server captain, bartender, sommelier or wine captain in fine dining, and into supervisory roles such as banquet captain or food-and-beverage supervisor. Resorts and private clubs in the metro area often provide structured paths from floor service to management.
Employers commonly value strong menu knowledge, allergy and food-safety awareness, and POS fluency (systems like MICROS, Toast, or Aloha). Food handler credentials and alcohol service training (such as ServSafe and Florida Responsible Vendor programs) are frequently requested. Local knowledge helps too: understanding Mayport shrimp and area seafood, familiarity with Jacksonville’s craft breweries (for example, Intuition Ale Works, Bold City, Aardwolf, and Engine 15), and awareness of event calendars can all improve guest recommendations and tip potential.
Because the metro is geographically large, being open to different neighborhoods can widen options. Many restaurants post roles on their own career pages and major job boards, while hotels and venues may hold periodic job fairs before busy seasons. With continued population growth, steady tourism to the Beaches, expanding riverfront development, and a robust sports-and-events slate, Jacksonville generally offers a healthy pipeline of service openings for waiters who deliver attentive hospitality and stay adaptable to different dining formats.
The average salary for a Waiter in Jacksonville is 31,667 $ per year on a 40-hour basis, or 2,639 $ gross per month.
Part-time and full-time reports are normalized to a 40-hour workweek so salary reports can be compared fairly.
You can find more comparisons on the profession overview for Waiter and the city overview for Jacksonville. They show reported cities or jobs with their difference from the average.
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