Waiter/Waitress Job Description

Wondering ‘what does a waiter/waitress do?’ when writing your job description? We’ve got you covered! A waiter or waitress is a fantastic link between your kitchen and the customer. They’ll ensure your customer’s order is taken correctly, and that their food or beverages meet them in a timely and correct manner.

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What is in a Waiter/Waitress’s job description?

A Waiter or Waitress will represent your business in the most direct way. They’ll be in contact with the customer from the minute that they come through the door, helping to greet your customer and show them to their table in an efficient way. They will take orders, noting any special requests and ensure that this food meets the customer correctly. Along with this, they’ll help keep the table and restaurant or bar clean.

Essential parts of a Waiter or Waitress’s job description:

  • Waiters or Waitresses will work directly with customers, showing them to tables, preparing drinks and serving their meals. They’ll often answer the phone to potential bookings, and keep track of how many tables are free.
  • They’ll also be the bridge between the chef and the customers, passing on orders with any allergen information or special requests. The Waiter or Waitress will be in charge of getting the order to the customer while it is fresh and warm.
  • They will also usually handle payments and clean and tidy tables, ensuring they’re ready for the next guests.
  • Waiters/Waitresses often work in restaurants, cafes, fast food chains or bars. They can sometimes work in office buildings or similar establishments.

Interview questions available

Also see our Waiter/Waitress interview questions

Waiter/Waitress Job Description Example

  • Be clear in your description. Know the tasks of the role and ideally who the candidate should be.
  • This means you won’t need to read through too many CVs to find your superstar.
  • You might be tempted to use bullet points in this section, but resist the urge! Tell a story, show off all the cool things they would be responsible for, and get them excited to apply.
  • You should be more focused on your company culture and what your mission is, instead of their daily tasks.

About the role

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Are you an excellent and efficient communicator? Are you fast, organised and a natural problem solver? If so, we want to hear from you at [Company Name].

We’re looking to bring a Waiter/Waitress into our team at our [Place Name] location. You’ll be working alongside an excellent team to help ensure our customers receive the best possible experience at our restaurant. You’ll be taking orders and passing them onto our kitchen staff, as well as delivering delicious meals to our customers. Handling cash and card transactions, as well as tidying tables will be part of your role too, so being open to variety is essential!

You’ll be joining our team at an exciting time, with plenty of opportunities to learn and grow!
Du agierst proaktiv, schnell, bist gut organisiert und ein begabter Problemlösungskünstler? Deine Kommunikationsfähigkeiten sind tadellos und Service ist dein zweiter Vorname? Dann möchten wir bei [Name des Unternehmens] dich kennenlernen.

Wir suchen eine:n Kellner:in (m/w/d) zur Verstärkung unseres Teams an unserem Standort [Standort einfügen]. In Zusammenarbeit mit unserem herausragenden Team und zuvorkommendem Service sorgst du für höchste Zufriedenheit bei unseren Kunden. Du nimmst Bestellungen freundlich und professionell entgegen, leitest diese an unser Küchen- und Barpersonal weiter und servierst unseren Gästen hochwertige Speisen, wickelst Zahlungen (Bargeld- und Kartentransaktionen) ab und stellst sicher, dass die Tische schnell wieder abgeräumt und sauber sind.

Du kommst zu einem aufregenden Zeitpunkt in ein dynamisches Team und erhältst viele Möglichkeiten, zu lernen und dich weiterzuentwickeln!
  • This section is all about your candidate's experience and responsibilities. You should outline very clearly what they should expect from the job role, not from the company itself. 
  • You should use language that speaks to the candidate directly, use of “you”, “we” and “our” are all positives. 
  • Hard skills in this section are important, but don’t overlook the significance of soft skills, like communication and being a team player, these can make a huge difference to the way people work alongside each other and gel professionally. 
  • What do you believe in, and what are your core values?

