How High Is a Waiter’s or Waitress’s Salary in Switzerland?

 Nevertheless, the salary range varies tremendously. Your actual salary depends on various factors, such as your professional experience or the reputation of your employer. But one thing is certain: in Switzerland, you will at least earn the statutory minimum salary stipulated by the National Collective Labor Agreement for the Hospitality Industry (L-GAV).

We can draw an international comparison based on the annual salary: a person with basic professional training including a Federal Certificate of Proficiency (EFZ) earns at least CHF 4,470 per month. The L-GAV even stipulates that 13 monthly salaries should be paid, which brings the annual salary up to CHF 58,110. 

Converted into euros, this corresponds to an annual gross salary of around € 59,824*. In comparison: a waiter or waitress in Germany earns an average of € 33,900*. In Switzerland, you therefore have the opportunity to almost double your German annual salary.

However, the above are only minimum wages. In a renowned company or particularly with increasing professional experience and higher-ranking positions, you will, of course, also receive a higher annual salary. The top earners in service are restaurant managers with an average annual salary of between CHF 71,500 and CHF 78,000. In euros, this corresponds to a salary of between € 73,245* and € 79,881*. Directors of food and beverage with at least ten years of professional experience earn up to CHF 117,000 per year (€ 119,822*), in the luxury segment of the city hotel sector. 

It is therefore worth investing in further education and training in order to climb the career ladder. Please note that these are only average values; deviations are possible depending on the employer and your individual situation. 

Salaries in Switzerland vary considerably depending on the region. The cantons with the highest salaries include Basel-Stadt, Zug, and Zurich. In contrast, earnings in more rural cantons such as Glarus, Uri, and Jura tend to be below average. 

Incidentally, Zurich not only has the highest salaries in Switzerland, but also the largest labor market. Tourism is booming all year round in this flourishing Swiss city, which in turn gives rise to a large number of stable jobs.

The average salaries quoted apply to a full-time position, which in Switzerland amounts to 42.5 hours per week. It makes no difference whether you work during the week or at the weekend. There are no legally prescribed bonuses for working at night or on public holidays. However, they are common in many businesses. In addition, working on Sundays and public holidays is always compensated by time off in lieu. 

In Switzerland, it is now the norm to be paid not just 12 but 13 monthly salaries. However, you should bear in mind that this “additional month” is already included in the average annual salaries quoted. For a full-time position, you will also receive at least 20, but usually 25 days of paid leave. Furthermore, unlike in Germany, employment contracts in Switzerland are generally open-ended. 

Further information on the legal framework can be found in the “Merkblatt Arbeitsgesetz” published by Hotellerie Suisse. 

Tax at source and social security contributions are deducted directly from your salary. This makes up around 10-20% of your salary. This may seem high at first glance, but compared to Germany, where the tax burden can be up to 45%, it is moderate. 

However, the exact amount of all the deductions depends on where you live, as well as on your family situation. To get a realistic estimate of how much of your salary will ultimately be paid into your account, you can use the gross net calculator from Lohncomputer. With just a few details about your individual situation, you will receive an exact calculation that shows you how much you will have left to live on. 

Rent is the most significant expense item of all the living costs. Rental costs are particularly high in Zurich’s city center. The costs of public transportation, childcare, hairdresser visits, sports subscriptions, and other leisure activities also tend to be higher than in Germany. 

Those who want to live cost-efficiently will find affordable rents in rural areas. Thanks to excellent transportation links, you can still get to work quickly. What is more, not everything is expensive in Switzerland. Gasoline and electricity, for example, are significantly cheaper than in Germany. 

You can get a detailed overview of the potential fixed costs on Lohncomputer. Besides information on the most important expenditure items, the website also offers a useful budget calculator.

In Switzerland, the service is already included in the price of a restaurant meal. Nevertheless, it is common practice to round up the bill and add a tip of around 10–15% for particularly good service. 

As the topic of tipping is not specifically regulated in the National Collective Labor Agreement for the Hospitality Industry (L-GAV), there are no uniform regulations on the handling of tips. The employer is only obliged to ensure that the income from tips does not flow into the company’s coffers, but is paid out to the employees. Exactly how and when tips are distributed is up to the employer. 

In most cases, however, tips are collected and distributed fairly among the service staff and other employees, such as the kitchen crew, at the end of the month. In some establishments, you can also keep your tips for yourself. 

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