What does a server and hostess do?
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. Once the guests are ready to order, the server and hostess takes on the server role by bringing the guests' order to the kitchen, waiting for the food to be ready, and bringing the food to the guests' table.
Server and hostess responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real server and hostess resumes:
- Assist guests in booking reservations and manage guest history data using OpenTable reservation system.
- Provide quality customer service, process customer transactions utilizing proprietary POS system, skillfully handle cash and credit card transactions.
- Perform bartending duties during busy events or whenever require.
- Coordinate with kitchen managerial staff using POS systems to ensure timely and accurate order preparation.
- Provide guests with an excellent dining experience by asking questions about allergies or preferences and initiating conversation for customer confidence.
- Manage expediter window paying close attention to garnishes and presentation.
Server and hostess skills and personality traits
We calculated that 11% of Server And Hostesses are proficient in POS, Food Preparation, and Food Orders. They’re also known for soft skills such as Detail oriented, Communication skills, and Customer-service skills.
We break down the percentage of Server And Hostesses that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- POS, 11%
Greeted and sat customers, used a cashier system and POS system, light bakery work, light inventory.
- Food Preparation, 10%
Handled currency and credit transactions quickly and accurately Followed procedures for safe food preparation, assembly, and presentation.
- Food Orders, 9%
Demonstrated great customer service by taking food orders and ensuring customer satisfaction.
- Customer Orders, 7%
Take customer orders *Provide excellent customer service *Food Prepping *Busing and maintain cleanliness of restaurant *Balancing of cash drawers
- Customer Service, 6%
Trained new employees in multiple positions while providing superior customer service to increase customer loyalty ensuring repeat business.
- Drink Orders, 5%
Greeted guests, took drink orders, made reservations, answered phones, cleaned tables, ran food, set tables.
Common skills that a server and hostess uses to do their job include "pos," "food preparation," and "food orders." You can find details on the most important server and hostess responsibilities below.
Detail oriented. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a server and hostess to have is detail oriented. Their role and responsibilities require that "waiters and waitresses must record customers’ orders accurately." Server and hostesses often use detail oriented in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "generate detailed checks utilizing micros systems. "
Communication skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling server and hostess duties is communication skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "waiters and waitresses must listen to customers, ask questions as needed, and relay information to the kitchen staff so that orders are prepared to the customers’ satisfaction." According to a server and hostess resume, here's how server and hostesses can utilize communication skills in their job responsibilities: "utilized effective communication and active listening to ensure that food and drink orders were accurate and customers were satisfied. "
Customer-service skills. server and hostesses are also known for customer-service skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to server and hostess responsibilities, because "waiters and waitresses are frontline workers for their restaurant." A server and hostess resume example shows how customer-service skills is used in the workplace: "greet customers, take food and drink orders, helped bartender when needed, cleaned waitress station, cashed out customers. "
Physical stamina. For certain server and hostess responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "physical stamina." The day-to-day duties of a server and hostess rely on this skill, as "waiters and waitresses spend most of their work hours standing or walking and carrying trays, dishes, and drinks." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what server and hostesses do: "fast-paced, busy, high volume and maintain physical stamina. "
Physical strength. A commonly-found skill in server and hostess job descriptions, "physical strength" is essential to what server and hostesses do. Server and hostess responsibilities rely on this skill because "waiters and waitresses need to be able to lift and carry trays of food or other items." You can also see how server and hostess duties rely on physical strength in this resume example: "acquired first experience in food service field strengthened work ethic"
The three companies that hire the most server and hostesss are:
- TravelCenters of America317 server and hostesses jobs
- Farmer Boys29 server and hostesses jobs
- The TemPositions Group of Companies12 server and hostesses jobs
Choose from 10+ customizable server and hostess resume templates
Build a professional server and hostess resume in minutes. Our AI resume writing assistant will guide you through every step of the process, and you can choose from 10+ resume templates to create your server and hostess resume.
Compare different server and hostesses
Server and hostess vs. Food runner
Food Runners are responsible for assisting waitstaff on serving customers at a restaurant or similar establishment. Among their duties include maintaining cleanliness in particular areas, setting tables, refilling drinks, assisting customers with everything that they need, and coordinating with the workforce in and out of the kitchen. Furthermore, Food Runners need to ensure that all deliveries are accurate according to what is ordered by a customer. It is essential to stay presentable and helpful at all times as the main priority is customer satisfaction.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, server and hostess responsibilities require skills like "computer system," "telephone calls," "new servers," and "sales taxes." Meanwhile a typical food runner has skills in areas such as "cleanliness," "wine," "culinary," and "food handling." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Food runners really shine in the hospitality industry with an average salary of $26,747. Comparatively, server and hostesses tend to make the most money in the hospitality industry with an average salary of $26,585.food runners tend to reach similar levels of education than server and hostesses. In fact, food runners are 0.0% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.0% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Server and hostess vs. Waitstaff
The waitstaff takes responsibility for tasks like recommending dishes based on the tastes and preferences of guests, accepting payments, and taking orders. Waitstaff delivers food to tables, ensures outstanding guest experience, and accepts payments. They work with diligence to get outstanding service quality and work with the other staff. It is part of their job to show customers their seats and provide menu options. They attend to tables for food service and guarantee cleanliness standard compliance.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real server and hostess resumes. While server and hostess responsibilities can utilize skills like "seat guests," "customer complaints," "customer satisfaction," and "telephone calls," waitstaffs use skills like "culinary," "team work," "meal orders," and "wine."
Waitstaffs earn a lower average salary than server and hostesses. But waitstaffs earn the highest pay in the health care industry, with an average salary of $26,991. Additionally, server and hostesses earn the highest salaries in the hospitality with average pay of $26,585 annually.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Waitstaffs tend to reach similar levels of education than server and hostesses. In fact, they're 0.4% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Server and hostess vs. Line cook
Line cooks are responsible for preparing meals for guests or employers. The term line cook brings to mind an assembly line. This is apt because line cooks are usually assigned to a specific station to work on a specific part of a meal or a preparation process. They are part of a bigger group of cooks in the restaurant. This is done so that meal preparation is more efficient. Line cooks are responsible for preparing ingredients, ensuring that the pantry is well-stocked, and doing their assigned activity in the line. They are expected to be good team players, have experience as a cook, and be able to follow recipes and provide alternatives when necessary.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, server and hostesses are more likely to have skills like "pos," "drink orders," "to-go orders," and "seat guests." But a line cook is more likely to have skills like "culinary," "sanitation standards," "food handling," and "team work."
Line cooks make a very good living in the hospitality industry with an average annual salary of $32,363. On the other hand, server and hostesses are paid the highest salary in the hospitality industry, with average annual pay of $26,585.Most line cooks achieve a similar degree level compared to server and hostesses. For example, they're 0.5% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Server and hostess vs. Food and beverage server
Types of server and hostess
Updated January 8, 2025
