11 Extremely Stylish And Best Shoes For Servers For WOMEN And MEN
Men and women who work in the food service industry spend countless hours on their feet, often on hard slippery floors. Whether they are working behind the bar and serving customers drinks or coffee, or quickly walking between tables, the kitchen and even outdoor patios, men and women servers need to have shoes that are comfortable, safe and provide support. This means choosing the best shoes for servers from thousands of shoes on the market.
The good news is that we have found eleven amazing choices for both men and women. All of them reduce the amount of pressure placed on your feet, legs and back from standing and walking on hard surfaces, while also making sure you stay safe. Many of them would work not only in the food industry, but also for anyone working in hospitals or other commercial or industrial settings with hard slippery floors.
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Best Shoes For Servers For Women And Men (2020 Reviews)
How The Article Is Organized?
This article includes reviews of the 6 best women's shoes for servers followed by 5 best men's shoes. These reviews are further divided into dress shoes and trainers. As you will find out below, the best shoes offer slip-resistance and protection from spills in the kitchen or service area, and a variety of other features for enhanced protection, comfort, functionality and overall safety.
The good news is that the best shoes for servers provide all of that and look sleek and stylish too. You don't have to give up looking fashionable or professional with a boring or even an ugly pair of shoes with these choices.
Best Women's Shoes For Servers
Dress Shoes: Best Shoes For Servers
Clarks Women's Grasp High Loafer
Pros
Cons
Conclusion:
Clarks Women's Grasp High Loafer is a classic looking women’s dress shoe. It comes with a leather upper and rubber sole, for utmost safety and exceptional durability. These black shoes are available in a variety of sizes, ranging between women's shoe sizes 5 and 12, with lots of wide and half sizes.
An affordable option for servers, Clarks Women's Grasp High Loafer is slip resistant ensuring your transitions from kitchen to the dining room are smooth and carefree.
To keep you standing and walking in comfort throughout your shift, these lightweight shoes come with a variety of features, including smooth textile linings, EVA padded midsole and Ortholite insole.
Both EVA padded midsoles and Ortholite insoles provide cushioning and rebound, and it helps protect the foot from feeling hard or sharp objects. OrthoLite is an eco-friendly and sustainable. It is made from recycled rubbers and proprietary polyurethane material.
Accordingly, Clarks Women's Grasp High Loafer earns its place among the best shoes for servers.
Hawkwell Women's Comfort Slip Resistant
Pros
Cons
Conclusion:
Hawkwell Women's Lightweight Comfort Slip Resistant Shoes are among the best shoes for servers, offer a clean refined design, and are very budget friendly. Available in both black or white, the shoes come in women shoe sizes, ranging from 5 to 10.
Hawkwell Women's Lightweight Comfort Slip Resistant Shoes supply a lot of comfort. There is a soft foam lining and neutral arch support. As an added bonus, the insole can be removed for your own orthotics if you are looking for more cushion, or perhaps more structure for your foot, in case you have high or low arches, or maybe plantar fasciitis.
In addition, the shoes stand up well to regular spills thanks to their synthetic upper which is waterproof, stain resistant and easy to clean.
The outer sole is made of rubber and is slip resistant making sure that you can face wet surfaces with confidence.
Crocs Women's On The Clock Work Shoe
Pros
Cons
Conclusion:
Crocs Women's On The Clock Work Professional Shoe are sleek and simply designed shoes that are lightweight and easy to slip on and off. They are made to look like leather, but are 100% synthetic material that is soft and flexible to the touch. With only soap and water, these shoes are easy to keep clean.
For the comfort that servers need while being on their feet all day, the Crocs Women's On The Clock Work Professional Shoe supplies Croslite foam and deeply cushioned footbeds. To maintain stability and structure in your foot, the shoes also supply a tapered heel.
Designed to cover your heels and your toes, and a rubber sole with deep treads, these affordable shoes are among the best shoes for servers. They will protect your feet from spills at the workplace and also keep you from falling when working on slippery floors.
