Is 'server', as used of restaurant server, only an AmE expression?
All the sources cited below suggest that the term “server” meaning waiter/waitress is a typical AmE usage which may have spread because of its genderless connotation.
the American Heritage Dict. gives as the first definition of server:
a. One who serves food and drink.
and the Cambridge Dict., McMillan Dict. and ODOdefines the above usage as AmE.
From “resources.workable.com” Restaurant Server job description:
We are looking for a competent Restaurant Server to take orders and deliver them to our guests maintaining and enhancing the quality of our customer service. You will work in close collaboration with colleagues and follow established health and safety standards. The goal is to accelerate our business development by providing customers with a memorable experience
As for usage, the following American site culinarylore.com suggests that:
Unless you’ve been under a rock for a while, you know that you are no longer supposed to call a female waiter a waitress. However, at the same time, hardly anyone refers to a female server as a waiter, and most restaurants are using the term server for both male and female employees: “Hi, I’m Shelley, and I’ll be your server today.”
Why Don’t We Say Waitress Anymore?
Waitress has went the way of many gender biased terms in English that are seen as sexist. There have always been lots of biased terms in English, and not only sexist ones, racist ones as well.
The word server was widely adapted in restaurants, for the reasons stated above, perhaps out of confusion or perhaps because people couldn’t shake the association of waiter with male.
In British English we have waiter and waitress. When I hear server I think computing.
I went for job ads instead of a dictionary
Waiter/Waitress/Bartender Featured
EX4, Exeter
UnspecifiedWAITER Featured
St. Clements, OX4
£8.00 to £8.50 per hour - Good Rates, plenty of work, flexible, paidBlue Arrow Catering - Oxford
Waiter/Waitress Premium
N1, North London
From £8 to £10 per hour Service Charge & BenefitsCamino Leisure Holdings Ltd
Waiter/Waitress Featured
W1G, West London
From £9 to £10 per hourMaroush
TodaySenior Waiter/Waitress Premium
But like everything, as 50% of entertainment media is American it would be understood, if not spoken.
Server/Waiter/Waitress - TRG Concessions Southend Airport Premium
SS2, Southend-On-Sea
Up to £9.00 per hour plus tips
All of these job listings are from: https://www.caterer.com/jobs