How to hire a food and beverage server

How to hire a food and beverage server, step by step

Here's a step-by-step food and beverage 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 food and beverage server job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new food and beverage server
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your food and beverage server job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a food and beverage server for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a food and beverage server to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a food and beverage server that fits the bill.

   This list presents food and beverage server salaries for various positions.

   Type of Food And Beverage Server	Description	Hourly rate
   Food And Beverage Server	Waiters and waitresses take orders and serve food and beverages to customers in dining establishments.	$10-16
   Waitstaff	The waitstaff takes responsibility for tasks like recommending dishes based on the tastes and preferences of guests, accepting payments, and taking orders. Waitstaff delivers food to tables, ensures outstanding guest experience, and accepts payments... Show more	$9-15
   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

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Food Service
   • Wine
   • Cleanliness
   • Beverage Orders
   • Guest Service
   • Food Safety
   • Customer Service
   • POS
   • Teamwork
   • Excellent Guest
   • Food Orders
   • Customer Orders
   • Guest Satisfaction
   • Beverage Service

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Implement training of (service techniques, up-selling, food preparation, wine selections and excellent customer service).
   • Perform bartending and hosting duties as well as set-up for group events.
   • Advise on menu selection, accurately enter orders, settle checks using POS and ensure guests' experience.
   • Perform all duties of hotel food and beverage including: event management, serving, bartending, etc.
   • Enhance customer experience through spirits, wine knowledge, and recommendations; resulting in increase customer check average and bar sales.
   • Provide recommendations on what might be best for each guest base off of dietary restrictions, allergies, and health concerns.

   More food and beverage server duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, food and beverage servers' average salary in mississippi is 49% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level food and beverage servers 35% less than senior-level food and beverage servers.
   • Certifications. A food and beverage 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 food and beverage server's salary.

   Average food and beverage server salary

   $13.20hourly

   $27,465 yearly

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   Entry-level food and beverage server salary

   $22,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 20, 2026

   Average food and beverage server salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$32,899	$16
   2	Colorado	$32,746	$16
   3	New York	$32,033	$15
   4	Massachusetts	$30,982	$15
   5	Utah	$26,980	$13
   6	Missouri	$26,586	$13
   7	Pennsylvania	$25,626	$12
   8	Wisconsin	$24,922	$12
   9	Tennessee	$24,867	$12
   10	Arkansas	$24,735	$12
   11	Nevada	$24,714	$12
   12	Montana	$23,896	$11
   13	Ohio	$23,605	$11
   14	Florida	$23,034	$11
   15	Illinois	$22,993	$11
   16	Georgia	$22,921	$11
   17	North Carolina	$22,354	$11
   18	Alabama	$21,847	$11
   19	South Carolina	$20,148	$10
   20	Indiana	$19,471	$9

   Average food and beverage server salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	TPC Group	$32,043	$15.41	8
   2	The Blake School	$30,621	$14.72
   3	Moss Adams	$30,057	$14.45
   4	Pleasant Valley Wine	$29,940	$14.39
   5	Target	$29,465	$14.17	398
   6	Blake Management Group	$29,452	$14.16
   7	Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts	$29,411	$14.14	58
   8	Bridge Investment Group	$29,264	$14.07
   9	DoubleTree by Hilton Portland	$28,836	$13.86	15
   10	Ocean Reef Club	$28,587	$13.74	2
   11	Hakkasan Group	$28,573	$13.74
   12	Minnesota Limited	$28,399	$13.65
   13	J.F. Shea Co	$28,391	$13.65	34
   14	Sun Country Airlines	$28,214	$13.56
   15	Fairmont Schools	$28,095	$13.51	31
   16	Aimbridge Hospitality	$28,064	$13.49
   17	City of Madison	$27,980	$13.45
   18	Boise Centre	$27,881	$13.40
   19	Auberge Resorts Collection	$27,662	$13.30	111
   20	Vail Resorts	$27,380	$13.16	92

4. Writing a food and beverage server job description

   A good food and beverage server job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a food and beverage server job description:

   Food and beverage server job description example

   Food and Beverage Server Department: Audubon Golf Clubhouse Cafe Reports To: Clubhouse Executive Chef Location: Audubon Golf Clubhouse Café General Summary: Food and Beverage Servers will report to the Executive Chef, taking additional direction and instruction from the Food and Beverage Supervisor. Food and Beverage Servers are responsible for outstanding, friendly and accurate service to all Clubhouse Guests to include Clubhouse Café, Beverage Cart and Snack Bar patrons. The Food and Beverage Server will function in varying roles to include Café Server/Bartender, Snack Bar Attendant and Beverage Cart Attendant. Additionally, when functioning in the role of Bartender must be proficient in mixology and service of food to Guests. Bartenders assist in performing bartending duties for Golf Tournaments; must also be knowledgeable in the use of a Cappuccino machine. ________________________________________
   To deliver on the Audubon mission, the Clubhouse Café Food and Beverage Server will:
   Provide a guest experience of outstanding quality ________________________________________ • Servers are friendly and professional to Internal and External Guests. • Servers are to adhere to the Clubhouse Café Uniform policy. • Knowledgeable of Menus and ingredients in menu items served. Able to describe flavor of items on menu. • Communicate any special Guest’s needs or dietary restrictions to Kitchen Supervisor before acknowledging to Guest that the request can be met by our Kitchen Staff. • Greet Guests, take accurate Food and Beverage orders, and accurately deliver Food and Beverage in a timely fashion. • Guest Checks and Change given to Guests are always accurate. • Responsible for Guests’ bar tabs; provides a clean and efficient bar, ensuring quality of service experience. • Server Stations are always clean and organized for the next Guest experience. • Accuracy in the organization of paper work and monies due to Café. Adhering to Audubon Clubhouse Café Cash Handling Policy. • Restocking inventories needs for the FOH.
   Weave quality entertainment through the guest experience ________________________________________ • Always be willing to lend a helping hand with Guests when required. • Always exceed your Guest’s expectations. • Complete Opening and Closing duties so that the Service to Guests is thorough and precise. Operate a financially self-sufficient collection of museums and parks. ________________________________________ • Accuracy in Orders to avoid waste. • Accuracy in Guest Checks and cash handling processes. • Always be aware of your Guest’s Comment Cards. • Security of guest’s Credit Cards when in a Servers possession. • Being aware of Guest’s safety issues in Dining Room. • Responsible for all monies due to Audubon Nature Institute ensuring compliance of Cash Handling Policies. • Immediately report any accidents of Guests to Management.
   Enhance the care and survival of wildlife through research and conservation. ________________________________________
   • Participating in the Green Certification by composting; supports Audubon’s Green Initiatives. The above listed duties are general statements of required major duties and responsibilities performed on a regular and continuous basis. They do not exclude other duties as assigned. ________________________________________
   To deliver on the Audubon service promise, the Clubhouse Café Food and Beverage Server will:
   Welcome ________________________________________ • Make eye contact with every customer encounter, smile at every person, offer friendly phrases and greetings. • Wear identification badge. • Walk individual to destination instead of pointing; offer assistance to people who look confused. • Assume ownership of potential safety hazards (wipe-up spill, pick up trash). Always have the camera-ready look.
   Share ________________________________________ • Maintain positive attitude, pleasant tone of voice (remember it is not what you say, but how you say it). • Co workers are to be coached on service expectations. • Utilize the power of teamwork to give excellent service. • Know when to involve management.
   Inspire ________________________________________ • Know the answers to questions or seek out the answers. • Utilize proper phone etiquette (answer phone within three rings, smile before answering call, ask for permission and wait for response before placing caller on hold). • Ensure work area is free of food, drink, socialization, and personal business. • Follow Dress Code Policy on clothing and grooming. • Keep unpleasant concerns behind closed doors (vent backstage).
   
   ________________________________________ Supervision/Essential Job Functions: • Responsible for his or her Station and Monies due to Audubon Nature Institute. • Manages the Sales, Usage and Waste of Beverages. • Responsible for greeting Guests, taking orders for food/beverage and serving food/beverage items. • Service Golfers during play by suggestively selling items from the Snack Bar and/or Beverage Cart. • Will respond to general golf questions, enhancing the experience of our golfing Guests. • Makes recommendations to accessing additional Audubon amenities and local attractions. • Serves as an ambassador of goodwill and advice on golf etiquette. • Adheres to regulatory, departmental and company policies in an ethical manner and encourages others to do the same. • Performs other duties as assigned. Experience:
   • Two years in Food and Beverage Guest Services. • Must be 18 years of age. • Must have excellent verbal communication skills. • Knowledge of the game of Golf is preferred. • Must have a valid Driver’s License. • Professional appearance at all times as outlined in the Audubon Employee Handbook. • Must be able to work independently and as a member of a team.
   Education:
   • High School Diploma or an Equivalent Degree Licensure/Certification: • Responsible Vendor/Alcohol Server Certification • Driver’s License Software Requirements:
   • Proficiency in the use of Point of Sale systems
   
   Machinery/Tools/Equipment Requirements:
   • Must have the ability to use a computer, phone, mobile device, fax, scanner, copy machine, Lemon slicer, Iced Tea and Coffee/Cappuccino Machines.
   Physical Requirements: • Sedentary Work: exerting up to 25 pounds of force regularly, or a negligible amount of force frequently to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects, including the human body. May involve sitting most of the time but may also involve walking or standing for periods of time. • Sitting or standing, bending, stooping, climb, crouch, crawl, reach and the ability to carry items weighing up to 25 pounds. • Constant adequate range of motion and mobility required. • Regular near acuity with clarity of vision at 20 inches or less required. • Typical ability to collect and analyze numerical and written data and verbal information to reach logical conclusions and ability to determine the time, place and sequence of operations or actions required. • Regular talking and the ability to express and exchange ideas by means of language expected. • Regular hearing and the ability to perceive the nature of sounds. • Constant ability to read, record, or type data quickly and accurately required. Environmental/Working Conditions: • Working long hours between breaks or meals required. • Ability to work under and handle stress in an appropriate manner required. • May be exposed to high, medium, or low noise intensity. • Constant contact with co-workers required. • Affinity for animals preferred. • Exposure to fluctuations in temperatures will be required. • Exposure to outdoor conditions will be required, including temperatures ranging from extreme heat to extreme cold • Ability to work Overtime, Weekends, and Holidays.

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5. Post your job

   To find the right food and beverage 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 food and beverage servers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit food and beverage 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 food and beverage server job on Zippia to find and recruit food and beverage server 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 food and beverage servers, 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. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   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 food and beverage server

   Once you've found the food and beverage server 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.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new food and beverage server. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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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