The average salary for a Waiter in Richmond is 33,171 $ per year on a 40-hour full-time equivalent, or 2,764 $ gross per month and 15.95 $ gross per hour. The reported full-time salary range is 20,714 $ to 61,000 $. The analysis is based on 29 salary reports from workers and employers in Richmond. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03/04/2026 | Senior Floor Manager | 45.0 h | 65,000 $ | 57,778 $ | 4,815 $ | 27.78 $ | I oversee multiple front-of-house teams in a large multi-concept restaurant and average 45 hours per week. My role includes management duties as well as occasional service shifts, reflected in my compensation. |
| 11/19/2025 | Executive Server (private catering) | 40.0 h | 61,000 $ | 61,000 $ | 5,083 $ | 29.33 $ | I run premium private-catering events and personally serve at flagship events; working about 40 hours weekly, high-end contracts and generous tips push my earnings above typical server pay. |
| 06/11/2025 | Head Server / Assistant Manager | 44.0 h | 50,000 $ | 45,455 $ | 3,788 $ | 21.85 $ | I act as assistant manager while still doing floor service and average about 44 hours weekly. I handle ordering, scheduling, and larger party coordination at a high-volume venue. |
| 10/02/2024 | Fine Dining Lead Server | 40.0 h | 52,000 $ | 52,000 $ | 4,333 $ | 25.00 $ | I lead service at a top-tier fine dining establishment and work 40 hours weekly. My clientele and frequent private-service nights contribute significantly to my annual gross earnings. |
| 03/27/2024 | Senior Floor Manager (server background) | 42.0 h | 48,000 $ | 45,714 $ | 3,810 $ | 21.98 $ | I have a management-facing role while still serving occasionally; I average about 42 hours a week in a large downtown restaurant and handle scheduling and vendor coordination. |
| 11/09/2023 | Head Server | 40.0 h | 39,000 $ | 39,000 $ | 3,250 $ | 18.75 $ | I manage the front-of-house as head server at a high-volume restaurant and work roughly 40 hours per week. I coordinate seating and mentor servers, which factors into pay. |
| 08/12/2023 | Bartender/Lead Server | 38.0 h | 42,000 $ | 44,211 $ | 3,684 $ | 21.26 $ | I lead the evening team at a busy cocktail restaurant and split shifts between bartending and serving. I average about 38 hours per week and have six years of experience. |
| 05/18/2023 | Private Events Server (self-employed) | 32.0 h | 40,000 $ | 50,000 $ | 4,167 $ | 24.04 $ | I operate a private-event server and staffing business and personally work about 32 hours a week on events and high-end private dinners; contract work and tips make up my income. |
| 10/05/2022 | Floor Supervisor (server) | 40.0 h | 35,000 $ | 35,000 $ | 2,917 $ | 16.83 $ | I serve as floor supervisor while still working shifts, averaging 40 hours per week in a large restaurant. I handle shift management and guest coordination, not formal HR duties. |
| 07/30/2022 | Fine Dining Server | 34.0 h | 36,000 $ | 42,353 $ | 3,529 $ | 20.36 $ | I work in a renowned fine dining restaurant averaging 34 hours weekly; high-tip nights and private dining service increased my overall annual pay. |
| 04/21/2022 | Senior Server | 36.0 h | 32,000 $ | 35,556 $ | 2,963 $ | 17.09 $ | As a senior server at an upscale restaurant, I average 36 hours weekly. I've been in this role five years and receive higher-end clientele tips which increased my annual earnings. |
| 09/28/2021 | Lead Server | 38.0 h | 30,000 $ | 31,579 $ | 2,632 $ | 15.18 $ | I lead the evening shift at a mid-sized bistro and work about 38 hours a week; I handle closing procedures and help train new hires which is reflected in my pay. |
| 06/15/2021 | Server | 34.0 h | 23,000 $ | 27,059 $ | 2,255 $ | 13.01 $ | I work full-time at a popular neighborhood spot and average 34 hours weekly. I've been here two years and tips plus hourly pay make up my annual income. |
| 03/09/2021 | Catering Server (self-employed) | 30.0 h | 28,000 $ | 37,333 $ | 3,111 $ | 17.95 $ | I run a small catering/servering side business and also take regular shifts at events; overall I averaged 30 hours per week and reported combined tip and contract income. |