Trainers: Best Shoes For Servers
Fila Women's Memory Workshift Shoe
Pros
Cons
Conclusion:
Fila Women's Memory Workshift Slip Resistant Work Shoe is an affordably priced, stylish, tough and comfortable option for servers. Ranked among the best shoes for servers, they are solidly constructed from tough and durable materials including leather, synthetic material and rubber. Available in black and white, the shoes are available in women's shoe sizes 5-12, with wide and half sizes.
Fila Women's Memory Workshift Slip Resistant Work Shoes are designed for unmatched comfort with a lightweight memory foam midsole and inner lining. To ensure cool and dry feet, the shoes offer a mesh lining and built in perforations. For peace of mind and enhanced stability, the lace up enclosure allows you to decide how tight you would like the shoe to fit
The outer sole is thick and made of rubber. It is slip resistant and is a boundary against slips and falls.
Overall, Fila Women's Memory Workshift Slip Resistant Work Shoe is an excellent option for women servers, anyone in the restaurant business, and other industries, such as hospital workers. In addition, they are a contemporary and fun looking pair of sneakers that could also transition to a casual night on the town.
New Balance Women's 626 V2 Industrial Shoe
Pros
Cons
Conclusion:
New Balance Women's Slip Resistant 626 V2 Industrial Shoe is ideal for working in the food service industry. This comfortable work shoe is built for stability, safety and support to help get you through long hours on your feet.
The all-leather shoe is designed to allow your feet to breathe and to avoid sweaty feet. In addition, the padding in the heel helps reduce impact through compression resistance and cushioning to deliver comfort that lasts hour after hour. The lace up enclosure and internal shank ensures structure and stability for your feet.
The rubber soles of the New Balance Women's Slip Resistant 626 V2 Industrial Shoe are oil and slip resistant and offer superior traction under various conditions. Oil-resistant outsole properties are tested according to ASTM D471-16a. Slip-resistant outsole properties are tested according to ASTM F2913-19.
As for style, they come in three solid colours - black, grey and white - and depending on your color choice, can compliment both a casual or more upscale look. They are offered in an extraordinary array of sizes with even double wide sizes available. Accordingly, they are a quality choice and easily make them one of the best shoes for servers for women.
Skechers Work Nampa - Wyola
Pros
Cons
Conclusion:
If you are looking for a sporty work shoe that will handle tons of abuse on a regular basis, then the Skechers Work Nampa - Wyola
Food Service shoes are a great option. Made from synthetic upper and rubber outer sole, these black work shoes are comfortable and tough. Since they are available in a variety of sizes, from women's shoe sizes 5 to 11 with lots of half and wide sizes, finding the perfect fit is not a challenge.
To keep your feet comfortable, the shoes are designed with a number of comfort features. For starters, Skechers Work Nampa - Wyola Food Service shoes come with a removable memory foam insole, padded tongue and collar. Additionally, breathable underfoot support and shoe lining are included and enhances the wearer’s comfort levels.
This shoe will stand up well to a busy and intense work space thanks to the quality materials and craftsmanship. For added toughness, the shoe features synthetic overlays at the heel, side and toe area.
Last but not least, the rubber outsole makes these shoes slip resistant even on oily surfaces. The outer soles' electrical hazard protection also provides a secondary level of protection on surfaces that are substantially insulated against accidental contact with electrically energized objects.
Skechers Work Nampa - Wyola Food Service shoes offer a lot and with a low price, make these one of the best women's shoes for servers.
Best Men's Shoes For Servers
Dress Shoes: Best Shoes For Servers
Dr. Scholl's Shoes Harrington II Work Shoe
Pros
Cons
Conclusion:
Dr. Scholl's Shoes Men's Harrington II are a very stylish and well priced shoe that will provide endless hours of comfort and stability while on your feet.
They have a 100% leather upper for softness and a memory foam and anti-compression insole for excellent shock absorption. The lacing with padded collar allows you to decide how tight you want your shoes to be to improve stability, comfort and security.
To avoid hot sweaty and smelly feet, Dr. Scholl's Shoes Men's Harrington II offer moisture wicking lining, vents for breathability and anti-odour control.
The outer sole also has offers a lot. They are rubber, non-marking, oil and slip resistant (Lock Step OutsoleTM meets SATRA TM63 and TM144 standards).
