12 Passive Income Ideas For Servers [2024]
Interested in earning passive income as a server in 2024?
We put together a few of the best passive income ideas you can start as a server today. These will help you increase your quality of life by bringing in more income for yourself or your business.
For each income idea, we’ll show you real-world examples, revenue expectations for each idea, plus some things you might need to know before you start your passive income journey as a server.
Here's the full list:
1. Make passive income with an ecommerce reselling business ($83.3K/month)
As a server, you already know how to handle busy environments and communicate effectively with people—skills that can be useful if you decide to start an ecommerce reselling business. By becoming an ecommerce reseller, you could buy products or services and then sell them online for a profit. This allows you to supplement your income without worrying about the complexities of producing your own goods.
One of the advantages is that you wouldn't need to invest in a website right away. You could start small by selling through social media platforms and expand from there as your business starts to grow. This makes it easier to balance with your current job and explore entrepreneurship with less financial risk.
How much you can make: $4,000 — $150,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $2,999 (?)
How long does it take to build: 75 days (?)
Empyre Off-Road, an e-commerce business founded by Greg Shuey which sells aftermarket parts for Toyota Tacomas, Tundras, and 4Runners, generated approximately $100,000 a month in revenue and was able to expand its product offering, focusing on content marketing, email marketing campaigns, and organic social media to attract and retain customers.
2. Make passive income with a niche blog ($31.5K/month)
Starting a niche blog could be an excellent way for servers to supplement their income and share their unique experiences and insights. As a server, you have a wealth of knowledge about the restaurant industry, customer service, and food and beverage tips that many people would find helpful. You could focus your blog on topics such as restaurant reviews, serving tips, or even recipes and cooking tips you've picked up on the job.
To get started, you would need to identify a profitable and underserved niche related to your interests and expertise. Once you find your niche, you could create unique and informative content, such as how-to guides on improving serving skills, interviews with other servers, or top lists of the best local eateries. Over time, you could monetize your blog through affiliate links, brand collaborations, or even starting a YouTube channel to increase your visibility and followers.
Consistency, passion, and engaging with your audience are key to building a successful niche blog. By regularly posting and interacting with your readers, you could grow a dedicated following and turn your blog into a reliable source of passive income.
How much you can make: $100 — $650,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $650 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
Starter Story grew to 1.4 million monthly visitors and millions in annual revenue by sharing the stories of entrepreneurs. Pat breaks down the early days and how he grew the business into something that changed his life.
3. Make passive income with a YouTube channel ($72.1K/month)
If you love making engaging video content, starting a YouTube channel could be a great way to supplement your income as a server. You could use the platform to share tips on customer service, funny and relatable server stories, or even behind-the-scenes looks at restaurant life. By focusing on content that resonates with other servers and restaurant-goers, you may attract a dedicated audience.
Monetization opportunities come through ads, sponsorships, and merchandise sales. As your following grows, these earnings can start to add up. Though it requires consistent effort to plan, shoot, and edit your videos, the creative freedom and potential financial rewards make it a promising side hustle.
How much you can make: $2,000 — $333,333/month
How much does it cost to start: $5,250 (?)
How long does it take to build: 30 days (?)
This case study follows the journey of a young entrepreneur from Nigeria who started a profitable blog generating a monthly revenue of $1,500+ through sales of advertising space, sponsored posts, and information products, and shares his strategies for success including a Twitter growth challenge and guest post pitches.
4. Make passive income with a subscription box business ($97.9K/month)
Starting a subscription box business could be a great way to supplement your income as a server. You could create a niche set of products that you’re passionate about—maybe something related to food, drinks, or restaurant culture, which you already know a lot about from your job.
This kind of business can be in high demand because people love getting curated, exclusive items delivered to them each month. By understanding your market, offering quality products, and building good relationships with suppliers, you could create a steady stream of passive income. Plus, your experience in customer service can really help you provide an excellent experience for your subscribers.
How much you can make: $400 — $400,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $210 (?)
How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)
Vowed Box Co. is a line of curated, quirky gift boxes with non-traditional brides in mind, offering four different products that have helped the business become profitable most months since its launch in 2018, with a monthly income of roughly $600.
5. Make passive income with a dropshipping business ($414K/month)
Starting a dropshipping business could be a great way to supplement your income as a server. Because dropshipping doesn’t require you to hold any inventory, you wouldn’t need to invest a lot of money upfront or find space to store products, making it an accessible option on a server’s budget.
You could choose a niche that interests you, set up an online store using user-friendly platforms like Shopify, and list products from reliable suppliers on marketplaces like AliExpress. Since you’re likely already skilled at working with people and providing customer service, this experience would be valuable for managing your online store and responding to customer inquiries.
Focusing on marketing and keeping an eye on your expenses could help you build a profitable dropshipping business over time, turning it into a steady source of extra income alongside your job as a server.
How much you can make: $6,000 — $3,000,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $8,500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 10 hours/week
Entrepreneur Kamil Sattar has developed multiple six-figure drop shipping businesses, and his company, e-commerce mentoring, specializes in helping others create their own successful companies, with favorite platforms including using Shopify and apps such as Loox reviews and SMSBump.
6. Make passive income with a stock photography business ($14.6K/month)
As a server, you could take advantage of your flexible schedule to start a stock photography business on the side. Many businesses need high-quality photos for their marketing efforts, and as you build your photography skills, you could sell your photos for a single usage fee to these companies through various online platforms.
