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What does a room server do?

Updated January 8, 2025
6 min read
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Room server responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real room server resumes:

  • Manage event reservations and party requests, inform customers about upcoming events and specials.
  • Put orders into micros station and modify any allergies or food preference.
  • Answer calls and input orders into POS system.
  • Answer phones and take down orders when need using micros program
  • Used POS system to close-out checks and the end of shift.
  • Specialize in furnishing notable VIP treatment to special guests and visitors.
  • Communicate additional meal requirements, allergies, dietary needs and special request to the kitchen.
  • Make sure food is correct and that any special requests or allergies have been identify.
  • Up keep cleanliness, sanitation, and organization of service areas, also perform tray pickup as needed.
  • Maintain cleanliness of work and guest areas by clearing, collecting and returning food and beverage items to proper area.
  • Ensure customer satisfaction in a wine tasting room while discussing wine, wine making, company history, and food pairings.
  • Deliver VIP amenities when necessary.
  • Educate and inform patrons about winery products and local wine industry while conducting professional wine tasting
  • Establish a positive relationship with co-workers and managers through a solid work ethic, positive attitude, punctuality and dependability.
  • Input orders into a computerize system in a timely fashion to ensure accuracy and punctuality.

Room server skills and personality traits

We calculated that 19% of Room Servers are proficient in Wine, In-Room, and Fine Dining. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Customer-service skills, and Physical strength.

We break down the percentage of Room Servers that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Wine, 19%

    Educated and informed patrons about winery products and local wine industry while conducting professional wine tasting

  • In-Room, 13%

    Lead In-Room Dining PM Staff Member and also responsible for all training for both PM In-Room Dining and Pool Server Staff.

  • Fine Dining, 7%

    Memorized all aspects of the server position relating to extremely professional atmosphere in fine dining.

  • Cash Handling, 6%

    Maintained accountability for complimentary charges and cash receipts; Cash handling experience.

  • Cleanliness, 5%

    Up kept cleanliness, sanitation, and organization of service areas, also performed tray pickup as needed.

  • Guest Rooms, 4%

    Prepared, delivered, and served orders to guest rooms in a timely, friendly and professional manner.

"wine," "in-room," and "fine dining" are among the most common skills that room servers use at work. You can find even more room server responsibilities below, including:

Communication skills. The most essential soft skill for a room server to carry out their responsibilities is communication skills. This skill is important for the role because "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." Additionally, a room server resume shows how their duties depend on communication skills: "demonstrated product knowledge and enhanced customer contact through constant communication with hotel guests. "

Customer-service skills. Many room server duties rely on customer-service skills. "food service establishments rely on good food and customer service to keep customers and succeed in a competitive industry," so a room server will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways room server responsibilities rely on customer-service skills: "provided quality guest service in the operation of room service tasks. "

Physical strength. room servers are also known for physical strength, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to room server responsibilities, because "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." A room server resume example shows how physical strength is used in the workplace: "strengthened skills-multitasking, customer relations, time management, working events and promotions. "

All room server skills

The three companies that hire the most room servers are:

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Compare different room servers

Room server vs. Car hop

A catering associate is in charge of serving food and beverages to guests at special events, ensuring client satisfaction. Although their duties can vary upon the tasks assigned by managers, it usually includes taking and processing orders, maintaining buffets in good condition, monitoring supplies to ensure they are adequate, refilling food and beverage stations, and assisting guests courteously. They also participate in preparing meals and venues, loading and unloading supplies from trucks, organizing tables and utensils, and maintaining the cleanliness of areas.

We looked at the average room server salary and compared it with the wages of a car hop. Generally speaking, car hops are paid $662 higher than room servers per year.While the two careers have a salary gap, they share some of the same responsibilities. Employees in both room server and car hop positions are skilled in beverage orders, pos, and customer service.

There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, room server responsibilities require skills like "wine," "in-room," "fine dining," and "cash handling." Meanwhile a typical car hop has skills in areas such as "quality customer service," "food orders," "drive-thru," and "mathematics." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.

The education levels that car hops earn slightly differ from room servers. In particular, car hops are 2.1% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a room server. Additionally, they're 0.2% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Room server vs. Catering associate

Catering associate positions earn higher pay than room server roles. They earn a $5,815 higher salary than room servers per year.A few skills overlap for room servers and catering associates. Resumes from both professions show that the duties of each career rely on skills like "cleanliness," "customer service," and "allergies. "

In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, room server responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "wine," "in-room," "fine dining," and "cash handling." Meanwhile, a catering associate has duties that require skills in areas such as "patients," "tray assembly," "tray delivery," and "hippa." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.

In general, catering associates achieve similar levels of education than room servers. They're 1.3% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Room server vs. Line runner

An average line runner eans a higher salary compared to the average salary of room servers. The difference in salaries amounts to line runners earning a $5,329 higher average salary than room servers.By looking over several room servers and line runners resumes, we found that both roles require similar skills in their day-to-day duties, such as "food preparation," "credit card," and "customer orders." But beyond that, the careers look very different.

There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a room server is likely to be skilled in "wine," "in-room," "fine dining," and "cash handling," while a typical line runner is skilled in "sops," "assembly line," "pallets," and "line equipment."

Line runners typically earn similar educational levels compared to room servers. Specifically, they're 1.9% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Room server vs. Dietary aide, serving

Dietary aides, serving tend to earn a higher pay than room servers by an average of $1,827 per year.According to resumes from room servers and dietary aides, serving, some of the skills necessary to complete the responsibilities of each role are similar. These skills include "fine dining," "cleanliness," and "culinary. "While some skills are required in each professionacirc;euro;trade;s responsibilities, there are some differences to note. "wine," "in-room," "cash handling," and "guest rooms" are skills that commonly show up on room server resumes. On the other hand, dietary aides, serving use skills like meal service, meal preparation, patients, and senior care on their resumes.The retail industry tends to pay the highest salaries for dietary aides, serving, with average annual pay of $27,468. Comparatively, the highest room server annual salary comes from the manufacturing industry.dietary aides, serving reach similar levels of education compared to room servers, in general. The difference is that they're 1.8% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.3% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of room server

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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