Dr. Scholl's Shoes Men's Harrington II is a highly regarded work service shoe with many important qualities to easily walk or stand safely on hard slippery surfaces for long hours. After work, it effortlessly transitions for a casual or dressy night on the town. It comes in black and brown, and in a wide range of shoe sizes. For the price, it is easily one of the best men's shoes for servers.
Skechers Work Nampa - Groton
Pros
Cons
Conclusion:
Being among the best shoes for servers, the Skechers Work Nampa - Groton shoes are an affordable option made of high quality soft leather-like synthetic material making them light and durable.
Slipping them on and off is easy and effortless given the slip on design of the shoes. For unmatched comfort throughout your workday, the interior features memory foam cushioning and flexible shock-absorbing midsole for underfoot support .
To ensure that you remain on steady on your feet in slippery situations, these shoes come with a durable slip resistant sole that also offers electrical hazard protection.
The black colored Skechers Work Nampa - Groton feature a sleek design. They are offered in a wide range of men's shoe sizes from 7-14, with lots of half and wide sizes. These are an excellent choice for those who are looking for a stylish pair of shoes that can easily transition from work to a night on the town.
Trainers: Best Shoes For Servers
New Balance Men's 626 V2 Industrial Shoe
Pros
Cons
Conclusion:
New Balance Men's Slip Resistant 626 V2 Industrial Shoes are an excellent choice for those working in the food service industry. This comfortable work shoe is built solely for the purpose of getting you through a long hour day on your feet on hard slippery surfaces.
The all-leather upper is designed for your feet to breathe and to eliminate sweaty feet. In addition, the cushion in the heel helps reduce impact through compression resistance to deliver comfort that lasts. The lace up enclosure and internal shank ensures strong structure and enhanced stability for your feet.
The non-marking rubber soles of the New Balance Men's Slip Resistant 626 V2 Industrial Shoe are oil and slip resistant and offer superior traction under various conditions. Oil-resistant outsole properties are tested according to ASTM D471-16a. Slip-resistant outsole properties are tested according to ASTM F2913-19. Accordingly, you can feel confident going in and out of kitchens or behind the bar where you might encounter wet or oily surfaces.
As for style, they come in two colours - black and grey - and depending on your choice, can create both a casual or more upscale look. They are offered in an extraordinary array of sizes (up to size 18) with even triple wide sizes available. All in all, they are a quality choice and easily make them one of the best men's shoes for servers.
Skechers Work Felton
Pros
Cons
Conclusion:
Skechers Work Felton is a well priced soft faux leather synthetic trainer that offers exceptional comfort by supplying a padded tongue and collar, removable memory foam padded insole, and soft fabric shoe lining with shock absorbing midsole.
For added structure, it supplies front lace ups so that you can decide how much room you want for your feet in the shoes. Although the synthetic faux leather material reduces breathability, it keeps the shoe water resistant and easy to keep clean.
The compliant nitrile outsole has electrical hazard protection. It is also slip and oil resistant.
Overall, the Skechers Work Felton is a well received shoe that easily fits within the best men's shoes for servers. You are safe to walk on hard slippery surfaces. They are offered in an extensive array of sizes from sizes 7-16 with half, wide and double wide sizes.
Stylistically, although it is a trainer, I like how it can easily transition from casual to a more sophisticated look depending on how you dress.
Reebok Work Men's RB3500 Industrial Shoe
Pros
Cons
Conclusion:
As one of the top brands in the footwear market, Reebok have, in their medium priced Work Men's Guide Work RB3500 Industrial and Construction Shoe, developed some of the best shoes for servers. Made of 100 percent leather and a rubber outsole, these shoes are available in black and come in a variety of sizes, ranging from 7 to 16, with half and wide sizes.
To keep your feet safe throughout your work day, even in the most demanding conditions, Reebok Work Men's Guide Work RB3500 Industrial and Construction Shoes are designed with a variety of safety features. The shoes are slip resistant, come with electrical hazard protection, are free of any metals and feature a soft toe that satisfies ASTM F2892 standards for safety.
