How to hire a dishwasher/waitress

How to hire a dishwasher/waitress, step by step

Here's a step-by-step dishwasher/waitress hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the dishwasher/waitress you need to hire. Certain dishwasher/waitress 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 dishwasher/waitress 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.

   This list shows salaries for various types of dishwasher/waitresses.

   Type of Dishwasher/Waitress	Description	Hourly rate
   Dishwasher/Waitress	Waiters and waitresses take orders and serve food and beverages to customers in dining establishments.	$10-16
   Food Preparer	A food preparer or food preparation worker is the person who executes routine tasks under the supervision of chefs, food service managers, and cooks. Food preparation workers slice meat, cut vegetables, and prepare cold foods... Show more	$9-17
   Cook/Server	Cooks/servers are employees who take on the dual role of being a cook and a server in the restaurant. They are usually trained cooks who are in charge of preparing meals for the guests... Show more	$11-17

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Food Orders
   • Customer Orders
   • Bus Tables
   • Drink Orders
   • Dishwashers
   • Clean Tables
   • POS
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Cooking Equipment
   • Reset Tables
   • Sales Taxes
   • To-Go Orders
   • Food Stations

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage a recurring book of business of top VIP clients secure through networking.
   • Work with the POS system.
   • Clean dishes, deep fryers, vents, organize, and stock
   • Maintain general knowledge of bartending duties, drink and food specials, and any new promotions.
   • Wait tables, bartending, salad bar attendant, line cook and train for management program.
   • Develop relationships with regular patrons; develop an understanding of their personal needs and expectations, including preferences and food allergies.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your dishwasher/waitress job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A dishwasher/waitress salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, dishwasher/waitresses' average salary in tennessee is 51% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level dishwasher/waitresses earn 38% less than senior-level dishwasher/waitresses.
   • Certifications. A dishwasher/waitress with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a dishwasher/waitress's salary.

   Average dishwasher/waitress salary

   $13.28hourly

   $27,619 yearly

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   Entry-level dishwasher/waitress salary

   $21,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 18, 2025

4. Writing a dishwasher/waitress job description

   A dishwasher/waitress 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 dishwasher/waitress job description:

   Dishwasher/waitress job description example

   Middlebury College is searching for staff who are needed to perform a variety of functions in the dish room at The Tavern on the Tee at The College Golf Course.
   
   The position maintains a clean and sanitary stock of dishes and utensils, washes and sanitizes all pots and utensils as necessary and stores items in appropriate areas. Assists with the overall cleanliness of the kitchen throughout the day.
   
   This is considered a part time non benefits eligible non-exempt position. The minimum salary for this position is $15.00 per hour.
   Responsibilities include:
   Cleans serving area after each meal and restocks dispensers and other supplies.
   Busses and wipes tables.
   May assist with simple food preparation. For example: peeling and cutting vegetables or assisting in making sandwiches.
   Loads soiled dishes, glassware and silverware into dish machine and unload them when they have finished the wash cycle.
   Reload chemicals as needed.
   Must follow sanitation guidelines.
   Unloads and stacks dishes and glassware in appropriate storage areas.
   Sorts silverware and utensils and places them in proper storage areas.
   Maintains dish room equipment and reports malfunctions to Manager.
   Washes all pots, pans and kitchen utensils and sanitizes all pots and utensils. Stores in appropriate areas.
   Sweeps and mops kitchen and dish room area.
   Rinses all trash cans and compost containers and ensures they are properly and safely stored. Requirements Qualifications:
   No previous experience is required.
   Requires practice of proper health sanitation and good math skills, i.e. ability to make change.
   Must physically be able to lift 10-20 lbs. numerous times each day.
   Must be able to lift full glass racks and coffee racks above waist level. Requires frequent and repetitive bending, reaching, twisting and overhead reaching.
   Requires frequent walking and long periods of time standing.
   Must be able to work in a hot and humid environment.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right dishwasher/waitress for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit dishwasher/waitresses, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to 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 dishwasher/waitress

   Once you've found the dishwasher/waitress candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

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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