The average salary for a Waiter in Long Beach is 44,088 $ per year on a 40-hour full-time equivalent, or 3,674 $ gross per month and 21.20 $ gross per hour. The reported full-time salary range is 22,857 $ to 75,200 $. The analysis is based on 30 salary reports from workers and employers in Long Beach. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03/20/2026 | Senior Server (High-End) | 40.0 h | 68,500 $ | 68,500 $ | 5,708 $ | 32.93 $ | I work in a well-regarded fine-dining restaurant and consistently get large tips on high-check tables. This is my 2026 gross annual salary for a 40-hour schedule. |
| 06/02/2025 | Upscale Restaurant Server | 36.0 h | 66,000 $ | 73,333 $ | 6,111 $ | 35.26 $ | I am a full-time server at an upscale waterfront restaurant with very high tips per shift. I usually work 36 hours a week and reported this annual gross in 2025. |
| 02/14/2025 | Senior Bartender/Server Hybrid | 40.0 h | 66,200 $ | 66,200 $ | 5,517 $ | 31.83 $ | I split roles as a bartender and lead server at an upscale cocktail restaurant; tips make up most of the income. This is my 2025 gross for a 40-hour week. |
| 09/14/2024 | Head Server | 42.0 h | 61,200 $ | 58,286 $ | 4,857 $ | 28.02 $ | I manage front-of-house shifts as head server for a large restaurant group, scheduling and mentoring staff. I work longer managerial hours and this is my 2024 gross pay. |
| 06/03/2024 | Experienced Fine-Dining Server | 40.0 h | 75,200 $ | 75,200 $ | 6,267 $ | 36.15 $ | I work full time at a top-tier fine-dining restaurant with very high average checks and large tip pools. This is my reported 2024 gross income for a 40-hour schedule. |
| 01/25/2024 | Part-time Student Server | 18.0 h | 16,000 $ | 35,556 $ | 2,963 $ | 17.09 $ | I worked part time while attending community college, usually evenings and weekends. This is my 2024 annual gross for about 18 hours per week. |
| 07/08/2023 | Server (Large Chain) | 38.0 h | 42,700 $ | 44,947 $ | 3,746 $ | 21.61 $ | I work full time for a larger casual-dining chain; pay is a mix of hourly and tips. This is my 2023 reported annual gross for roughly 38 hours/week. |
| 03/03/2023 | Fine-Dining Server | 40.0 h | 58,800 $ | 58,800 $ | 4,900 $ | 28.27 $ | I am a full-time server at an upscale restaurant downtown. My tips are the main part of pay and in 2023 my annual gross reached this level working 40 hours a week. |
| 11/29/2022 | Banquet Captain (Senior Management) | 44.0 h | 57,800 $ | 52,545 $ | 4,379 $ | 25.26 $ | I run banquet staffing and coordinate large events as banquet captain for a hotel group. My role is managerial and I regularly work extended shifts, this is my 2022 gross. |
| 07/27/2022 | Senior Fine-Dining Server | 40.0 h | 46,500 $ | 46,500 $ | 3,875 $ | 22.36 $ | I was a senior server in a fine-dining establishment with higher check averages. I work standard full-time hours and this was my 2022 gross income after tips. |
| 04/11/2022 | Floor Manager / Lead Server | 45.0 h | 70,500 $ | 62,667 $ | 5,222 $ | 30.13 $ | I was promoted into a floor manager role overseeing service for multiple shifts; I work extended hours and handle staffing and guest issues. This is my 2022 reported gross. |
| 10/04/2021 | Lead Banquet Server (Part-time) | 34.0 h | 33,600 $ | 39,529 $ | 3,294 $ | 19.00 $ | I led banquet teams as a part-time employee, coordinating setup and service for events. I averaged 34 hours/week and this is my 2021 gross figure. |
| 05/06/2021 | Self-employed Private Event Server | 30.0 h | 43,500 $ | 58,000 $ | 4,833 $ | 27.88 $ | I contract as a server for private events and small catering gigs. Income varies by season; this figure is the gross annual revenue I reported for 2021. |
| 04/19/2021 | Full-time Server | 40.0 h | 38,700 $ | 38,700 $ | 3,225 $ | 18.61 $ | I work full time at a mid-sized seafood place. By 2021 I had three years' experience and took more shifts; this is my total annual gross pay including tips. |
| 11/08/2020 | Part-time Server (COVID-era) | 30.0 h | 24,000 $ | 32,000 $ | 2,667 $ | 15.38 $ | During 2020 I worked reduced hours at a small restaurant because of the pandemic. This is my annual gross income including the smaller tip pool. |
