Server Job Description & Responsibilities:
Serving is absolutely a team sport. They must rely on all other team members to keep the pace & to complete a successful shift. Working as a team to give guests service like they cannot receive anywhere else is what will set the restaurant apart. Having consistent facetime with guests & offering/receiving help when it’s needed are the key components of success.
1. Opening/Closing Responsibilities: Opening & closing the restaurant each day seems obvious but can be a real point of contention if not done consistently & properly. You may have heard the phrase, “Close like you’re opening, open like you’re closing”. Servers should be meticulously going through & completing all open/close side-work daily in a way that sets everyone up for the most success. Managers will be monitoring & signing off on tasks as needed. Opening/closing may include, but are not limited to:
- Polishing glassware & silverware.
- Sweeping & mopping.
- Stocking to-go supplies.
- Bathroom cleaning.
- Cleaning & stocking server stations.
- Trash removal.
- Table setting.
2. Proper & full knowledge of Food & Beverage Menus: You must know what you’re selling to sell it. You wouldn’t buy a car from someone who couldn’t even tell you what year it is. Guests will be looking to you for menu knowledge; whether that means making suggestions, ingredient explanations, portion sizes, or even allergen information; you should know the answer! Menu testing will be a routine part of training & developing training.
3. Communication with Teammates: Servers must communicate with all team members. The host will be able to give insight into the tables you’re receiving & looking forward to. Expo will be able to tell you just how long your food may take coming out of the kitchen or if items are 86’d. Bartenders will be able to tell you where your drink order is or if items are 86’d. Server assistants will be able to tell you how long it will take to get specific silverware or other needs to you. Other servers will be able to ask for help or even offer assistance to you. Communication is non-negotiable.
4. Warm, Welcome, & Prompt Greeting: 30 seconds to a guest can feel like a full 5 minutes. A 1-minute greeting will be the goal. Once contact with the table is made, your greeting should be exciting, warm, & welcoming. For example: “Welcome in, friends. Thanks for choosing to spend your evening with us. My name is (insert your name here), is this your first time dining with us?”. Determining if it’s the guest’s first-time dining with us & if they’re celebrating anything should be the first 2 questions asked. This will tell you whether you need to fully go over the menu options or if you can allow them to peruse & ask questions at their leisure. Knowing if they’re celebrating will determine the goal of the evening & who is being celebrated specifically. A first impression is incredibly important.
5. Suggestive selling: Suggestively selling is a skill that will come with getting comfortable with the menus. This can include describing featured dishes with colorful words such as “fresh”, “spicy”, or “made in house”. This can also include bringing a personal touch to the suggestion by describing what you order every time you dine at the restaurant. If suggestive selling isn’t your strong suit, the best way to practice is by choosing 2 items per week & talking about them in detail to guests until you feel comfortable suggesting them to anyone. This technique will increase your check average as well as guest satisfaction.
6. Consistent Presence Tableside: There’s nothing worse than feeling as if you’ve been forgotten or overlooked at a restaurant. An open line of communication ensures that guests aren’t left guessing about what’s going on. Keeping checkpoints in your head throughout the dinner service will guarantee that you’re maintaining a consistent presence with your guests without being overbearing. These checkpoints should include:
- Initial Greeting/Menu Spiel
- Beverage Order
- Delivery of Beverages
- Order Taking
- Food Delivery
- Checking in after the first 1 to 2 bites
- Beverage Check In
- Clearing the table
- Dessert offering/delivery
- Check & Final Thank You’s
7. Meeting Guest’s Needs: The needs of our guests range from face-to-face interaction, cleanliness, food, beverages, answering questions & everything in between. Servers should always keep an open mind & a calm, collected, & even enthusiastic attitude when being faced with the need of a guest or group of guests.
8. Mediating the needs of Unhappy Guests: No matter the circumstance, management should ALWAYS be told immediately if any guest complains or seems unhappy. Unfortunately, we will have unhappy guests & servers do seem to take more of the heat in those moments when food is slow to come out of the kitchen or the bar is falling behind. Keeping a calm & even temperament & understanding that the problem is NEVER personal will help to ease the tension in these situations. Standard procedure is to stop, listen, empathize, & alert management. Problems will always be faced together, never alone.
9. Creating an Experience: Our main goal should be to create a memorable dining experience that gives guests a reason to return. Restaurants are used to celebrate, to commemorate, to ease the tension of difficult life situations, as a convenience when life gets hectic, & countless other emotional moments. We want guests to feel as though we’re experiencing those big life moments right along with them. The experience is more than just a transaction of food & service for money; it’s about the feelings that we can invoke through hospitality.
10. Working with a Positive, Team Focused Attitude: Working as a team is crucial to the success of our restaurant. Knowing when to ask for help, offering help when/where it’s needed, fulfilling tasks that keep the team moving forward, being gracious, listening well, & being genuine are all non-negotiable.
- Running your food & other’s food to tables/the bar
- Using your free time to help the server assistants
- Cleaning up a mess that may not be yours
- Helping a guest that may not directly be your guest with a need
- Asking if you can lend a hand with an overwhelming task
- Getting the dishwasher & kitchen team water
Requirements
- Strong customer service skills with a focus on guest relations and satisfaction.
- Basic culinary knowledge is advantageous, along with food handling certification.
- Excellent time management skills to efficiently handle multiple tasks in a busy environment.
- Ability to work flexible hours, including nights and weekends as required by the restaurant's schedule.
- Strong communication skills to effectively interact with guests and team members.
- A positive attitude with a willingness to learn and adapt in a fast-paced setting. Join us in delivering an unforgettable dining experience where your skills can shine!
Job Types: Full-time, Part-time
Pay: $10.00 - $23.57 per hour
Expected hours: 15 – 40 per week
Benefits:
Work Location: In person
