How to hire a server/barista

How to hire a server/barista, step by step

Here's a step-by-step server/barista hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your server/barista 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 server/barista 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 server/barista 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 server/baristas and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Server/Barista	Description	Hourly rate
   Server/Barista	Food and beverage serving and related workers perform a variety of customer service, food preparation, and cleaning duties in restaurants, cafeterias, and other eating and drinking establishments.	$11-19
   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... Show more	$8-16
   Room Service Server	A room service server is an employee employed in a hotel or lodging to provide various services to the room occupants in the hotel. They often deliver ordered food, drinks, or movies to the occupants' rooms... Show more	$8-18

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Cleanliness
   • Wine
   • Customer Service
   • Multitasking
   • Presentation Standards
   • POS
   • Bistro
   • Food Preparation
   • Caf
   • Coffee Shop
   • Allergies
   • Espresso Machine
   • Food Orders
   • Customer Orders

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Open and close the cafe, work a POS system, manage inventory, stock the cafe.
   • Practice organization and cleanliness while managing individual tasks.
   • Greet and seat customer, take orders through POS system, and deliver food and drinks to customers.
   • Cash handling experience, maintain cleanliness of restaurant, ensure customer satisfaction through superior customer interaction.
   • Maintain regular and consistent attendance and punctuality as well as trained new team members with positive reinforcement and respectfully encouraging coaching
   • Maintain an organize and time sensitive backroom with various perishables.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, server/baristas' average salary in alaska is 19% less than in rhode island.
   • Seniority. Entry-level server/baristas earn 43% less than senior-level server/baristas.
   • Certifications. A server/barista 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 server/barista's salary.

   Average server/barista salary

   $14.78hourly

   $30,749 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level server/barista salary

   $23,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 18, 2025

4. Writing a server/barista job description

   A server/barista 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. To help get you started, here's an example of a server/barista job description:

   Server/barista job description example

   We are hiring Hotel Restaurant/Food Service Servers
   
   We are looking for people that have a passion to serve others! Working at our food service outlets means you are many times the first or last greeting our guest receives in the day! Your friendly smile and cheerful customer service attitude sets the tone for our guests to enjoy what the day brings to them. Your role is key to the overall experience the guest will have. Your keen sense of being proactive, responsive and caring will make all the difference. If you enjoy engaging with others and have a winning personality and high sense of responsibility - this role is perfect for you! We have a great company culture at Concord Hospitality where everyone is valued and treated with respect.
   
   Role Responsibilities:
   
   The Server performs guest service in the dining room, bistro or food service outlet by making sure that all dining room guests are seated at clean and properly set up tables, that all guests receive prompt attention, have their orders promptly prepared and served, and that tables are cleaned and ready for the next guests. The server cheerfully serves guests, takes food orders and provides follow up for satisfaction. The server has thorough knowledge of all food and beverage items, correct plate presentation, and temperature controls.
   
   Responsibilities and essential job functions include but are not limited to the following:
   
   * Maintains a calm demeanor during periods of high volume or unusual events
   * Make decisions and solve problems in the interest of 100% guest satisfaction
   * Carefully monitors the operation of the F&B outlet and assists the manager in identifying and solving present and potential guest problems
   * Concord and Brand operational policies and procedures, including safety and security, to ensure the safety of all employees and guests during each shift
   * Maintains a clean and organized workspace
   * Maintains regular and punctual attendance
   * Maintain regular and consistent attendance and punctuality, with or without reasonable accommodation
   * Engage with and understand our guests, including discovering and responding to guest needs through clear and pleasant communication
   * Comply with brand and corporate dress code
   
   Here are some reasons our associates like working for us:
   
   Benefits (Full Time Associates only)
   
   We offer competitive wages. Full-time associates are eligible to participate in a comprehensive benefit package, which includes medical/dental/vision plans, life insurance, ST/LT disability options, 401K options, tuition assistance, discounted room rates at Concord managed hotels, plus training & development and career advancement opportunities.
   
   Why Concord?
   
   Our culture is based on our five Cornerstones and they are what we consider our foundation: Quality, Integrity, Community, Profitability, and Fun. It's important to us to provide a great work environment for our associates and we strive to hire the BEST associates in the market.
   
   Our "Associate First" culture supports and inspires personal development both within the workplace and beyond. Concord's associates are what our company is built on, and we strive to recognize them for their hard work, dedication, and commitment to excellence. We value work life balance, diversity, and our commitment to provide the best customer service and quality accommodations in every market we exist
   
   If you are seeking a position where you can grow and be a part of a fun team, this job may be your answer. We are proud to be an EEO employer M/F/D/V. We maintain a drug-free workplace.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting server/baristas requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   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 server/barista

   Once you've decided on a perfect server/barista 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 important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new server/barista. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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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