Summary
A server takes care of guests from the moment they sit down to the moment they leave. Servers take orders, bring food and drinks, answer questions and make sure the table has what it needs.
Describe your restaurant: full service, casual, bar and grill or counter service. Say what the shifts look like and how tips and pay work.
Duties and responsibilities
- Greet guests, explain the menu and answer questions about ingredients and options.
- Take orders accurately and enter them in the system.
- Serve food and drinks, check back on the table and refill as needed.
- Handle payments accurately and return the right change.
- Share allergy and special request details with the kitchen.
- Set up and clean tables, side stations and your section.
- Work with hosts, bartenders and cooks so tables are served on time.
Skills and qualities
- Friendly, patient and positive with guests.
- Good memory and attention to detail.
- Able to move fast and stay calm during busy periods.
- Comfortable with a point-of-sale system and with handling money.
- A strong team player.
- Able to carry trays and stand for a full shift.
Typical requirements
- Previous server experience, or willingness to be trained.
- A food handler card, and an alcohol service certificate if you serve alcohol, where your state or county requires them.
- Minimum age that meets your state’s rules, especially if alcohol is served.
- Availability for evenings, weekends and holidays if the job needs them.
Requirements differ by state, city and employer. Check the licensing, age, safety and pay rules that apply to your business before you post. This page is a starting point, not legal advice.
Schedule and conditions
Restaurant shifts follow meal service, and weekends are often the busiest. Give the usual days and hours, and whether closing shifts are required.
Explain how tips, tip pooling and the base wage work in your restaurant, and follow the wage rules that apply in your state.
Nice to have
- Experience in a restaurant like yours.
- Bartending or wine knowledge, if the job needs it.
- Experience training new servers.
- A second language, if your guests need it.
Tips for posting this job
- Describe the restaurant and the style of service.
- List the shifts, and say how schedules are posted.
- Explain how tips and pay work, in plain words.
- Say whether you provide uniform pieces, training and a staff meal.
- State the age and certification requirements that apply.
Put your real pay, schedule and location in the posting. Candidates skip posts that leave them out.
Sample job post
Copy this, then change the words in brackets to match your business.
Server: [full service / casual dining] at [restaurant name] in [city]
[Restaurant name] is a [style of restaurant] hiring a server to take care of our guests during [lunch / dinner / weekend] service. You will work with our hosts, bartenders and kitchen team so every table is served well and on time.
Pay: [pay rate or range, and how tips work]. Schedule: [days and hours], including [evenings / weekends / holidays]. Start: [start date].
- Greet guests, explain the menu and answer questions about ingredients and options.
- Take orders accurately and enter them in the system.
- Serve food and drinks, check back on the table and refill as needed.
- Pass allergy and special requests to the kitchen.
- Handle payments accurately, and keep your section and side stations clean.
- Requirements: [server experience, or willing to train], [food handler card and alcohol service certificate where required], and availability for [evenings / weekends].
- We provide: [training, uniform pieces, staff meal, other benefits].
Interview questions for a server
- How do you greet a table, and what do you say in the first minute?
- A guest tells you about a food allergy. What do you do?
- Your section is full and two tables want you at once. How do you handle it?
- Tell me about a time a guest was unhappy with their meal. What did you do?
- Which point-of-sale systems have you used?
- How would you suggest a dish or a drink without being pushy?
- Can you work evenings, weekends and holidays?
Ask every candidate the same questions so you can compare answers fairly. HRGP keeps your questions, notes and scores with each applicant.
Questions and answers
What does a restaurant server do?
A server, also called a waiter or waitress, takes care of guests during their meal. Server duties include greeting guests, explaining the menu, taking orders, serving food and drinks, passing allergy details to the kitchen, handling payments and keeping tables and side stations clean.
What are the requirements to be a server?
Many restaurants hire servers with some experience, and many train new servers. Some states or counties require a food handler card, and an alcohol service certificate if alcohol is served, and there may be minimum age rules. Those rules differ by state and county, so check what applies where you are.
What should a server job description include?
Describe your restaurant and style of service, the main server duties, the shifts and how schedules are posted. Explain how tips and pay work in plain words, and list the age and certificate requirements that apply. Say what you provide, such as training, uniform pieces and a staff meal.
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