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.

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Server And Hostess Responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real server and hostess resumes representing typical tasks they are likely to perform in their roles.

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 Job Description

Perhaps the hardest question to answer when deciding on a career as a server and hostess is "should I become a server and hostess?" You might find this info to be helpful. When compared to other jobs, server and hostess careers are projected to have a growth rate described as "as fast as average" at 6% from 2018 through 2028. This is in accordance with the Bureau of Labor Statistics. What's more, is that the projected number of opportunities that are predicted to become available for a server and hostess by 2028 is 170,200.

A server and hostess annual salary averages $28,020, which breaks down to $13.47 an hour. However, server and hostesses can earn anywhere from upwards of $21,000 to $37,000 a year. This means that the top-earning server and hostesses make $15,000 more than the lowest-earning ones.

As is the case with most jobs, it takes work to become a server and hostess. Sometimes people change their minds about their career after working in the profession. That's why we looked into some other professions that might help you find your next opportunity. These professions include a food runner, waitstaff, line cook, and food and beverage server.

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12 Server And Hostess Resume Examples

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Michael Mitchell Server And Hostess Contact Information Chicago, IL (990) 555-9915 mmitchell@example.com Skills Thorough Knowledge Food Preparation Communication Clean Kitchen Additional Orders Bar Area Seat Guests Customer Service Powerpoint POS Employment History Server And Hostess 2020 - Present Texas Roadhouse Chicago, IL Handled telephone calls, To-Go Orders, and call-ahead seating. Responded to customer complaints and needs in a quick manner. Prepped for To-Go Orders every night. Cook And Waitress/Waiter 2017 - 2020 Ukpeagvik IOoOupiat Chicago, IL Greet and acknowledge all customers in a friendly, professional manner and provide quick, responsive customer service. Master of Grill, salsa, tortilla and food preparation level accomplished. Work Study Student 2011 - 2017 Ukpeagvik IOoOupiat Chicago, IL Handled office correspondence via phones, mail, email and fax Organized intake procedures for student records Education Associate's Degree Accounting 2009 - 2011 DePaul University Chicago, IL


Jane Young Server And Hostess Contact Info Richmond, VA (740) 555-5293 jyoung@example.com Skills Customer ServiceAccurate Food OrdersNew ThingsCommunicationPrep FoodGreeting CustomersStock Service AreasBusboyMemorize OrdersSeat Guests Employment History Server And Hostess 2018 - Present Buffalo Wild Wings Richmond, VA Order Taking/ Money Handling/ Cleaning * Food Handling/ Stocking / Greeting guests * Customer Service/ Training New Employees Used personal selling strategies to increase sales of new products and daily specials. Processed customers orders both over the phone and in person through the POS system. Provide exceptional customer service in fast-paced casino gaming areas. Host/Waiter 2014 - 2018 McDonald's Washington, DC Provided excellent customer service when given high volumes of customers while maintaining a calm composure. Mcdonalds Crew Member 2009 - 2010 McDonald's Washington, DC Provided courteous customer service cash handling and filled the customers orders. Worked as a crew member providing excellent customer service Cashier, prepare food, cook food, greet customers, clean Provided timely services Excellent at assembly Provided quality products Education Doctoral Degree Business 2011 - 2014 Strayer University Washington, DC Master's Degree Business 2010 - 2011 University of Maryland - College Park College Park, MD Bachelor's Degree Business 2006 - 2009 Strayer University Washington, DC


Frances Roberts Server And Hostess New York, NY (900) 555-7818 froberts@example.com Experience Server And Hostess2017 - Present Buffalo Wild Wings•New York, NY Cashier , Customer Service, Placing orders Waited on large parties of 10 guests or more on a daily basis. Maintained 100 percent accuracy on all customer orders taken. Provide food and beverage service to patrons Conducted cash and credit transactions Assisted management when necessary Room Service Waiter2015 - 2017 IHOP•Philadelphia, PA cash register,customer service applies.I train new hire ,if necessary.I am very hard worker.I am very punctual. Greeted guests and took all food and beverage orders. Cash handling, greeting and seating customers upon arrival, delivering food, providing excellent customer service, cleaning and organizing stock Answer questions about the menu items, and make recommendations if a customer asks. Baby Sitter2013 - 2015 Starting Point for Child Care and Early Education•Charlotte, NC Provide child care services for a variety of family members. Entrusted to provide child care and property security for different families in the absence of their parents. Skills Company PoliciesDishesBabysatTake-Out OrdersChild CareRecreational ActivitiesFood ServiceGuest RoomsMenu ItemsDishwasher Education High School Diploma 2013 - 2013

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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.

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Some of the skills we found on server and hostess resumes included "pos," "food preparation," and "food orders." We have detailed the most important server and hostess responsibilities below.

