How to hire a counter server

How to hire a counter server, step by step

Here's a step-by-step counter server hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a counter server job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new counter server
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the counter server you need to hire. Certain counter server roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect counter server also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   Here's a comparison of counter server salaries for various roles:

   Type of Counter Server	Description	Hourly rate
   Counter Server	Food and beverage serving and related workers perform a variety of customer service, food preparation, and cleaning duties in restaurants, cafeterias, and other eating and drinking establishments.	$11-20
   Server And Hostess	A server and hostess is an employee who plays the dual role of both a hostess and a server. As implied by this, a server and hostess is in-charge of welcoming guests as they enter the restaurant, ensuring that the guests' tables are ready before leading them to their assigned tables, handing over the menu, and waiting for the guests to finalize their order... Show more	$10-17
   Room Service Server	A room service server is an employee employed in a hotel or lodging to provide various services to the room occupants in the hotel. They often deliver ordered food, drinks, or movies to the occupants' rooms... Show more	$8-18

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Food Handling
   • Excellent Guest
   • Basic Math
   • Wine
   • Cash Handling
   • Culinary
   • Beverage Orders
   • Food Orders
   • Cleanliness
   • POS
   • Customer Service
   • Micros
   • Allergies
   • Counter Service

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Answer telephones and enter orders into POS system.
   • Operate POS terminal to process customers' orders, swipe credit cards, and enter cash amounts.
   • Provide guests with an excellent dining experience by asking questions about allergies or preferences and initiating conversation for customer confidence.
   • Prepare some salads, shakes, smoothies, and juices.
   • Monitor guest for intoxication and immediately report concerns to management.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your counter server job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A counter server can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, counter servers' average salary in florida is 37% less than in new hampshire.
   • Seniority. Entry-level counter servers 44% less than senior-level counter servers.
   • Certifications. A counter server with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a counter server's salary.

   Average counter server salary

   $15.61hourly

   $32,460 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level counter server salary

   $24,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 13, 2025

4. Writing a counter server job description

   A counter server job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a counter server job description:

   Counter server job description example

   ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
   
   Consistently demonstrates superior customer service skills by displaying outlined service behaviors. Maintains an upbeat and positive attitude, creates positive energy with gestures and sustains enthusiasm from one interaction to the next. Creates an atmosphere of luck and celebrates guest's wins. Is ready to serve and is informed of daily information; builds relationships by greeting guests with a warm, friendly verbal greeting. Anticipates needs and provides fast, flawless service. Checks for satisfaction and effectively resolves service breakdowns when they exist. Promotes Total Rewards programs and card membership. Provides a warm farewell and thanks guests for visiting.
   
   Responsible for processing guest orders, bagging orders, wrapping sandwiches and preparing beverages. Accurately handles cash, credit and comp transactions. Assists with dressing sandwiches. Maintains clean work area, levels of supplies and other duties at the direction of management. Responsible for maintaining all established service standards. Responsible for maintaining cleanliness of all front and back of house areas in the outlet. Adheres to department and hotel policies and cashiering procedures. Relays any guest compliments and complaints to the Manager. Maintains knowledge of all menu items and other pertinent information regarding the outlet(s). Ensures that work area is clean and sanitary in accordance with the city and state health department codes. Knows sanitation guidelines.
   
   EDUCATION/SKILLS/EXPERIENCE:
   
   High School Diploma or equivalent preferred. Friendly, pleasant and courteous. Prior experience as cashier preferred.
   
   DISCLAIMER:
   
   "This is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, duties, requirements, effort or working conditions associated with the job. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the current job, management reserves the right to revise the job or to require that other or different tasks be performed when circumstances change (e.g., emergencies, changes in personnel, workload, rush jobs, or technical developments)."
   
   At Caesars Entertainment, Inc., our Team Members create the extraordinary. We are the largest casino-entertainment company in the U.S. and one of the world's most diversified casino-entertainment providers. Since beginning in Reno, Nevada, in 1937, Caesars Entertainment has grown through the development of new resorts, expansions and acquisitions. Our resorts operate primarily under the Caesars , Harrah's , Horseshoe and Eldorado brand names. We focus on building loyalty and value with our guests through a combination of impeccable service, operational excellence and technological leadership. The company is committed to its Team Members, suppliers, communities and the environment through its PEOPLE PLANET PLAY framework.
   
   Our Caesars family is driven by our Mission, Vision and Values. We take great pride in living these values - Together We Win, All In On Service and Blaze the Trail - every day. Our mission, "Create the Extraordinary". Our vision, "Create spectacular worlds. That immerse, inspire and connect you. We don't perform magic; we create it with excellence. #WeAreCaesars". If you are ready to create some magic, we invite you to explore our dynamic, yet unique, career opportunities.
   
   FULL TIME, NJ CER 35 LICENSE REQUIRED

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right counter server for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with counter servers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit counter servers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your counter server job on Zippia to find and recruit counter server candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with counter server candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new counter server

   Once you've selected the best counter server candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new counter server first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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