The average salary for a Waiter in Raleigh is 33,824 $ per year on a 40-hour full-time equivalent, or 2,819 $ gross per month and 16.26 $ gross per hour. The reported full-time salary range is 24,778 $ to 52,000 $. The analysis is based on 29 salary reports from workers and employers in Raleigh. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04/12/2026 | Lead Server | 40.0 h | 39,800 $ | 39,800 $ | 3,317 $ | 19.13 $ | I work as a lead server (40 hours/week) at a popular farm-to-table restaurant. Our communal tip pool and regular high-spend guests mean my annual earnings sit higher than earlier years. |
| 01/29/2026 | Senior Floor Supervisor | 44.0 h | 46,500 $ | 42,273 $ | 3,523 $ | 20.32 $ | I am a senior floor supervisor (44 hours/week) responsible for multiple dining rooms and training. I rarely do heavy serving but step in during peak service; leadership duties reflect in my pay. |
| 11/11/2025 | Private Catering Owner/Server (Self-Employed) | 40.0 h | 52,000 $ | 52,000 $ | 4,333 $ | 25.00 $ | I run a small private catering and serving business (40 hours/week). I handle bookings, staffing, and also serve at events. The entrepreneurial risk and steady client base raise my gross income above typical server roles. |
| 06/30/2025 | Fine Dining Server | 40.0 h | 44,800 $ | 44,800 $ | 3,733 $ | 21.54 $ | I'm a full-time fine-dining server (40 hours/week) at a top-rated restaurant. I have ten years' experience and specialize in wine pairing; service charges and heavy tipping boost my annual gross. |
| 02/16/2025 | Banquet Manager (Serving Background) | 45.0 h | 42,000 $ | 37,333 $ | 3,111 $ | 17.95 $ | I handle banquet management and still serve at large events (45 hours/week). I supervise teams and coordinate logistics, so my compensation reflects both serving and managerial responsibilities. |
| 09/05/2024 | Lead Server | 40.0 h | 33,500 $ | 33,500 $ | 2,792 $ | 16.11 $ | I am a lead server (40 hours/week) at a small upscale restaurant and regularly handle large tasting menus and wine service. Experience and steady high-tip nights contribute to this pay level. |
| 04/22/2024 | Server/Bartender | 38.0 h | 32,500 $ | 34,211 $ | 2,851 $ | 16.45 $ | I split duties between bar and floor (38 hours/week) at a high-traffic venue. My tips have grown since the pandemic as demand picked up, increasing my effective annual income. |
| 01/17/2024 | Senior Server | 40.0 h | 35,500 $ | 35,500 $ | 2,958 $ | 17.07 $ | I serve full-time (40 hours/week) in an upscale downtown restaurant. I manage large party service and have specialized training which helps secure higher tips and service charge allocations. |
| 11/10/2023 | Server | 36.0 h | 29,800 $ | 33,111 $ | 2,759 $ | 15.92 $ | I work full-time (36 hours/week) at a busy neighborhood spot with a stable customer base. I'm fairly experienced but not in a supervisory role, so my earnings hover in the mid-range. |
| 08/27/2023 | Head Server | 40.0 h | 37,800 $ | 37,800 $ | 3,150 $ | 18.17 $ | I am the head server at a mid-sized restaurant (40 hours/week) and schedule shifts and mentor staff. I still serve on the floor and my pay reflects those leadership responsibilities. |
| 05/28/2023 | Event Server (Self-Employed) | 36.0 h | 38,200 $ | 42,444 $ | 3,537 $ | 20.41 $ | I run an independent event serving crew (36 hours/week on average) contracting for weddings and corporate events. Business grew steadily post-pandemic and that raised my annual gross. |
| 03/03/2023 | Private Event Server (Self-Employed) | 35.0 h | 41,000 $ | 46,857 $ | 3,905 $ | 22.53 $ | I run a small self-employed private event serving service (35 hours/week average during season). I contract with caterers and clients; income fluctuates but is higher than standard restaurant serving. |
| 11/19/2022 | Fine Dining Server | 40.0 h | 34,900 $ | 34,900 $ | 2,908 $ | 16.78 $ | I am a full-time fine dining server (40 hours/week) with specialty wine knowledge and frequent large parties. Tips and service charges add substantially to my base earnings. |
| 07/06/2022 | Floor Supervisor (Serving Duties) | 42.0 h | 36,500 $ | 34,762 $ | 2,897 $ | 16.71 $ | I am a floor supervisor who still spends a lot of time serving (42 hours/week). I oversee shift flow and step in for hosts or servers during rushes. The supervisory responsibility increases my compensation. |