| 12/20/2020 | Experienced Server | 36.0 h | 26,000 $ | 28,889 $ | 2,407 $ | 13.89 $ | I was a senior server at a busy downtown restaurant and averaged 36 hours per week. Post-pandemic recovery increased covers and tips compared to the early months of 2020. |
| 10/02/2020 | Fine Dining Server | 30.0 h | 20,000 $ | 26,667 $ | 2,222 $ | 12.82 $ | During 2020 I worked reduced hours at an upscale restaurant and averaged about 30 hours weekly; tips were less consistent because of restrictions and lower covers. |
| 05/10/2020 | Server (part-time) | 20.0 h | 14,000 $ | 28,000 $ | 2,333 $ | 13.46 $ | I worked part-time through 2020 at a small café, 20 hours a week. Hours and tips were heavily impacted by the pandemic, which shows in my reported annual earnings. |
| 11/06/2019 | Bartender/Server | 34.0 h | 22,000 $ | 25,882 $ | 2,157 $ | 12.44 $ | I split shifts bartending and serving at a large bar/restaurant and average 34 hours weekly. I had four years of experience and relied heavily on tip income. |
| 08/13/2019 | Banquet Supervisor (server role) | 38.0 h | 25,000 $ | 26,316 $ | 2,193 $ | 12.65 $ | I supervised banquet floor staff while still running a server schedule; I averaged around 38 hours a week and took on scheduling responsibilities in a mid-size events company. |
| 07/22/2019 | Server | 30.0 h | 17,200 $ | 22,933 $ | 1,911 $ | 11.03 $ | I work full-season at a busy tourist-area restaurant, averaging 30 hours a week. Tips vary a lot month-to-month; this was my reported annual gross. |
| 11/19/2018 | Fine Dining Server | 32.0 h | 19,000 $ | 23,750 $ | 1,979 $ | 11.42 $ | At the time I reported, I had been a fine dining server for about four years and averaged 32 hours per week. Tips and occasional private dining shifts boosted my annual pay. |
| 09/30/2018 | Lead Server | 36.0 h | 21,000 $ | 23,333 $ | 1,944 $ | 11.22 $ | I was promoted to lead server at a medium-sized restaurant and work about 36 hours weekly. I handle opening responsibilities and mentor newer servers without formal management duties. |
| 08/02/2018 | Casual Dining Server | 24.0 h | 13,800 $ | 23,000 $ | 1,917 $ | 11.06 $ | I work part-time at a casual place and average 24 hours weekly. This was my first full year after training and tips varied by season. |
| 11/11/2017 | Banquet Server | 28.0 h | 14,500 $ | 20,714 $ | 1,726 $ | 9.96 $ | I do banquet and event serving part-time while in school, averaging 28 hours some weeks. My reported pay includes event tips and pay from a small catering contractor. |
| 09/05/2017 | Server | 22.0 h | 12,500 $ | 22,727 $ | 1,894 $ | 10.93 $ | I work part-time at a family-owned restaurant for about 22 hours a week. I've been here three years and my income is tip-dependent. |
| 07/26/2017 | Experienced Server | 34.0 h | 18,000 $ | 21,176 $ | 1,765 $ | 10.18 $ | I was a mid-level server at a mid-size restaurant, working about 34 hours per week. I had nearly three years of experience at the time and earned decent nightly tips. |
| 12/18/2016 | Fine Dining Server | 30.0 h | 16,000 $ | 21,333 $ | 1,778 $ | 10.26 $ | I was an entry-level server at a small fine dining spot and worked about 30 hours weekly. Tips made up most of my earnings during my first year here. |
| 10/29/2016 | Bar Server | 25.0 h | 13,000 $ | 20,800 $ | 1,733 $ | 10.00 $ | I'm a part-time bar server at a busy local pub. I typically work 25 hours a week and rely heavily on tips; I've been doing this for two years. |
| 08/14/2016 | Casual Dining Server | 20.0 h | 11,200 $ | 22,400 $ | 1,867 $ | 10.77 $ | I work part-time at a small neighborhood diner and have been here about six months. My reported annual income includes tips and a few weekend shifts — I average about 20 hours per week. |
Richmond, Virginia combines state government, higher education, finance, and a fast-growing food-and-beverage scene, creating steady demand for front-of-house talent. Waiters in Richmond typically find opportunities across independent restaurants, multi-concept restaurant groups, hotels, entertainment venues, breweries, and catering operations. Neighborhoods such as Scott’s Addition, Shockoe Slip, Shockoe Bottom, and Carytown continue to add concepts and foot traffic, while Short Pump and the West End draw strong suburban dining crowds.
