Waiters and bartenders

How to become a Bartender

Official title: Bartenders

Also called: Bartender

Bartenders prepare, mix and serve alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks directly to customers over a bar or counter, or through waiters.

Main tasks

Taking beverage orders from serving staff or directly from patrons
Preparing and serving alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks at a bar
Washing used glassware, cleaning and maintaining bar service areas, tea- and coffee-making areas and equipment such as espresso machines
Collecting payment for sales, operating cash registers and balancing cash receipts
Tapping kegs and attaching supply lines
Assisting in keeping the bar properly stocked and arranging bottles and glasses
Checking identification of customers to verify age requirements for purchase of alcohol
Taking steps to limit problems related to excessive drinking, such as persuading customers to stop drinking, declining further service or ordering transportation
Mixing ingredients to prepare cocktails and other drinks
Serving snacks or other food items to customers at the bar

Median pay: HK$16,500 a month
About 732,700 people in 2025, and about 740,500 projected by 2028. (+1.1%)
Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Usually not. Only 6% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Census and Statistics Department (2021 Population Census): 2021 Population Census, Interactive Data Dissemination Service: working population by occupation (38 groups) and sex, age, education, income; median income and field of education (9 groups) (2021 Population Census), retrieved 4 October 2026
Census and Statistics Department (General Household Survey): Median monthly employment earnings by occupation (9 groups), excluding foreign domestic helpers (Table 210-06317A); employed persons by occupation, age and sex (210-06307A) and by industry (210-06308A) (2025 annual (series to 2026-07)), retrieved 4 October 2026
Census and Statistics Department (Annual Earnings and Hours Survey): Monthly and hourly wage percentiles by occupational group (5 groups) (Tables 220-23014, 220-23024, 220-23003) (2025 (May to June 2025), released 2026-03-23), retrieved 4 October 2026
Labour and Welfare Bureau; tables published by C&SD: Mid-term Update of Manpower Projection to 2028: supplementary statistical tables (5 occupation groups, 17 selected industries) (2025 to 2028 (published 2026-09)), retrieved 4 October 2026
International Labour Organization, Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure (ILO Working Paper 140, Gmyrek et al.) (ILO Working Paper 140, May 2025, Annex Table A1), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026

Updated 4 October 2026