Post job

How to hire a waiter/waitress, captain

Waiter/waitress, captain hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring waiter/waitresses, captain in the United States:

  • In the United States, the median cost per hire a waiter/waitress, captain is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new waiter/waitress, captain to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a waiter/waitress, captain, step by step

To hire a waiter/waitress, captain, you need to identify the specific skills and experience you want in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and advertise the job opening to attract potential candidates. To hire a waiter/waitress, captain, you should follow these steps:

Here's a step-by-step waiter/waitress, captain hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write a waiter/waitress, captain job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new waiter/waitress, captain
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist
jobs
Post a waiter/waitress, captain job for free, promote it for a fee
  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you start hiring a waiter/waitress, captain, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    A waiter/waitress, captain's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, waiter/waitresses, captain from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

    This list presents waiter/waitress, captain salaries for various positions.

    Type of Waiter/Waitress, CaptainDescriptionHourly rate
    Waiter/Waitress, Captain$9-15
    Front Of House ManagerA front of house manager coordinates and supervises the front house team. Front of house managers make sure that every client receives a warm welcome... Show more$12-29
    Shift LeaderShift leaders are tenured or experienced employees who are assigned to oversee employees in specific work shifts. They manage team members who are assigned in their shift... Show more$12-20
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Wine
    • Sale System
    Responsibilities:
    • Set up, work in, and manage the private room events as both bartender and waiter.
    • Compose the wine list and order wine to be sell in the restaurant.
    • Develop relationships with regular patrons; develop an understanding of their personal needs and expectations, including preferences and food allergies.
    • Service of drinks, cocktails and food in a busy, members only VIP environment.
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your waiter/waitress, captain job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A waiter/waitress, captain salary can vary based on several factors:
    • Location. For example, waiter/waitresses, captain' average salary in kentucky is 40% less than in connecticut.
    • Seniority. Entry-level waiter/waitresses, captain earn 38% less than senior-level waiter/waitresses, captain.
    • Certifications. A waiter/waitress, captain 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 waiter/waitress, captain's salary.

    Average waiter/waitress, captain salary

    $12.43hourly

    $25,863 yearly

    Entry-level waiter/waitress, captain salary
    $20,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 18, 2025
  4. Writing a waiter/waitress, captain job description

    A job description for a waiter/waitress, captain role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a waiter/waitress, captain job description:

    Waiter/waitress, captain job description example

    This serving position earns a competitive wage starting at $2.13 per hour plus tips and then increases to $2.50 per hour plus tips after four months. Some shifts offer $7.25 per hour plus tips depending on the schedule. We provide great benefits , including medical, dental, vision, and paid vacation time for full-time team members . We are also providing our team with a new discount program that offers discounts on travel, gyms, cell phones, restaurants, auto purchases, apparel, and electronics . Additionally, our team members get free shift meals . If this sounds like the right full- or part-time food service opportunity for you, apply today!


    ABOUT IHOP

    Since 1958, IHOP has been the place where people can connect over breakfast, enjoy study breaks, grab a bite to eat before or after sporting events, and so much more. No matter what menu items our customers order, one ingredient is always a constant - a smile. In fact, smiles are so much a part of our culture that we changed our logo to include one. We know the shortest distance between two people is a smile. Our values of integrity, excellence, innovation, accountability, inclusion, trust, and community are ingrained in everything that we do, ensuring our customers always receive the highest quality of service.

    When you work for IHOP restaurants, we encourage you to "be the pancake you wish to see in the world." Our team members are more than just traditional employees. They help create smiles for the future with their warm and friendly service. To show our appreciation for all the hard work that our employees do, we promote a supportive work environment that encourages building lifelong friendships and offers opportunities for professional growth .


    A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A SERVER / WAITER / WAITRESS

    In this food service position, you play a huge part in the experience each customer has at our restaurant! As guests come in you warmly greet them, promptly take orders, and follow up to ensure exceptional customer service. Your awareness serves you well as you refill drinks and clear dishes at appropriate times. In addition to serving-related tasks, you perform other responsibilities like cleaning and presetting tables, stocking, and practicing superior cash handling standards when collecting payments.

    Your problem-solving skills come in handy when you need to rectify guest complaints, and you always promptly notify the management of these situations. Whether you're interacting with customers or coworkers, you always behave in a professional manner and follow uniform guidelines. Overall, you love working with lots of different people and having the opportunity to be an important part of the team !


    QUALIFICATIONS FOR A SERVER / WAITER / WAITRESS

    • Ability to be on your feet for long periods of time and lift up to 25 lbs.
    • Exceptional customer service skills

    Experience with computers is preferred but is not required. Are you adaptable and able to work well under pressure? Can you effectively prioritize multiple tasks? Do you have solid interpersonal and communication skills? Can you represent our company in a professional manner? Are you service-oriented? Do you thrive in a fast-paced environment? Are you a team player and willing to help out wherever you're needed? If yes, you might just be perfect for this full- or part-time food service position!


    WORK SCHEDULE FOR A SERVER / WAITER / WAITRESS

    This serving position is full- or part-time and works a varied and flexible work schedule.


    ARE YOU READY TO JOIN OUR RESTAURANT SERVING TEAM?

    If you feel that you have the right serving skills for this full- or part-time food service job with our restaurant, please fill out our initial 3-minute, mobile-friendly application . We look forward to meeting you!

    Location: 37830

  5. Post your job

    To find the right waiter/waitress, captain for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

    • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with waiter/waitresses, captain they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit waiter/waitresses, captain who meet your education requirements.
    • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your waiter/waitress, captain job on Zippia to find and recruit waiter/waitress, captain candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Recruiting waiter/waitresses, captain 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 to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you 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 waiter/waitress, captain

    Once you have selected a candidate for the waiter/waitress, captain position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

    You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

    After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new waiter/waitress, captain. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are 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.)
    Sign up to download full list

How much does it cost to hire a waiter/waitress, captain?

Before you start to hire waiter/waitresses, captain, it pays to consider both the one-off costs like recruitment, job promotion, and onboarding, as well as the ongoing costs of an employee's salary and benefits. While most companies that hire waiter/waitresses, captain pay close attention to the initial cost of hiring, ongoing costs are much more significant in the long run.

You can expect to pay around $25,863 per year for a waiter/waitress, captain, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for waiter/waitresses, captain in the US typically range between $9 and $15 an hour.

Find better waiter/waitresses, captain in less time
Post a job on Zippia and hire the best from over 7 million monthly job seekers.

Hiring waiter/waitresses, captain FAQs

Search for waiter/waitress, captain jobs

Ready to start hiring?

Browse food preparation and restaurant jobs