Waiter/Waitress Responsibilities

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The points listed below are just an example of what your Waiter or Waitress may do on a day-to-day basis. Please remember to check over this list and add, edit or take away anything that might not be relevant to your role.

• Greet and seat guests.
• Take orders and answer questions customers may have.
• Note down any changes or allergy information relating to guests.
• Pour hot and cold drinks and serve these to guests.
• Communicate any changes to the menu or to orders with kitchen staff.
• Manage cash and card payments.
• Ensure tables are clean and tidy at all times.
• Set tables with cutlery, glasses and other equipment ready for new guests.
Die unten aufgeführten Punkte sind nur ein beispielhafter Überblick darüber, was Kellner:innen tagtäglich erwartet. Bitte denken Sie daran, diese Liste zu überprüfen und anzupassen, was für Ihre Vakanz gesucht wird.

• Du begrüßt unsere Gäste und führst sie an ihren Platz.
• Du nimmst Bestellungen der Gäste unter Berücksichtigung von Änderungswünschen oder Allergieinformationen auf und beantwortest ihre Fragen.
• Du servierst Getränke und Speisen und hast die Versorgung der Gäste stets im Blick.
• Du besprichst Änderungen der Speisekarte oder der Bestellungen mit dem Küchenpersonal.
• Du verwaltest Bar- und Kartenzahlungen.
• Du sorgst dafür, dass die Tische immer sauber und aufgeräumt sind.
• Du deckst die Tische mit Besteck, Gläsern und anderen Utensilien für neue Gäste ein und versetzt verlassene Tische zügig in einen ansprechenden Zustand zurück.
  • This section is essential to finding the candidate with the skills and qualifications that will help them in their job role.
  • This should be clear and concise and set boundaries for submissions.
  • The more information you add to your skills section, the less candidates you’ll have to sift through to find the right one.
  • This would waste both your time and the potential candidate so avoid being wordy as much as possible. Think about what would be an essential part of this role, and what would the applicant need to be successful in the job?

Waiter/Waitress Requirements

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Be sure to read over these example Waiter/Waitress requirements closely and make any changes you may need for your specific role.

• 1 year of customer service experience.
• Proven experience working with food and beverages is a plus.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Confidence with handling cash and electronic transactions.
• Basic maths skills.
• Great time management and problem-solving skills.
• Understanding of food and beverage safety is a plus.
• Ability to work on your feet for extended periods.
Bitte lesen Sie die nachfolgenden Beispielanforderungen für Kellner:innen genau durch und nehmen Sie gegebenenfalls Anpassungen vor, bevor Sie Ihre Stellenanzeige veröffentlichen.

• Du bringst mindestens 1 Jahr Erfahrung im Servicebereich mit und bist erfahren im sachgemäßen Umgang mit Lebensmitteln und Getränken.
• Du verfügst über ausgezeichnete Kommunikations-, Problemlösungs- und Deeskalationsfähigkeiten.
• Du pflegst einen sicheren Umgang mit Bargeldzahlungen und elektronischen Transaktionen.
• Du bringst grundlegende mathematische Fähigkeiten mit.
• Du verfügst über fundierte Kenntnisse der Vorschriften zur Lebensmittel- und Getränkesicherheit.
• Du bist körperlich belastbar, strahlst vor Energie und Tatendrang und auch lange Tage mit viel Bewegung sind kein Problem für dich.

Need inspiration?

Your job description will not attract talent all on its own. So when putting together your job post, be sure to show what it's like working at your company not just textually but visually!

  • Remember, attracting a candidate is just as much about your company culture as the job role itself. Make sure to include points that make you seem desirable too!
  • Add photos that show off your office space, team events and your team having a great time.
  • Maybe you could include a video of some team members explaining why they love coming to work, or why they like their role.
  • Include a grid of attractive perks with some nice illustrations. Maybe you have unlimited holidays, or you have an attractive parental leave cover - show off!
  • Why not embed your company's Instagram feed to give a IRL overview of the day-to-day.

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