| 06/20/2020 | Self-employed Event Server (Gig Work) | 20.0 h | 18,900 $ | 37,800 $ | 3,150 $ | 18.17 $ | I did gig-based event serving during the pandemic with inconsistent bookings; this is the 2020 gross I earned from those contract shifts. |
| 02/12/2020 | Weekend Night Server | 20.0 h | 14,800 $ | 29,600 $ | 2,467 $ | 14.23 $ | I mostly worked weekend evening shifts at a busy bar before the pandemic; this is my 2020 gross for around 20 hours/week. |
| 12/19/2019 | High-volume Restaurant Server | 40.0 h | 42,400 $ | 42,400 $ | 3,533 $ | 20.38 $ | I worked full time at a very busy lunch-and-dinner place with steady tips. I reported this annual gross in late 2019 after working full schedules. |
| 09/13/2019 | Senior Server | 38.0 h | 36,500 $ | 38,421 $ | 3,202 $ | 18.47 $ | I worked as a senior server handling larger sections and training new hires. I worked roughly 38 hours a week and this was my reported annual gross pay in 2019. |
| 05/30/2019 | Cocktail Server | 30.0 h | 34,500 $ | 46,000 $ | 3,833 $ | 22.12 $ | I worked evenings as a cocktail server in a popular bar downtown with high tips on weekend nights. I averaged 30 hours/week and this is my annual gross reported for 2019. |
| 10/22/2018 | Lead Server | 38.5 h | 39,200 $ | 40,727 $ | 3,394 $ | 19.58 $ | I was promoted to lead server at a busy casual-urban restaurant and worked about 38.5 hours per week supervising service flow. The salary reported is my gross earnings for 2018. |
| 09/07/2018 | Part-time Server | 22.0 h | 15,500 $ | 28,182 $ | 2,348 $ | 13.55 $ | I worked part time during evenings at a local bistro; hours were about 22 per week and tips varied. This is my 2018 gross annual total. |
| 06/05/2018 | Full-time Restaurant Server | 40.0 h | 33,000 $ | 33,000 $ | 2,750 $ | 15.87 $ | I was full time at a neighborhood restaurant with steady weekday and weekend shifts. I've been here a year in 2018 and this was my gross annual income from wages plus tips. |
| 03/16/2018 | Long-tenured Server | 40.0 h | 39,800 $ | 39,800 $ | 3,317 $ | 19.13 $ | I've worked at the same full-service restaurant for several years and this was my annual gross in 2018 after tips and steady hours. |
| 11/22/2017 | Weekend Server | 25.0 h | 17,500 $ | 28,000 $ | 2,333 $ | 13.46 $ | I was a weekend-only server at a busy beachfront diner for a mid-sized employer. I averaged about 25 hours per week and reported the total tip-inclusive annual pay here. |
| 08/15/2017 | Full-time Server (Small Chain) | 40.0 h | 33,000 $ | 33,000 $ | 2,750 $ | 15.87 $ | I worked full time at a small regional chain with predictable shifts and tip pooling. This was my gross yearly income reported in 2017. |
| 03/28/2017 | Experienced Server | 40.0 h | 36,200 $ | 36,200 $ | 3,017 $ | 17.40 $ | I had several years' experience in casual dining and worked full time; this is the 2017 annual gross I reported for standard 40-hour weeks. |
| 12/01/2016 | Banquet Server (Part-time) | 16.0 h | 10,200 $ | 25,500 $ | 2,125 $ | 12.26 $ | I pick up weekend banquet shifts at a catering company as a part-time server; hours are low and pay varies by event. This is my annual gross for 2016. |
| 09/15/2016 | Part-time Server (Casual Dining) | 20.0 h | 15,200 $ | 30,400 $ | 2,533 $ | 14.62 $ | I worked part time while in school at a small neighborhood restaurant. I handled a section of 5–6 tables on weekend shifts and received modest tips; this is my actual annual gross for the hours I worked. |
| 07/10/2016 | Entry-level Server | 35.0 h | 20,000 $ | 22,857 $ | 1,905 $ | 10.99 $ | This was my first post-college service job in 2016; I worked about 35 hours a week at a small cafe and reported my total gross earnings here. |
Long Beach, California blends a busy waterfront, a major convention scene, and vibrant neighborhood dining corridors, making waiter roles a consistent part of the local service economy. From Pine Avenue and The Promenade in Downtown to Belmont Shore’s 2nd Street and Naples Island, restaurants range from casual patios to white-tablecloth seafood and steakhouses. This mix generally supports steady hiring for experienced servers as well as newcomers who want to build front-of-house skills in a high-traffic coastal market.