To get started, you might consider investing in some good photography gear and learning the basics of taking appealing stock photos. Over time, as you build an impressive portfolio and establish an online presence, you could earn a steady passive income from the photos you upload and license.
How much you can make: $1,200 — $45,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $3,500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
Pro Photo Studio founder Tsour Lee Adato shares how she turned a $5k investment into a business that services over 500 clients annually and makes approximately $350k per year with plans to expand and become a 7-figure business while offering advice to fellow entrepreneurs to always be innovating, learning and growing, and not to undervalue themselves.
7. Make passive income with an online course sales business ($85K/month)
If you're a server passionate about something like cooking, mixology, or any other skill, you could turn that passion into a passive income stream by creating and selling online courses. Imagine sharing your unique drink recipes, teaching the best ways to provide excellent customer service, or even breaking down how to balance a busy restaurant schedule. People are always looking to learn new skills online, and there's a growing market for e-learning.
You simply need to choose a topic you're skilled at, create engaging and helpful content, and sell it on an online learning platform. This way, you could earn money even when you're off the clock, potentially turning your everyday server experiences into valuable lessons for others while building a solid side hustle.
How much you can make: $100 — $300,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $2,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)
A multipreneur shares how she built a successful print on demand side hustle, generating $120,000 per year through multiple brands spread over various platforms.
8. Make passive income with a niche website ($107K/month)
As a server, you could start earning extra money by creating a niche website focused on a specific topic you're passionate about or knowledgeable in. This online venture allows you the freedom to create targeted content for a dedicated audience, like recipes, restaurant reviews, or tips for excellent customer service.
Investing time in research, content creation, and SEO will help attract loyal readers to your site. Over time, you could monetize your niche website through affiliate marketing, ad placements, or selling digital products. If you have a specific interest and the drive to explore it deeply, building a niche website could become a reliable source of passive income for you.
How much you can make: $400 — $250,000/month
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
DPW (Digital Procurement World) is a fast-growing conference and community in procurement that has more than tripled in revenue since launching in 2019, capping out the year at €1.8 million, with 95% of their growth coming from inbound traffic leveraging LinkedIn and applying social selling techniques.
9. Make passive income with an affiliate marketing business ($77.5K/month)
As a server, you could supplement your income and start making passive income by stepping into affiliate marketing. This involves promoting other companies' products and services online and earning a commission for each sale generated through your links. Imagine sharing a product you've discovered and love with your social media followers or blog readers – each time someone buys through your link, you get a cut of the sale.
To get started, you could learn about how to find the right product and brand to partner with, such as an eCommerce store or a specific manufacturer. Just think about the products you already recommend to customers or friends and how you could turn those recommendations into a steady stream of extra money. With time and effort, affiliate marketing could be a fruitful side hustle that fits well with your server schedule.
How much you can make: $500 — $773,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $700 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
This case study explores how Spencer Mecham founded Buildapreneur, an affiliate marketing business, and has made over half a million dollars in profit with no employees, relying solely on content marketing through platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
10. Print on demand business ($411K/month)
As a server, you could supplement your income and explore your entrepreneurial side by starting a print on demand business. This model doesn't require a big initial investment because you won't need to buy any inventory up front.
You could design unique and trendy items like t-shirts, phone cases, or home goods, and sell them on platforms like Amazon, eBay, or Etsy. Since these online marketplaces handle the printing and shipping, you would only need to focus on coming up with creative designs that people will love. This could allow you to make extra money and potentially build a scalable business from the comfort of your home, all while still balancing your main job as a server.
How much you can make: $200 — $3,000,000/month
How long does it take to build: 30 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week
Founder Roy Kirchner shares how he started an eCommerce business specializing in 3D printing with an initial investment of $65,000, which now averages monthly gross sales of $330,000 and has partnered with international manufacturers and local businesses while offering technical support and education.
11. Make passive income with a podcast ($97.9K/month)
Starting a podcast could be a great way for you as a server to supplement your income and make extra money. Servers interact with a wide range of people and hear all sorts of interesting stories and experiences. This unique perspective could help you choose a compelling niche or topic for your podcast that others might find entertaining or informative.
You could start a podcast on a budget with just a microphone, headphones, and some free or affordable hosting. By sharing your thoughts and stories from the restaurant world, you could attract a loyal audience. With consistent effort, you might even attract sponsors or advertisers who support your show, turning your podcast into a source of passive income.
How much you can make: $400 — $1,020,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $2,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 2 hours/week
A successful podcast production company that grew from one client making $15/hour to a team of 10 contractors producing over 30 shows per week with revenue of over $10k/mo, primarily through referrals and with a focus on providing high personal touch and being picky about working only with clients who are a good fit.
12. Make passive income with a bridal accessories store
As a server, starting a bridal accessories store could offer you a unique way to supplement your income. Weddings are a big deal, and with the bridal wear market in the USA growing rapidly, there's a lot of opportunity to make money by selling pretty things that brides need to complete their look. Plus, since bridal accessories are always in demand, you could create a steady source of income that keeps growing over time.
The great thing about this opportunity is that it doesn't require you to be present all the time. You could run an online store, allowing you to manage it during your off hours from your serving job. This flexibility makes it easier to balance both jobs without burning out.
How much you can make: $50,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $100 (?)
East Meets Dress, an e-commerce store that offers Chinese wedding dresses and traditional outfits, grew to a six-figure annual recurring revenue ($25k/month) in just one year by targeting Asian-American brides in the U.S and high school students looking to wear cheongsams to prom to celebrate their heritage.
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Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
