What does a party host do?
A party host or hostess is an individual who is hired, usually by organizations, to host or run a party or other social functions on their behalf. To work as a party host or hostess, you should be a people-person, a good communicator who can think on your feet, and a good planner. Party hosts and hostesses are akin to masters of ceremonies in social functions whose role is to provide an enjoyable atmosphere for those attending an event.
Party host responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real party host resumes:
- Manage party reservations in efficient manner.
- Assist in preparing information need for Medicare and Medicaid cost reporting.
- Oversee new and existing Medicaid enrollment accounts.
- Paint faces of children and adults perform in costumes at events.
- Develop and create costumes and makeup sketches for multiple plays and musicals.
- Generate Medicaid billing and input NYS OASAS reports, maintaining accuracy and compliance.
- Partner with specialists and leadership to coordinate and implement improvements to these processes.
- Assist with porter duties, maintain and update inventory, and assist with cashier/ POS systems.
- Perform as a team player and practice leadership skills to ensure all tasks are complete properly.
- Work on the register (POS): handle cash transactions, make sure customers jump at their correct times.
- Operate Disneyland attractions in Fantasyland safely according to operating guide standards.
- Develop store-wide tip out procedure to ensure accountability and positive morale with staff.
- Develop and create costumes and makeup sketches for multiple plays and musicals.
Party host skills and personality traits
We calculated that 40% of Party Hosts are proficient in Kids, CPR, and Team Work. They’re also known for soft skills such as Customer-service skills, Physical strength, and Communication skills.
We break down the percentage of Party Hosts that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Kids, 40%
Host parties in which I taught kids how to create their own scrapbooks and invitations with supplies sold at the store.
- CPR, 28%
Be able to administer CPR if ever needed.
- Team Work, 14%
Team work Ability to enforce rules Maintain safety of guests
- Customer Service, 8%
Provide excellent customer service skills-Interact with children-Operate cash register-Keep a clean work area /maintenance
- POS, 2%
Worked on the register (POS): handled cash transactions, made sure customers jumped at their correct times.
- Front Desk, 2%
Front desk clean up, shoe & ball return, sanitizing, counter top clean up, garbage, cleaning bathrooms.
Most party hosts use their skills in "kids," "cpr," and "team work" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential party host responsibilities here:
Customer-service skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a party host to have is customer-service skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "food service establishments rely on good food and customer service to keep customers and succeed in a competitive industry." Party hosts often use customer-service skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "played with and assisting children on the play floor serviced customers at the concession stand"
Physical strength. Another essential skill to perform party host duties is physical strength. Party hosts responsibilities require that "food and beverage serving and related workers need to be able to lift and carry stock and equipment that can weigh up to 50 pounds." Party hosts also use physical strength in their role according to a real resume snippet: "strengthen customer service and interpersonal skills. "
Communication skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of party hosts is communication skills. This skill is critical to many everyday party host duties, as "food and beverage serving and related workers must listen to customers’ orders and relay them correctly to the kitchen staff so that the orders are prepared as requested." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "utilized strong communication skills to provide a high level of customer service. "
The three companies that hire the most party hosts are:
- Chuck E. Cheese
87 party hosts jobs
- Stars and Strikes Family Entertainment Centers21 party hosts jobs
- Peter Piper Pizza
10 party hosts jobs
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Compare different party hosts
Party host vs. Host coordinator
In a restaurant setting, a host/hostess serves as the clients' primary point of contact as they enter the premises. They mostly greet and welcome clients, process reservations, and assist by escorting them to their tables, providing them menus, and responding to any inquiries or concerns. Aside from engaging with clients, a host/hostess may manage reservations by handling calls, coordinate with all employees, and manage waiting areas. Furthermore, as a host/hostess, it is essential to prioritize customer satisfaction, all while maintaining a safe and healthy environment for everyone.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a party host are more likely to require skills like "kids," "cpr," "team work," and "enthusiastic environment." On the other hand, a job as a host coordinator requires skills like "reservations," "servers," "guest satisfaction," and "host families." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Host coordinators tend to reach higher levels of education than party hosts. In fact, host coordinators are 8.4% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.9% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Party host vs. Maitre d
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, party host responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "kids," "cpr," "team work," and "enthusiastic environment." Meanwhile, a maitre d has duties that require skills in areas such as "reservations," "wine," "fine dining," and "cleanliness." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Average education levels between the two professions vary. Maitre ds tend to reach similar levels of education than party hosts. In fact, they're 2.7% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.9% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Party host vs. Host/hostess
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from party host resumes include skills like "kids," "cpr," "team work," and "enthusiastic environment," whereas a host/hostess is more likely to list skills in "reservations," "cleanliness," "food handling," and "seat guests. "
Host/hostesses make a very good living in the media industry with an average annual salary of $28,662. On the other hand, party hosts are paid the highest salary in the manufacturing industry, with average annual pay of $28,268.When it comes to education, host/hostesses tend to earn similar degree levels compared to party hosts. In fact, they're 0.2% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.1% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Party host vs. Welcome hostess
Types of party host
Updated January 8, 2025
