Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop
Machines can already do 32% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 65%. The job changes before it disappears.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 32% of this job's tasks, and AI use is already seen in 7% of them.
- Forecast: machines can do half of its tasks by 2032, and 65% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Size: 432,690 people do this job in the United States, on a median pay of $31,200 a year.
- Contact with people: it scores 85% for contact with people.
- Also called: Buffet Hostess, Dining Coordinator, Greeter, Host.
Updated by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit. These are worldwide baseline figures; the Workforce Starburst shows them for your country. Go deeper: How ready am I? or an executive briefing.
How the work changes, task by task
The tasks that take up most of the day, with the share of each that machines can do in 2026 (dark) and 2035 (pink). Worldwide baseline.
| Task | Share of the day | Machines can do | 2026 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greet guests and seat them at tables or in waiting areas | 23% | 30% to 75% | |
| Assign patrons to tables suitable for their needs and according to rotation so that servers receive an appropriate number of seatings | 10% | 10% to 32% | |
| Answer telephone calls and respond to inquiries or transfer calls | 8% | 85% to 87% | |
| Assist other restaurant workers by serving food and beverages, or by bussing tables | 8% | 20% to 60% | |
| Provide guests with menus | 6% | 30% to 75% | |
| Maintain contact with kitchen staff, management, serving staff, and customers to ensure that dining details are handled properly and customers' concerns are addressed | 6% | 30% to 54% | |
| Speak with patrons to ensure satisfaction with food and service, to respond to complaints, or to make conversation | 6% | 20% to 40% | |
| Inspect dining and serving areas to ensure cleanliness and proper setup | 6% | 20% to 60% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop use most, most used first.
Safer jobs nearby
Jobs with a similar skill shape where machines can do less of the work by 2035.
- Passenger Attendants52% of tasks by 2035 · US median $37,720
- Psychiatric Aides44% of tasks by 2035 · US median $44,910
- Flight Attendants55% of tasks by 2035 · US median $63,580
- School Bus Monitors49% of tasks by 2035 · US median $35,100
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Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop?
Machines can do half of its tasks by 2032. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop?
Machines can do 32% of the tasks of hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop today and 65% by 2035. The job changes before it disappears: the routine tasks move first.
Sources and citing
Tasks and their share of the day: O*NET 31.0, occupation 35-9031.00 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Pay and jobs: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. AI use today: Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Scoring and forecast: the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit; after 2035 the figures extend each trend, with lower confidence. Foresight, not advice.
Cite as: 311 Institute (2026). Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/hosts-and-hostesses-restaurant-lounge-and-coffee-shop/