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Become A Hostess

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Working As A Hostess

  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
  • Performing General Physical Activities
  • Getting Information
  • Selling or Influencing Others
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates

  • Deal with People

  • Outdoors/walking/standing

  • $20,030

    Average Salary

What Does A Hostess Do

Waiters and waitresses take orders and serve food and beverages to customers in dining establishments.

Duties

Waiters and waitresses typically do the following:

  • Greet customers, present menus, and explain daily specials to customers
  • Answer questions related to menu
  • Take food and beverage orders from customers
  • Relay food and beverage orders to the kitchen staff
  • Prepare drinks and food garnishes
  • Carry trays of food or drinks from the kitchen to the dining tables
  • Remove dirty dishes and glasses, and clean tables after customers finish meals
  • Prepare itemized checks and take payments from customers
  • Set up dining areas, refill condiments, and stock service areas

Waiters and waitresses, also called servers, are responsible for ensuring that customers have a satisfying dining experience. The specific duties of servers vary with the establishment in which they work.

In casual-dining restaurants that offer simple menu items, such as salads, soups, and sandwiches, servers provide fast, efficient, and courteous service. In fine-dining restaurants, where more complicated meals are prepared and are often served over several courses, waiters and waitresses emphasize personal, attentive treatment at a more leisurely pace. For example, they may suggest a beverage choice such as a wine recommendation with certain foods.

Waiters and waitresses may meet with managers and chefs before each shift to discuss the menu or specials, review ingredients for potential food allergies, or talk about any food safety concerns. They also discuss coordination between the kitchen and the dining room and review any customer service issues from the previous day or shift.

In establishments where alcohol is served, waiters and waitresses verify the age of customers and ensure that they meet legal requirements for the purchase of alcohol.

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How To Become A Hostess

Most waiter and waitress jobs are entry level, and workers learn through short-term on-the-job training. No formal education or previous work experience is required to enter the occupation.

Most states require workers who serve alcoholic beverages to be at least 18 years of age, but some states require servers to be older. Waiters and waitresses who serve alcohol must be familiar with state and local laws concerning the sale of alcoholic beverages.

Education

No formal education is required to become a waiter or waitress.

Training

Most waiters and waitresses learn their skills through short-term on-the-job-training, usually lasting a few weeks. Trainees typically work with an experienced waiter or waitress, who teaches them basic serving techniques.

Some full-service restaurants provide new employees with some form of classroom training that alternates with periods of on-the-job work experience. These training programs communicate the operating philosophy of the restaurant, help new servers establish a rapport with other staff, teach serving techniques, and instill a desire to work as a team. They also discuss customer service situations and the proper ways to handle unpleasant circumstances or unruly customers.

Training for waiters and waitresses in establishments that serve alcohol typically involves learning state and local laws concerning the sale of alcoholic beverages. Some states, counties, and cities mandate the training, which typically lasts a few hours and can be taken online or in-house.

Important Qualities

Communication skills. Waiters and waitresses must listen carefully to customers’ specific requests, ask questions, and relay the information to the kitchen staff, so that orders are prepared to the customers’ satisfaction.

Customer-service skills. Waiters and waitresses spend most of their work time serving customers. They should be friendly and polite and be able to develop a rapport with customers.

Detail oriented. Waiters and waitresses must record customers’ orders accurately. They need be able to recall the details of each order and match the food or drink orders to the correct customers.

Interpersonal skills. Waiters and waitresses should be courteous, tactful, and attentive as they deal with customers in all circumstances to resolve any issues that arise.

Physical stamina. Waiters and waitresses spend hours on their feet carrying heavy trays, dishes, and drinks.

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Hostess Jobs

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Average Length of Employment
Cocktail Server 2.2 years
Banquet Server/Hostess 2.2 years
Lead Hostess 2.0 years
Waitress/Hostess 1.9 years
Server And Hostess 1.9 years
Waitress 1.9 years
Server 1.8 years
Bar Hostess 1.8 years
Cocktail Waitress 1.8 years
Bar Waiter/Waitress 1.8 years
Dining Room Hostess 1.6 years
Counter Server 1.6 years
Party Hostess 1.5 years
Server Assistant 1.4 years
Cashier/Host 1.3 years
Food Runner/Busser 1.3 years
Hostess Cashier 1.3 years
Food Runner 1.3 years
Host/Hostess 1.1 years
Hostess 1.0 years
Top Employers Before
Cashier 20.9%
Sales Associate 15.6%
Server 8.2%
Internship 5.7%
Customer Service Representative 5.4%
Receptionist 5.1%
Volunteer 4.5%
Office Assistant 3.9%
Server And Hostess 3.7%
Waitress 3.7%
Crew Member 3.5%
Administrative Assistant 2.8%
Sales Associate And Cashier 2.6%
Teller 2.5%
Assistant Manager 2.4%
Barista 2.2%
Assistant 2.1%
Sales Representative 1.9%
Nanny 1.7%
Camp Counselor 1.7%
Top Employers After
Server 14.6%
Sales Associate 13.7%
Cashier 13.6%
Customer Service Representative 7.7%
Internship 5.4%
Receptionist 4.9%
Waitress 4.6%
Administrative Assistant 3.5%
Server And Hostess 3.4%
Assistant Manager 3.3%
Teller 3.3%
Office Assistant 3.2%
Volunteer 2.7%
Bartender Server 2.6%
Nanny 2.5%
Barista 2.4%
Manager 2.3%
Certified Nursing Assistant 2.2%
Sales Representative 2.2%
Crew Member 2.0%