As for comfort, Reebok Work Men's Guide Work RB3500 Industrial and Construction Shoes come with a MemoryTech foot-bed, wrap around outer TPU heel and rebound foam midsole. Accordingly, for the long hours on your feet, you have structure, stability and cushion to help you finish your day without your feet killing you.
Buyer's Guide To The Best Shoes For Servers
There are many factors to consider when trying to decide what are the best shoes for servers. It goes without saying that we are all made differently. There isn’t one shoe that is going to work for everyone. Beyond the issue of taste and style, there are some fundamental physical differences that will direct us to one shoe or an another.
Some of us have flat feet or high arches, others have knee or hip injuries, and of course, even within the restaurant industry, there are different circumstances in which we need shoes. Maybe you are outside on a patio standing and walking on concrete for most of the day; maybe you are only in the kitchen faced with a hard floor, slippery from water or oil; or maybe you are behind the counter or bar still facing hard slippery floors. Regardless, it is important for your comfort and peace of mind to find the best pair of shoes suitable for you.
Accordingly, here are the factors that you should consider when trying to find the best shoes for servers whether you are a man or a woman.
Support: Best Shoes For Servers
There are two key areas of your foot that require support when standing or walking on concrete for long hours. Those are your arches and heels.
Arches
Some people may already know that they have flat feet, high arches, or other problems like plantar fasciitis. Most likely, they will already have insoles or other orthotics to help address these or other issues. However, if this is a concern, it is a good idea before deciding on a shoe to specifically read whether the shoes you are considering supply the type of support that you want.
However, arch support is a far more complex issue than simply finding a shoe that offers the type of support that you want. Your feet may still hurt even after finding a great pair of shoes and adding an insole that you think should address the aches in your feet. You may need to swap out your insoles for something different or better, or even explore whether your socks are the issue.
For more information about what you should be looking for in an amazing insole or your socks, please take a look at my two articles: 10 Best Shoe Inserts For Standing All Day For MEN And WOMEN and 10 Best Work Socks For MEN and WOMEN.
Heels
With respect to your heels, you want to make sure that they provide a secure fit with limited movement to avoid rubbing and blistering. Also, since your heel is a high impact point on your feet, you may want your shoes to supply extra cushion in the heel.
Slip or Skid Resistant Rubber Outer Soles
Unless you never leave the main dining room, there is hardly a scenario in the food service industry where you won't face slippery conditions from water or other liquids. If you work in the kitchen, you could also face slick floors from oil or food that will almost certainly be dropped onto the floor.
Accordingly, you must pay attention to the type of outer sole on the shoe. The best shoes for servers have rubber soles with lots of traction. In addition, those shoes that offer slip or skid resistant properties to water or oil should specifically state that they do.
In addition, if you think that you will be faced with slippery conditions, you may wish to focus on those shoes that provide more security and stability in the foot. You may like the sound of a room fit in a shoe, but if they don't offer some way to secure your foot in the shoe, you may run the risk of turning an ankle if you encounter a slippery condition.
Remember, slid or skid resistant outer soles don't indicate that you can never slip. It just means that the manufacturers have added recognized industry elements to the outer soles to help you avoid slipping or skidding. Accordingly, lace up trainers are a good choice where you can cinch the shoe closer to your foot.
Wear And Tear: Best Shoes For Servers
You work hard for your money so you want to make sure that you are getting the most from it. When you have narrowed down your choices among the best shoes for servers, make sure that you double check whether they are durable. Walking on concrete or other hard surfaces will wear down your shoes quickly if they are not designed properly. Accordingly, if you wear them every day, it is reasonable to expect them to last a minimum of one year before you need another pair.
That said, don’t run away from a shoe because one or two people criticized its' durability. Pay attention to the date of the review. A badly made shoe from two years ago should have limited weight to whether the shoe is more durable today.
Once you find great shoes and you have had an opportunity to use them for a few months, I would recommend purchasing another pair right away. There is nothing more frustrating than trying to replace them once a favorite pair of shoes has worn out, only to find them out of stock, more expensive, or the model has been redesigned.
Style: Best Shoes For Servers
There are two main style choices for the best shoes for servers. Those are dress shoes and trainers. Which ones you choose as the best shoes for standing or walking on concrete all day will either be a purely personal choice of style mixed with comfort, support and durability factors, or work directed. Either way, there is a lot to choose from in each category so spend the time finding a shoe that looks as good as it feels.
