How to hire a restaurant associate

How to hire a restaurant associate, step by step

Here's a step-by-step restaurant associate hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your restaurant associate 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 restaurant associate 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

   Hiring the perfect restaurant associate 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.

   The following list breaks down different types of restaurant associates and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Restaurant Associate	Description	Hourly rate
   Restaurant Associate		$10-17
   Food Service/Cashier	Foodservice/cashiers are often employed at food restaurants and played various roles. Their duties include recording orders from customers and making sure their payments are collected... Show more	$10-16
   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
   • Customer Service
   • Customer Orders
   • Food Handling
   • Cleanliness
   • Customer Complaints
   • Food Products
   • Food Preparation
   • POS
   • Kitchen Equipment
   • Customer Care
   • Quality Standards
   • Punctuality
   • Food Quality

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage staff by teaching them the correct procedures along with making sure they are working up to Marriott standards.
   • Uphold professional image, including restaurant cleanliness and appearance standards.
   • Develop ability to communicate to a variety of personalities of guests and employees while serving culinary indulgences
   • Review and evaluate HACCP documents, create corrective action documentation for HACCP errors.
   • Cut and chop food items and cook on a grill or in fryers.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, restaurant associates' average salary in arkansas is 37% less than in massachusetts.
   • Seniority. Entry-level restaurant associates earn 41% less than senior-level restaurant associates.
   • Certifications. A restaurant associate 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 restaurant associate's salary.

   Average restaurant associate salary

   $14.04hourly

   $29,195 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level restaurant associate salary

   $22,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 30, 2026

4. Writing a restaurant associate job description

   A restaurant associate 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. Below, you can find an example of a restaurant associate job description:

   Restaurant associate job description example

   Greenspring is a beautiful 58-acre continuing care retirement community located in the heart of Fairfax County in Springfield, Virginia. We're part of a growing network of communities developed and managed by Erickson Senior Living, a national provider of senior living and health care with campuses in 11 states-and growing.
   
   Greenspring is looking for everyday heroes who want to make a real impact in the lives of seniors. In addition to a rewarding career, no late nights (typically out by 7:30-8:00pm), you'll enjoy an industry-leading total rewards package that includes a competitive salary, an impressive package of health and dental benefits, paid time off and volunteer hours, tuition reimbursement, 401(k) with employer contribution, opportunities for career growth and advancement, and much more!
   Compensation: Up to $17 per hour
   $1000.00 Sign On Bonus
   Competitive benefits packages including medical, dental, vision, and PTO
   
   Ours servers are responsible for serving residents and guest meals in a friendly, service-oriented manner. The server records and inputs into the POS system beverage and food orders delivers and serves food, ensures exceptional guest service.
   
   How you will make an Impact:
   Greet and welcome residents when they arrive at the restaurant.Ensures the flow of the restaurant by working with the seaters, enabling the servers and back of the house to work efficiently and effectively.Assist with preparation, stocking, serving, and post-meal clean-up.Ensure adequate nutritional intake for all residents Answer telephones professionally and follow up with requests.Maintains front of the house and kitchen sanitation.Assists in the training of the wait staff.
   
   What we offer:
   Competitive benefits packages including medical, dental, vision, and PTO401k for all employees 18 and over. Company contribution up to 3% once eligible.Education assistance, certification reimbursement, and student loan refinancing partnership programs are available.Onsite medical centers, providing wellness visits and sick care for all employees over 18 years of age.Free onsite parking at all of our communities and corporate offices Quality of life - most of our restaurants' employees are out before 9 pm!State-of-the-art kitchens, top-of-the-line equipment.Discounted meals in our restaurants.Gated community with 24/7 security. A culture of diversity and inclusion, which builds on our values, vision, and mission.
   
   What you will need:
   6 months experience in a food service environment preferred. Must be able to read, write, understand and communicate in the English Language.Ability to safely lift or move up to 50 pounds.Flexible with schedule, available to work some weekends and holidays.
   
   Erickson Senior Living, its affiliates, and managed communities are Equal Opportunity Employers and are committed to providing a workplace free of unlawful discrimination and harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, marital status, veteran status, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information or any other category protected by federal, state or local law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find restaurant associates 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 restaurant associate job on Zippia to find and recruit restaurant associate candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit restaurant associates, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates 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 restaurant associate

   Once you've decided on a perfect restaurant associate candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been 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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