Food Servers, Nonrestaurant pay in Illinois

In Illinois, the median pay for food servers, nonrestaurant is $16.87 an hour ($35,080 a year). About 17,560 people work in this job there.

$16.87Median hourly pay

$31,290–$37,360Middle half of workers, yearly

17,560People in this job in Illinois

That is about the same as the U.S. median ($35,360). Illinois ranks 22nd of 51 states and territories for this job’s median pay.

Pay range for food servers, nonrestaurant in Illinois

Earns more than	Hourly	Yearly
10% of workers	$15.00	$31,200
25% of workers	$15.04	$31,290
Half of workers (median)	$16.87	$35,080
75% of workers	$17.96	$37,360
90% of workers	$20.17	$41,960

Food Servers, Nonrestaurant pay in Illinois metro areas

Metro area	Median yearly pay	People in this job
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin	$35,670	12,200
Springfield	$34,800	240
Champaign-Urbana	$34,580	330
Decatur	$33,710	100
Peoria	$33,700	490
Bloomington	$33,540	230
Kankakee	$32,430	240
Rockford	$31,670	470

Illinois unemployment rate: 4.7% (August 2026), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Education, experience and outlook for food servers, nonrestaurant

Typical education to start: No formal educational credential (BLS)
Related work experience most have: Up to 1 month (O*NET)
Training on the job: Short-term on-the-job training (BLS)
Job outlook: +4.5% over ten years, about as fast as average · about 48,800 openings a year (BLS)

Related jobs in Illinois

Job	Median yearly pay
Fast Food and Counter Workers	$33,910
Waiters and Waitresses	$31,200
Cooks, Restaurant	$37,580
Food Preparation Workers	$34,850
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria	$37,440
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers	$31,200
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop	$31,200
Dishwashers	$36,180

Other job titles for this job

Kitchen RunnerBoat HopCar AttendantCar HopCurb HopCurberDining Room ServerFood and Beverage ServerFood Cart AttendantFood Order Delivery RunnerFood PorterFood Service Hotel Runner

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates. Figures are for wage and salary workers and do not include the self-employed. The median is the middle wage: half earn more, half earn less. Other job titles: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.