Tourism, business travel, and local events play an important role in the city’s hospitality cycle. Festivals like the Richmond Folk Festival and seasonal events often bring visitors downtown, and college calendars at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and the University of Richmond can boost restaurant volume during graduation and family weekends. As a result, waitstaff demand in Richmond often rises in the spring and fall and again during the holiday party season.
The broader Richmond metro area has been adding residents and new mixed-use developments, particularly around Scott’s Addition and Manchester. That growth generally supports more eateries and consistent guest counts. The GRTC Pulse bus rapid transit line along Broad Street helps connect dining districts with residential areas and downtown employers, making scheduling and commuting somewhat easier for service workers.
Local restaurants and hotels often look for waiters with strong guest-service skills, the ability to manage high-volume shifts, and familiarity with POS platforms such as Toast, Aloha, Micros, or Square. Knowledge of Virginia ABC laws and responsible alcohol service is frequently preferred; many employers encourage or require certifications like TIPS or ServSafe Alcohol. Because Richmond has a well-regarded craft beer and cider scene—as well as growing interest in Virginia wine—servers who can explain beverage lists and pairings may stand out, especially in full-service and fine-dining settings.
Hiring activity typically clusters around weekends, brunch-heavy concepts, and venues tied to events or tourism. Banquet and catering roles can spike when conventions, weddings, and corporate functions increase. Candidates who can cover late nights or split shifts, and those open to cross-training as hosts, food runners, or bartenders-in-training, often see more options.
Richmond’s dining landscape blends hometown groups and notable independents with destination hotels and entertainment venues. While openings change over time, the following employers and brands are commonly associated with hiring waitstaff in the area:
For waiters in Richmond, career paths vary from casual dining to fine dining, hotels, and large-scale event service. Many professionals progress to lead server, trainer, floor captain, or bartender; from there, common steps include assistant manager, restaurant manager, or hotel food-and-beverage supervisor. Those interested in wine and beverage programs sometimes pursue further education and move into sommelier or beverage-manager roles at upscale properties. Catering and events also provide pathways toward banquet captain and event sales or coordination.
Local training resources can support advancement. Hospitality and culinary programs at institutions such as Reynolds Community College can help servers build management, culinary, and service foundations. Industry groups like the Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association often share training updates and best practices, and regional workforce partners occasionally host hospitality hiring events where employers pre-screen candidates for immediate openings.
Overall, the outlook for waiters in Richmond is generally positive, supported by steady population growth, ongoing restaurant development in prominent neighborhoods, and a diverse mix of hotels, event venues, and eateries. Candidates who bring strong service fundamentals, flexible availability, and product knowledge tailored to Richmond’s food and beverage culture usually find multiple avenues to build a stable schedule and advance their careers.
The average salary for a Waiter in Richmond is 33,171 $ per year on a 40-hour basis, or 2,764 $ 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 Richmond. They show reported cities or jobs with their difference from the average.
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