The Advantages of Trainers
Trainers supply a lot of foot support from the lace up enclosures and thick rubber soles. Normally, they also offer breathability through their natural (leather) or man-made material to help with air flow to keep your feet cool and dry. In addition, the style also provides lots of opportunity for cushion and padding to be added in key high impact areas.
On the downside, trainers are harder to dress up and as such, may not be acceptable by your employer if you work with customers in the main dining room. Before purchasing, you need to double check your employer's expectations.
The Advantages of Dress Shoes
Dress shoes would be far more likely to be acceptable to an employer if you are working in an upscale restaurant and you are serving tables. Dress shoes could have buckles or laces that stabilize the foot, or could be slip-on with less support. You need to consider which would be better for your own comfort level.
The downside is that dress shoes may not have the same thick rubber sole or the extra padding that is often easily found in a trainer style of shoe. Accordingly, you need to pay attention to the thickness and traction of the outer sole of your dress shoes, and whether they offer slip or skid-resistance if you will find yourself behind the counter or in the kitchen.
Comfort: Best Shoes For Servers
Comfort is a primary goal in acquiring the best shoes for servers. Related to this is the amount of support that you need or the shoe offers, and the style of shoe, both of which have been discussed above. However, there is much more to consider when talking about what makes a comfortable shoe for servers.
- It would be best if the shoe is “breathable”, to keep your feet dry, cool and fresh. This can be accomplished by purchasing shoes with natural materials, like leather, or finding a shoe that includes “breathable” man-made material, so that you can avoid sweating and overheating. In addition, some shoes offer venting through mesh or other means which would help.
- Ideally, the best shoes for servers have “shock absorbers” in the heels or the soles. This is normally accomplished through the strategic placement of gel or memory foam in high impact areas.
- The shoe should offer an EVA midsole. EVA is a man-made material that, in essence, is a foam. The midsole is that part of the shoe (sandwiched between the upper and the outsole) that provides cushioning and rebound, and it helps protect the foot from feeling hard surfaces or sharp objects.
- The insole should be soft, offer cushion and be flexible, but also removable in case you need or want to replace it with your own insole for extra cushion or support.
- The shoe should fit snug around the heel without pinching to avoid blisters when walking.
Safety
If you work in a commercial kitchen, you may want your shoes to have soft cap toes, or similar types of protections, in case heavy or sharp items land on your feet. In addition, you will want to make sure the outer soles are thick rubber and they include EVA midsoles to protect against walking on sharp objects.
Electrical Hazard Protection
Your may also wish to find shoes that offer electrical hazard protection. These shoes may include materials within the shoe or in the outer sole that would provide limited protection from levels of electrical currents from open circuits. This would more naturally be included in construction shoes or boots, but with the heat, electrical, open flames, and slippery conditions, electrical hazard protection might be a useful addition to your kitchen shoe.
Other Accessories To Keep Your Feet Comfortable
If your feet still hurt after purchasing one of these amazing shoes for servers and putting in a long shift at work, it might mean that you need additional help to keep your feet comfortable. It doesn't automatically mean that the shoes are awful and you made a mistake. Just that, for whatever reason, your feet need more help to stay comfy.
There are two other steps that you can take to help yourself out.
First, you can explore insoles. In my article 10 Best Shoe Inserts For Standing All Day, I discuss, in depth, the different kinds of insoles that you can purchase to help you have a pain free work day. I would encourage you to read that article to fully understand your options. However, very simply, insoles either provide extra cushion in high impact areas in addition to the cushion offered by a shoe; or they supply support for such things as high or low arches, over pronation, and other foot issues.
Second, you can explore socks. In my articles 10 Best Work Socks For MEN And WOMEN and 12 Best Socks For Sweaty Feet For MEN And WOMEN, I provide a list of the best socks that offer cushion and support, as well as those that will help you avoid sweaty feet. Don't underestimate the impact of a bad pair of socks!
Hopefully, with a great pair of shoes, insoles, and socks, you can have a pain free and comfortable day on your feet.