As part of the Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim metro, Long Beach benefits from year-round tourism, cruise embarkations, and business travel linked to the Port of Long Beach and the city’s convention calendar. Visitor activity around Shoreline Village, The Pike Outlets, the Aquarium of the Pacific, and the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center often translates into strong foot traffic for local restaurants, with additional demand during marquee events such as the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach and large conventions. Employers typically look for servers who can handle volume, turn tables efficiently, and offer informed recommendations in a diverse culinary scene.
The local labor market for waiters is shaped by three reliable demand drivers: conventions and meetings, coastal leisure travel, and neighborhood dining popular with residents and students from California State University, Long Beach. Many restaurants report higher guest counts on weekends, during summer, and around large events, which can create short-notice shifts and seasonal hiring. Because front-of-house roles experience normal turnover across the industry, restaurants and hotels in Long Beach often recruit continuously to keep up with staffing needs.
Employers generally expect California Food Handler Cards (within 30 days of hire) and, for alcohol service, Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) certification under state law. Knowledge of wine, beer, and cocktail programs is valued at upscale venues along the waterfront and in Downtown, while bilingual skills can be a plus in a city with strong Latino and Cambodian communities. Night, weekend, and holiday availability is commonly required. Public transit via Long Beach Transit and the A Line connection to Los Angeles can make regional commuting more manageable for candidates open to shifts across neighboring communities.
Waiters in Long Beach can find roles across independent restaurants, hotel dining rooms, and major venues. Notable hiring sources typically include:
Some large hotels and event venues in the region may have union-represented food-and-beverage positions through UNITE HERE Local 11, which can affect scheduling, seniority, and training pathways. Posting practices vary, so candidates generally benefit from checking employer career pages and established hospitality job boards.
For waiters in Long Beach, career paths typically branch in a few directions. High-volume waterfront and downtown restaurants can be strong training grounds for lead server or trainer roles. Upscale dining rooms often seek servers with advanced wine knowledge, opening doors to sommelier-track certifications or beverage captain positions. Hotels and the convention center commonly provide routes into banquets, where servers can gain experience with large-scale service, event logistics, and supervisory responsibilities. From there, front-of-house professionals may progress into floor captain, assistant manager, or restaurant manager roles.
Long Beach’s restaurant scene is notably diverse, with influences from coastal California cuisine, Mexican and Central American kitchens, and Cambodia Town along Anaheim Street. Servers who can speak confidently about regional seafood, steakhouse cuts, and global flavors tend to stand out. Strong POS proficiency, RBS compliance, familiarity with dietary accommodations, and a calm approach to high-traffic service are valued across the market. Because the city sits within the larger LA hospitality ecosystem, experienced Long Beach servers can also pursue opportunities in neighboring beach cities and downtown Los Angeles while maintaining a local base.
Overall, the outlook for waiter jobs in Long Beach is generally positive. The combination of convention business, coastal tourism, and lively neighborhood dining usually supports ongoing hiring throughout the year, with periodic surges around citywide events. Candidates who meet certification requirements, demonstrate polished guest service, and show schedule flexibility are well positioned to find roles and to advance within the city’s restaurants, hotels, and event venues.
The average salary for a Waiter in Long Beach is 44,088 $ per year on a 40-hour basis, or 3,674 $ 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 Long Beach. They show reported cities or jobs with their difference from the average.
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