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What does a Restaurant Server do?

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Brenna Goyette
Certified Professional Resume Writer, Career Expert

Published 3 min read

A restaurant server is responsible for taking orders and serving food and drink to customers. They may also be responsible for cleaning tables and setting up tables for the next meal.

Restaurant Server job duties include:

  • Greet customers and present menu
  • Make recommendations and answer all questions about our food, beverages and service
  • Take accurate food and drinks orders, using a POS ordering system
  • Check with customers to ensure that they are enjoying their meals and take action to correct any problems
  • Deliver food and drinks to guests
  • Handle payments
  • Perform side work duties as assigned, such as cleaning, stocking or setting up dining areas
  • Follow all company policies and procedures
  • Provide excellent customer service

Restaurant Server Job Requirements

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

Certification: Food Handler’s card

Experience: 1 year of experience as a server in a restaurant

Restaurant Server Skills

  • Greeting customers
  • Taking orders
  • Answering questions about menu items
  • Relaying orders to kitchen staff
  • Serving food and drinks
  • Clearing away dishes and utensils
  • Resolving customer complaints
  • Processing payments
  • Promoting specials or new menu items
  • Upselling additional items
  • Maintaining a clean and organized dining area

Related: Top Restaurant Server Skills: Definition and Examples

How to become a Restaurant Server

A restaurant server is responsible for taking orders and serving food and drinks to customers. They are typically responsible for a section of the restaurant, and may be responsible for multiple tables. Restaurant servers must be able to remember orders, as well as keep track of which table ordered what. They must also be able to effectively communicate with the kitchen staff to ensure that orders are prepared correctly and in a timely manner.

The best way to become a restaurant server is to have prior experience in customer service. This could include working as a cashier, hostess, or in another customer-facing role. It is also important to be outgoing and personable, as restaurant servers must be able to build rapport with customers. Additionally, being organized and efficient is critical, as restaurant servers need to be able to keep track of multiple orders at once.

If you have no prior experience working in customer service, you may want to consider taking a hospitality or customer service training course. These courses will teach you the basics of interacting with customers and taking orders. Many restaurants also offer on-the-job training for new servers, so this is another option to consider if you are interested in becoming a restaurant server.

Related: Restaurant Server Resume Example

Related: Restaurant Server Interview Questions (With Example Answers)

Editorial staff

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Editor

Brenna Goyette

Expert Verified

Brenna is a certified professional resume writer, career expert, and the content manager of the ResumeCat team. She has a background in corporate recruiting and human resources and has been writing resumes for over 10 years. Brenna has experience in recruiting for tech, finance, and marketing roles and has a passion for helping people find their dream jobs. She creates expert resources to help job seekers write the best resumes and cover letters, land the job, and succeed in the workplace.

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