How to hire a line server

How to hire a line server, step by step

Here's a step-by-step line 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 line server job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new line 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 line server you need to hire. Certain line 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

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a line 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 line server that fits the bill.

   This list presents line server salaries for various positions.

   Type of Line Server	Description	Hourly rate
   Line 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.	$10-17
   Food Prep	The primary duty of a food prep is to accomplish various food handling and preparation tasks according to the direction of supervisors, chefs, or cooks. One can work in different establishments or industry where there is food involved... Show more	$9-16
   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

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Quality Customer Service
   • Exceptional Guest
   • Excellent Guest
   • Safety Standards
   • Food Safety
   • Food Trays
   • POS
   • Buffet Line
   • Food Products
   • Dishwashers
   • Customer Orders
   • Guest Orders
   • Cold Food

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Customer-Orient fast food worker with deep experience with POS systems, food preparation and safety regulations.
   • Experience with making smoothies and hot beverages while making sure customers are satisfied.
   • Take food and drink orders and receive payment from customers, accurately process payment methods via POS system.
   • Establish a positive relationship with co-workers and managers through a solid work ethic, positive attitude, punctuality and dependability.
   • Operate a commercial dishwasher to clean and sanitize flatware, glassware, utensils, and pots and pans.
   • Set correct water temperature and correct amount of dish soap for dishwasher to ensure dishes are clean and sanitize.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, line servers' average salary in georgia is 41% less than in new hampshire.
   • Seniority. Entry-level line servers earn 42% less than senior-level line servers.
   • Certifications. A line server 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 line server's salary.

   Average line server salary

   $13.61hourly

   $28,300 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level line server salary

   $21,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 18, 2025

4. Writing a line server job description

   A job description for a line server role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a line server job description:

   Line server job description example

   Great Western Dining Service at the Ranger College is currently hiring a Cafeteria Line Server.
   Monday through Friday 5pm-9pm and Sat-Sun 10am-2pm and 4pm-8pm
   As a Cafeteria Line Server you are responsible for interacting with guests in a pleasant manner, helping to prepare and serve food at a station in the cafeteria and assisting with food running. Takes initiative to get any and all jobs completed accurately and proficiently.

   Responsibilities:

   The following statements are intended as general illustrations of the work in this classification and are not all-inclusive of the specific position.

   • Preparing food on menu and guest requests.
   • Serving food to guests.
   • Stocking all food and beverage displays.
   • Answering any questions or assisting with guest needs.
   • Maintaining a clean environment as guests come and go.
   • Meet, greet, and converse with guests.
   • Must be able to work well within a team and assist others as needed to provide a safe and sanitary environment
   • Perform cleaning sanitation tasks

   COMPETENCIES

   • Success With The Guest -Create a positive impression for our guests. Genuinely welcomes the guest: smiles, makes eye contact, engages the guest in conversation and thanks them for their patronage.
   • Work Performance and Job Knowledge -Accuracy, attention to detail, volume of work produced and speed in which it is completed. Such knowledge may be gained from education, experience, training and the ability to adapt to new situations.
   • Teamwork -Upbeat and dependable. Demonstrates the ability to cooperate, communicate and work as a team player with co-workers, supervisors, and outside contacts.
   • Professionalism Acts professionally and is respectful of others. Adherence to all uniform standards.
   • Attendance/Punctuality Communicates absences and schedule changes in a timely manner. Promptness in reporting to work and adherence to break and lunch schedules.
   • Safety Demonstrates safety consciousness with guests, and co-workers. Attends safety meetings and adheres to safety codes and procedures.

   Qualifications:

   • Friendly and positive attitude
   • Strong interpersonal skills
   • Ability to walk/stand for 8+ hours a day
   • Ability to lift, push, and pull 20+ pounds
   • Background in customer service and hospitality
   • Fluent in any language other than English a plus

   
   
   Job Posted by ApplicantPro
   

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5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find line servers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your line server job on Zippia to find and recruit line 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 line 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.

   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 line server

   Once you've found the line 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 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.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new line server. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are 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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