| 01/14/2022 | Senior Server | 40.0 h | 33,200 $ | 33,200 $ | 2,767 $ | 15.96 $ | I work full-time (40 hours/week) in a high-end restaurant and train staff on service standards. My experience and frequent large parties push my gross above the average server wage. |
| 08/25/2021 | Server/Bartender | 40.0 h | 28,900 $ | 28,900 $ | 2,408 $ | 13.89 $ | I'm full-time (40 hours/week) working both the bar and dining room at a busy gastropub. Tips are split in a tip pool and the effective hourly pay is decent compared to my past jobs. |
| 02/11/2021 | Banquet Captain (Server Role) | 40.0 h | 31,500 $ | 31,500 $ | 2,625 $ | 15.14 $ | I coordinate banquet floor service and still serve tables (40 hours/week) at a convention venue. I manage shift setup and workflow but don't have full managerial payroll responsibility. |
| 09/30/2020 | Server | 36.0 h | 22,300 $ | 24,778 $ | 2,065 $ | 11.91 $ | I work full-time (36 hours/week) at a family-owned diner. I have ten years of experience but the volume is lower here, so my total annual gross is below city fine-dining averages. |
| 03/07/2020 | Lead Server | 40.0 h | 27,800 $ | 27,800 $ | 2,317 $ | 13.37 $ | I serve full-time (40 hours/week) and also help train new servers at a small independent restaurant. I don't have formal managerial title but take on extra responsibilities, which is reflected in my pay. |
| 10/18/2019 | Full-Time Server | 38.0 h | 26,000 $ | 27,368 $ | 2,281 $ | 13.16 $ | I'm a full-time server (38 hours/week) at a busy downtown bistro. I've been here five years; the base pay has crept up and regulars help keep tips consistent. |
| 05/02/2019 | Fine Dining Server | 34.0 h | 23,600 $ | 27,765 $ | 2,314 $ | 13.35 $ | I work part-time at a fine-dining restaurant (34 hours/week) and have four years of experience in fine dining service. Large tables and wine service increase tips compared to casual spots. |
| 02/08/2019 | Server | 35.0 h | 28,500 $ | 32,571 $ | 2,714 $ | 15.66 $ | I work full-time (35 hours/week) at a chain restaurant. My shifts are consistent, and while tips aren't as high as independent spots, the predictable schedule supports a steady income. |
| 12/15/2018 | Server/Bartender | 32.0 h | 21,840 $ | 27,300 $ | 2,275 $ | 13.13 $ | I split shifts bartending and serving (32 hours/week) at a high-traffic neighborhood spot. I'm part-time by choice while I finish school, and tips on busy nights lift my annual earnings. |
| 06/09/2018 | Restaurant Server | 30.0 h | 20,400 $ | 27,200 $ | 2,267 $ | 13.08 $ | I'm a part-time server (30 hours/week) at a mid-sized restaurant. I've worked here three years; tips got a little better over time but hours are steady, so my full-year gross sits around this level. |
| 03/29/2018 | Server (Newcomer) | 25.0 h | 17,000 $ | 27,200 $ | 2,267 $ | 13.08 $ | I recently started as a server (25 hours/week) at a busy pizza and pasta place. I'm entry-level with limited experience, and my tips are building up as I learn the floor. |
| 11/21/2017 | Banquet Server | 28.0 h | 18,400 $ | 26,286 $ | 2,190 $ | 12.64 $ | I work part-time as a banquet server (28 hours/week) for a hospitality company handling events. My pay reflects heavy weekend event work and tip pools. |
| 04/03/2017 | Server | 22.5 h | 16,200 $ | 28,800 $ | 2,400 $ | 13.85 $ | I am a part-time server (22.5 hours/week) at a small local bar and have been here one year. Nights and weekends are busiest and tips vary a lot, which explains my annual earnings. |
| 11/03/2016 | Part-Time Server | 18.0 h | 15,000 $ | 33,333 $ | 2,778 $ | 16.03 $ | I am a part-time server (18 hours/week) while attending school. Most of my income comes from weekend shifts and small tips, resulting in a lower annual gross. |
| 08/12/2016 | Casual Dining Server | 20.0 h | 13,800 $ | 27,600 $ | 2,300 $ | 13.27 $ | I work part-time (20 hours/week) at a family-style casual restaurant and have been here two years. Tips make up most of my pay and weekday shifts are slow, so my annual gross is modest. |
The average salary for a Waiter in Raleigh is 33,824 $ per year on a 40-hour basis, or 2,819 $ 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 Raleigh. They show reported cities or jobs with their difference from the average.
Compare all cities for Waiter · Alle Jobs in Raleigh vergleichen
