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Salary comparison

Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop vs. Fast Food and Counter Workers: Who Earns More?

Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shops out-earn Fast Food and Counter Workerss by $0 a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shops land at $31,200 and Fast Food and Counter Workerss at $31,200. The education gap is real: hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop programs typically require no formal educational credential, while fast food and counter worker programs require no formal educational credential. Top-paying state for Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shops is Hawaii ($47,070); for Fast Food and Counter Workerss it's California ($42,280).

Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop
Fast Food and Counter Workers
Median salary
$31,200
$31,200
Hourly rate
$15/hr
$15/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$22,340
$22,840
Senior level (90th %)
$43,990
$42,650
Education required
No formal educational credential
No formal educational credential
U.S. employment
432,690
3,854,050
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
6.1%
Category
Food Service
Food Service
Top-paying state
Hawaii
California

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop median pay.

State
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop
Fast Food and Counter Workers
Hawaii
$47,070
$35,250
Oregon
$40,720
$35,050
District of Columbia
$37,570
$37,430
Washington
$37,270
$37,710
Maine
$36,800
$34,710
California
$36,640
$42,280
New York
$36,490
$35,250
Colorado
$36,340
$36,270
Massachusetts
$34,960
$35,850
Maryland
$34,860
$33,660
Arizona
$34,740
$34,230
Connecticut
$34,210
$35,380
New Jersey
$34,050
$34,150
Illinois
$31,200
$33,910
Vermont
$31,080
$36,030

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shops or Fast Food and Counter Workerss?

Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shops earn more nationally. The median is $31,200 for Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shops versus $31,200 for Fast Food and Counter Workerss, a difference of $0. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop or Fast Food and Counter Workers?

BLS Employment Projections data is not available for one or both occupations. Check the individual career pages for current outlook figures.

Which requires more education, Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop or Fast Food and Counter Workers?

Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop typically requires no formal educational credential. Fast Food and Counter Workers requires no formal educational credential. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shops get paid the most?

Hawaii is the top-paying state for Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shops at $47,070/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop vs. Fast Food and Counter Workers pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Hawaii, Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shops earn $47,070 vs. $35,250 for Fast Food and Counter Workerss. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop salary breakdownView →Full Fast Food and Counter Workers salary breakdownView →Best cities for Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shops by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Fast Food and Counter Workerss by take-home payExplore →How to become a hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shopGuide →How to become a fast food and counter workersGuide →