Detail oriented can be considered to be the most important personality trait for a server and hostess to have. According to a server and hostess resume, "waiters and waitresses must record customers’ orders accurately" server and hostesses are able to use detail oriented in the following example we gathered from a resume: "generate detailed checks utilizing micros systems. "

Another trait important for fulfilling server and hostess duties is communication skills. According to a server and hostess resume, "waiters and waitresses must listen carefully to customers’ specific requests, ask questions, and relay the information to the kitchen staff, so that orders are prepared to the customers’ satisfaction." Here's an example of how server and hostesses are able to utilize communication skills: "utilized effective communication and active listening to ensure that food and drink orders were accurate and customers were satisfied. "

Server and hostesses are also known for customer-service skills, which can be critical when it comes to performing their duties. An example of why this skill is important is shown by this snippet that we found in a server and hostess resume: "waiters and waitresses spend most of their work time serving customers" We also found this resume example that details how this skill is put to the test: "greet customers, take food and drink orders, helped bartender when needed, cleaned waitress station, cashed out customers. "

In order for certain server and hostess responsibilities to be completed, the job requires the skill "physical stamina." According to a server and hostess resume, "waiters and waitresses spend hours on their feet carrying trays, dishes, and drinks." As an example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies: "fast-paced, busy, high volume and maintain physical stamina. "

As part of the server and hostess description, you might find that one of the skills that might be helpful to the job is "physical strength." A server and hostess resume included this snippet: "waiters and waitresses need to be able to lift and carry trays or materials that can weigh up to 50 pounds." This skill could be useful in this scenario: "acquired first experience in food service field strengthened work ethic"

See the full list of server and hostess skills.

After discovering the most helpful skills, we moved onto what kind of education might be helpful in becoming a server and hostess. We found that 31.3% of server and hostesses have graduated with a bachelor's degree and 1.4% of people in this position have earned their master's degrees. While some server and hostesses have a college degree, you may find it's also true that generally it's possible to be successful in this career with only a high school degree. In fact, our research shows that one out of every three server and hostesses were not college graduates.

Those server and hostesses who do attend college, typically earn either business degrees or psychology degrees. Less commonly earned degrees for server and hostesses include general studies degrees or nursing degrees.

When you're ready to become a server and hostess, you might wonder which companies hire server and hostesses. According to our research through server and hostess resumes, server and hostesses are mostly hired by TravelCenters of America, Farmer Boys, and The TemPositions Group of Companies. Now is a good time to apply as TravelCenters of America has 317 server and hostesses job openings, and there are 29 at Farmer Boys and 12 at The TemPositions Group of Companies.

But if you're interested in companies where you might earn a high salary, server and hostesses tend to earn the biggest salaries at Blue Dolphin Energy, General Electric, and Sunrise Senior Living Management Inc. Take Blue Dolphin Energy for example. The median server and hostess salary is $39,883. At General Electric, server and hostesses earn an average of $37,343, while the average at Sunrise Senior Living Management Inc is $31,828. You should take into consideration how difficult it might be to secure a job with one of these companies.

View more details on server and hostess salaries across the United States.

We also looked into companies who hire server and hostesses from the top 100 educational institutions in the U.S. The top three companies that hire the most from these institutions include Darden Restaurants, Applebee's Canada, and Outback Steakhouse.

The three companies that hire the most prestigious 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

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What Food Runners Do

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.

In this section, we take a look at the annual salaries of other professions. Take food runner for example. On average, the food runners annual salary is $2,484 lower than what server and hostesses make on average every year.

Even though server and hostesses and food runners have vast differences in their careers, a few of the skills required to do both jobs are similar. For example, both careers require pos, food preparation, and food orders in the day-to-day roles.

There are some key differences in responsibilities as well. For example, a 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 how truly different these two careers really are.

Food runners really shine in the hospitality industry with an average salary of $26,747. Whereas 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.

What Are The Duties Of a 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.

The next role we're going to look at is the waitstaff profession. Typically, this position earns a lower pay. In fact, they earn a $2,916 lower salary than server and hostesses per year.

Not everything about these jobs is different. Take their skills, for example. Server and hostesses and waitstaffs both include similar skills like "pos," "food preparation," and "food orders" on their resumes.

But both careers also use 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," some waitstaffs use skills like "culinary," "team work," "meal orders," and "wine."

It's been discovered that waitstaffs earn lower salaries compared to server and hostesses, but we wanted to find out where waitstaffs earned the most pay. The answer? The health care industry. The average salary in the industry is $26,991. Additionally, server and hostesses earn the highest paychecks in the hospitality with an average salary of $26,585.

When it comes to the differences in education between the two professions, 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.

How a Line Cook Compares

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 third profession we take a look at is line cook. On an average scale, these workers bring in higher salaries than server and hostesses. In fact, they make a $4,874 higher salary per year.

Using server and hostesses and line cooks resumes, we found that both professions have similar skills such as "food preparation," "food orders," and "customer orders," but the other skills required are very different.

As mentioned, these two careers differ between other skills that are required for performing the work exceedingly well. For example, gathering from server and hostesses resumes, they are more likely to have skills like "pos," "drink orders," "to-go orders," and "seat guests." But a line cook might 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. Whereas server and hostesses are paid the highest salary in the hospitality industry with the average being $26,585.

Line cooks typically study at similar levels compared with 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.

Description Of a Food And Beverage Server

Now, we'll look at food and beverage servers, who generally average a lower pay when compared to server and hostesses annual salary. In fact, the difference is about $555 per year.

While both server and hostesses and food and beverage servers complete day-to-day tasks using similar skills like pos, food preparation, and food orders, the two careers also vary in other skills.

Each job requires different skills like "to-go orders," "seat guests," "bus tables," and "telephone calls," which might show up on a server and hostess resume. Whereas food and beverage server might include skills like "wine," "cleanliness," "guest service," and "food safety."

In general, food and beverage servers make a higher salary in the media industry with an average of $26,491. The highest server and hostess annual salary stems from the hospitality industry.

Food and beverage servers reach similar levels of education when compared to server and hostesses. The difference is that they're 1.3% more likely to earn a Master's Degree more, and 0.1% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Updated October 2, 2020