Do you work as a Hostess?

Hostess Demographics

Gender

Female

85.0%

Male

13.1%

Unknown

1.9%
Ethnicity

White

78.2%

Hispanic or Latino

13.4%

Asian

6.5%

Unknown

1.4%

Black or African American

0.5%
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Languages Spoken

Spanish

61.6%

French

10.4%

German

3.4%

Italian

3.4%

Russian

2.4%

Portuguese

2.4%

Chinese

2.4%

Mandarin

2.3%

Japanese

2.1%

Arabic

1.9%

Korean

1.3%

Vietnamese

1.1%

Greek

1.0%

Cantonese

0.9%

Polish

0.8%

Tagalog

0.6%

Swedish

0.6%

Hindi

0.5%

Thai

0.4%

Ukrainian

0.4%
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Hostess Education

Schools

University of Phoenix

8.8%

University of Central Florida

8.8%

Florida State University

5.6%

Northern Virginia Community College

5.5%

Valencia College

5.2%

Temple University

5.0%

Georgia State University

4.8%

Towson University

4.7%

Texas State University

4.7%

College of Southern Nevada

4.4%

University of North Texas

4.4%

Liberty University

4.3%

University of Alabama

4.3%

University of Arizona

4.3%

Arizona State University

4.3%

Virginia Commonwealth University

4.3%

Palm Beach State College

4.2%

Southern New Hampshire University

4.1%

West Virginia University

4.1%

University of South Florida

4.0%
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Majors

Business

16.8%

Psychology

11.9%

Nursing

8.1%

Communication

6.8%

Criminal Justice

6.6%

General Studies

5.0%

Medical Assisting Services

4.7%

Health Care Administration

4.6%

Biology

4.0%

Liberal Arts

3.6%

Marketing

3.5%

English

3.3%

Hospitality Management

3.0%

Accounting

2.9%

Education

2.6%

Cosmetology

2.6%

Kinesiology

2.5%

Graphic Design

2.5%

Management

2.5%

Sociology

2.4%
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Degrees

Bachelors

40.0%

Other

37.5%

Associate

12.8%

Masters

3.6%

Certificate

3.6%

Diploma

1.5%

License

0.5%

Doctorate

0.3%
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Job type you want
Full Time
Part Time
Internship
Temporary

Real Hostess Salaries

Job Title Company Location Start Date Salary
Hostess JP Doyle Restaurant and Public House, Inc. Sleepy Hollow, NY Apr 11, 2016 $49,000 -
$50,000
Head Hostess BMT Operations LLC New York, NY Feb 01, 2010 $45,000
Hostess Koliba Rest. Corp. NY Mar 24, 2010 $27,820
Server/Host Blaze Bar Habor, LLC Bar Harbor, ME May 15, 2016 $24,856
Hostess Gafco Inc. Morro Bay, CA Oct 02, 2015 $20,870
Lodge Hostess Bar Lazy J Guest Ranch, Inc. Parshall, CO May 10, 2016 $20,870

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Top Skills for A Hostess

QualityCustomerServiceReservationArrangementsTo-GoOrdersPhoneCallsSeatGuestsSeatCustomersBusTablesTelephoneCallsGreetingCustomersDrinkOrdersLargePartiesFoodOrdersCommunicationSkillsCleanTablesMenuItemsCustomerServiceSkillsEnsureCleanlinessPOSAppropriateNumberProperSetup

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  1. Quality Customer Service
  2. Reservation Arrangements
  3. To-Go Orders
You can check out examples of real life uses of top skills on resumes here:
  • Handled cash transactions and assisted with pick up food orders - Provided quality customer service and handled high influx of customers
  • Set up dining rooms and make a reservation arrangements.
  • Take to-go orders and make sure food is ready upon customer arrival.
  • Greeted and escorted guests to tables, facilitated waits, and answered phone calls.
  • Take coats, seat guests, guide around art gallery.

How Would You Rate Working As a Hostess?

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Top Hostess Employers

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