Tool · free, no account
Where is it easiest to open: Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars
51 states, side by side. Operator counts and wages from Census and BLS; licence records matched on “SOC 35-3031” (soc) for Waiters and Waitresses. A blank gate means NO RECORD MATCHED, which is not the same as no licence.
| State | Operators | Avg staff | Pay / employee | Gate | Licence titles matched |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CA | 13,407 | 12.4 | $24,850 | not matched | — |
| TX | 7,455 | 10.4 | $19,619 | not matched | — |
| NY | 7,169 | 9.4 | $25,849 | not matched | — |
| FL | 4,567 | 11.5 | $20,326 | not matched | — |
| WA | 3,084 | 10.9 | $25,596 | not matched | — |
| PA | 2,900 | 11.4 | $18,482 | not matched | — |
| NJ | 2,866 | 9.9 | $21,447 | not matched | — |
| MA | 2,667 | 13.5 | $23,406 | exam | GAMING EMPLOYEE |
| IL | 2,632 | 12.6 | $22,268 | exam | INTERTRACK EMPLOYEE |
| OH | 2,428 | 12.3 | $17,497 | not matched | — |
| NC | 2,199 | 11.9 | $18,025 | not matched | — |
| GA | 2,071 | 12.3 | $17,994 | not matched | — |
| AZ | 1,741 | 14.2 | $20,687 | not matched | — |
| CO | 1,732 | 13.0 | $21,986 | not matched | — |
| MI | 1,684 | 11.1 | $19,496 | exam | Casino Employees Level 3; Horse Racing Occupational License |
| OR | 1,674 | 12.1 | $22,390 | licence | Food Handler Cards |
| TN | 1,478 | 12.0 | $18,273 | not matched | — |
| VA | 1,471 | 13.3 | $19,455 | not matched | — |
| IN | 1,247 | 12.6 | $18,549 | exam | Occupational Riverboat Gambling Licens |
| WI | 1,223 | 11.1 | $17,971 | not matched | — |
| CT | 1,157 | 12.6 | $20,687 | not matched | — |
| MO | 1,148 | 12.4 | $19,761 | not matched | — |
| MD | 1,074 | 12.7 | $21,716 | not matched | — |
| MN | 1,046 | 14.3 | $17,605 | not matched | — |
| LA | 995 | 9.8 | $18,617 | not matched | — |
| UT | 857 | 13.6 | $16,409 | not matched | — |
| NV | 822 | 13.5 | $21,124 | not matched | — |
| SC | 803 | 13.4 | $17,971 | not matched | — |
| OK | 774 | 10.4 | $19,094 | licence | Employee |
| AL | 764 | 11.0 | $18,303 | not matched | — |
| IA | 721 | 11.4 | $16,032 | not matched | — |
| KS | 631 | 11.3 | $17,680 | licence | Level III Gaming Occupation |
| ID | 608 | 11.4 | $17,977 | not matched | — |
| MS | 590 | 7.9 | $14,179 | not matched | — |
| AR | 559 | 10.1 | $19,873 | not matched | — |
| ME | 558 | 9.7 | $23,039 | not matched | — |
| KY | 558 | 12.2 | $18,875 | not matched | — |
| HI | 546 | 11.4 | $20,974 | not matched | — |
| NH | 539 | 12.3 | $20,092 | not matched | — |
| RI | 487 | 13.5 | $21,489 | not matched | — |
| NM | 478 | 11.1 | $19,813 | licence | Staff Permit Employees |
| NE | 460 | 14.1 | $16,626 | not matched | — |
| MT | 397 | 9.8 | $18,274 | not matched | — |
| AK | 336 | 8.8 | $20,587 | not matched | — |
| DC | 266 | 15.8 | $26,622 | not matched | — |
| SD | 242 | 10.8 | $15,635 | not matched | — |
| DE | 230 | 12.3 | $22,784 | not matched | — |
| WV | 214 | 10.8 | $17,318 | not matched | — |
| ND | 201 | 10.2 | $16,805 | not matched | — |
| WY | 175 | 8.6 | $18,580 | not matched | — |
| VT | 174 | 9.9 | $22,896 | not matched | — |
Axes are shown side by side and deliberately NOT collapsed into a ranking. A composite would be a score with no measured interval, and an unmeasured score is the thing this product exists to argue against. A high licence gate is a cost to enter and a moat once cleared — which of those matters more is the operator's call, not ours.
Licence data courtesy of CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor. Free to read, no account, always — a condition of the data licence as well as our own position.