Job Description Template for Restaurant Servers

HigherMe has created the perfect restaurant server job description template to make posting an open position quick and easy.

To create the perfect template:

• Read the template replacing the words in square brackets
• When you see [Option : ] pick the options that most accurately describe your job or restaurant.
• Make sure you read every line and remove the points that do not apply to your restaurant.

Description [Create the image of an appealing workplace.]

Are you passionate about food and creating outstanding culinary experiences? People that work at [restaurant name] are known for their personality, drive, and passion! Are you looking for a place to work with [Option : flexible schedules, great discounts, legendary staff events and plenty of opportunities to learn and grow]? If so, we want to hear from you!

A Restaurant Server’s Responsibilities [Show a diversity of tasks and opportunities to grow.]

• Welcome guests to the restaurant
• Seat guests and present menus
• Inform guests of specials and menu items
• Take orders and relay to the kitchen staff
• Serve food and drinks
• Check guests’ orders for accuracy
• Remove dishes and glasses from tables
• Prepare bills and process payments
• Handle guest complaints or concerns

We hire great people, train them well and provide plenty of opportunities to learn and grow. We’re looking for energetic, team-oriented applicants who take pride in providing an outstanding food experience

What We Offer

Salary: [add salary range here] per hour.

Benefits:

• Overtime pay
• Tips
• Discounted or free food
• Schedule adapted to your lifestyle
• Many opportunities for advancement
• Company events
• ___% dining discounts?
• Closed for Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve & Christmas Day
• ___ hours of paid sick time every year
• A separate PTO accrual for vacation time
• $___ referral bonuses
• Medical, Dental & Vision insurance
• Life insurance policy
• Disability policy
• Access to an Employee Assistance Program

Experience:

• Serving experience: [prefered years of cooking experience] years (preferred)
• Focus on quality control and organization
• Punctual & thorough
• Strong interest in teamwork
• Ability to work under pressure
• Good sense of organization

Schedule:

• [Option: Part-time, Full-time, Weekdays, Weekends]
• [Option: Day shift, night shift]
• [Option: 8 hour shift, 10 hour shift, 12 hour shift]

Apply Today [Encourage your potential applicants to reach out.]

We’d love to meet you in person, contact the location to ask about the times available for open interviews or submit your application by applying now.

To download a printable version of this document click here.

Other Questions Around Restaurant Server Job Descriptions

What Skills Do Waiters Need?

• Customer Service: Serving (waiting) is a customer service position. Customer service skills include patience and understanding. Some customers may be angry or rude, others will be friendly and kind, you have to deal with both in a consistent, amiable manner. You must communicate clearly and directly and cheerfully, and remember that a customer has to leave satisfied with a desire to write great online reviews and recommend your restaurant to friends and family.
• Knowledge: You must know the menu and be ready to explain it to your customer. You might be asked how certain dishes are prepared, if a sauce is vegetarian or contains pork, if the food is locally grown, are the cakes baked on premises, are the chickens free range, etc. Understanding food safety and proper food handling is important and some positions may require a certificate in food hygiene. Money handling skills include basic math for figuring change and counting bills and coins.
• Sales: Waiting is also a selling position - if the chef needs to move a particular dish, you should recommend that dish. If you have an opportunity to upsell, do so, but you’re not there to pitch, you’re there to educate and recommend: find a balance between salesperson and customer advocate. A good waiter is empathetic and can anticipate the customer’s needs.
• Teamwork: A kitchen needs a strong team to operate smoothly: you have to work well with your peers and managers but also keep an open mind towards constructive criticism.
• Memory: Good memory skills are an important aspect of serving: particularly when busy. Memory tricks include word and visual associations, organizing information, mnemonic devices (i.e., BMW: Bread on the left, the meal in the middle, water on the right), good notes, etc.
• Active Listening: In a noisy and busy environment, the ability to focus on your customer will improve their dining experience. Repeat back their orders or issues before heading back to the kitchen.
• Technology: Working knowledge of point-of-sales systems (POS), restaurant software, cash registers, handheld devices, etc., is a plus as the industry relies more heavily on technology.
• Strength and dexterity: Waiting is a physical job that takes strength and coordination - you’re on your feet for hours, handling heavy, loaded trays which need to make it to a table without spillage or breakage.

What Are the Questions Asked In a Waiter Interview?

Serving is a customer-facing position, so people skills, problem solving and previous experience are important. Here’s five questions to ask a potential hire:

• Tell me about your experience, particularly your last job: your responsibilities, your contributions to the team and the reason you left.
• Tell me how you upsell on drinks, wine and desserts.
• How will you create a positive customer experience?
• Are you flexible on days and shifts and can you take extra shifts or work long ones?
• How do you handle an angry customer? What are your conflict management skills?

What Are the Big Five Responsibilities of a Restaurant Waiter?

Restaurants rely upon great food and service: The waiter carries both on their trays acting as a direct interface between the chef and the dining room. To create the best possible customer experience, a waiter excels at these five responsibilities. Make sure your staff knows them and is well-trained in your workflow and process:

• Greeting the customer, possibly escorting them to the table.
• Take the customer’s order accurately using a POS system, order pad or memory, while answering questions, recommending (if asked) and upselling.
• Serving the food in a timely manner and checking on the table for drinks, refills, customer satisfaction, dessert, etc.
• Handling the bill, payments and change in a timely and accurate manner.
• Always present excellent personal hygiene and cleanliness and adhere to all health department rules and guidelines to ensure a safe environment.