Top 12 Busboy Skills to Put on Your Resume

In today's hospitality world, standing out as a busboy (often called a busser) takes more than clearing plates. A sharp resume shows a full toolkit—speed, care, awareness, teamwork—everything that keeps the dining room humming and guests smiling, even when the rush hits hard.

Busboy Skills

1. Table Setting
2. Dishwashing
3. Sanitation Protocols
4. Customer Service
5. POS Systems
6. Time Management
7. Glassware Knowledge
8. Silverware Polishing
9. Spill Cleanup
10. Tray Balancing
11. Food Safety
12. Team Collaboration

1. Table Setting

Table setting means placing plates, glassware, and utensils exactly where they belong, in line with house standards, and doing it swiftly after each party leaves. Clean, reset, reset again. Everything aligned, nothing missing.

Why It's Important

First impressions happen at the table. A precise setup signals care, calm, and readiness. It speeds service, reduces hiccups, and frames the entire meal with quiet professionalism.

How to Improve Table Setting Skills

Get quick. Get consistent. Get picky about details.

1. Know the standard: Memorize the house layout—forks, knives, napkin folds, glass placement—so it becomes muscle memory.

2. Stage your tools: Keep polish cloths, rollups, and backup settings organized and within reach.

3. Measure with your eye: Align silverware and glassware the same way every time for a crisp, professional look.

4. Build a flow: Clear, wipe, sanitize, lay settings—in that order—so speed never tramples quality.

5. Check the shine: Glasses spotless, plates unchipped, table edges clean. Tiny flaws stand out.

6. Absorb feedback: Watch seasoned staff. Borrow what works and drop what slows you down.

How to Display Table Setting Skills on Your Resume

2. Dishwashing

Dishwashing covers pre-rinsing, loading, running, unloading, and drying dishes, utensils, and cookware—fast, sanitary, unbroken. Ready again for service in a blink.

Why It's Important

No clean plates, no service. Hygiene stays high, the kitchen keeps moving, and guests get what they came for without delay.

How to Improve Dishwashing Skills

Small habits save minutes and prevent pileups.

1. Pre-soak tough items: Warm, soapy water loosens baked-on messes and cuts scrub time.

2. Sort smart: Group by type and size for efficient racks and quicker turnarounds.

3. Use hot water and the right detergent: Heat and proper chemicals do the heavy lifting safely.

4. Match tools to the task: Non-scratch pads for delicate pieces, sturdy brushes for pans.

5. Maintain the machine: Clean filters, check temps, descale as scheduled for consistent results.

6. Work the lulls: Clear backlogs during slower moments so the rush never buries you.

Steady flow in the dish pit means steady flow everywhere.

How to Display Dishwashing Skills on Your Resume

3. Sanitation Protocols

Sanitation protocols are the rules of clean: wash, rinse, sanitize, and verify. Tables, chairs, menus, high-touch points—handled properly and often. No shortcuts.

Why It's Important

Clean spaces protect guests and staff, avoid illness, and uphold the restaurant’s reputation. It’s service you can’t see—but everyone feels it.

How to Improve Sanitation Protocols Skills

Precision builds trust.

1. Hands first: Wash thoroughly and often, especially after bussing, trash runs, or restroom trips.

2. Glove sense: Wear gloves for dirty work and change them between tasks to prevent cross-contamination.

3. Right chemicals, right contact time: Use approved sanitizers and follow label directions so they actually work.

4. Handle clean by the edges: Plates by the rim, glasses by the stem/base, utensils by the handle.

5. Waste discipline: Empty bins before they overflow. Clean and sanitize the bin areas regularly.

6. Refresh training: Short refreshers keep standards sharp and consistent across shifts.

How to Display Sanitation Protocols Skills on Your Resume

4. Customer Service

Customer service for a busboy means being alert to needs, fast on resets, friendly in passing, and helpful when asked. Quiet, steady hospitality.

Why It's Important

Guests remember how they felt. Smooth service brings them back, fills seats, and lifts the whole team.

How to Improve Customer Service Skills

Polish the small moments.

1. Be prompt: Turn tables quickly without rushing guests. Reset as soon as they leave.

2. Notice the unspoken: Refill waters, offer extra napkins, spot crumbs before anyone asks.

3. Use warm courtesies: A smile, a quick greeting, a “thank you” on the way out—tiny, powerful.

4. Back your teammates: Support servers and hosts so guest needs never stall.

5. Keep it spotless: Clean floors, tidy stations, polished glass—guests feel the care.

How to Display Customer Service Skills on Your Resume

5. POS Systems

POS (Point of Sale) systems track orders, table status, and payments. Even as a busboy, knowing what’s open, what’s closing, and what’s next helps you be in the right place at the right time.

Why It's Important

Clear visibility into table turns and ticket flow trims delays, reduces confusion, and tightens service.

How to Improve POS Systems Skills

Make the system work for the floor, not the other way around.

1. Live table status: Learn how the system marks seated, firing, and closing checks so you can prep resets precisely.
2. Mobile cues: If your venue uses alerts, enable notifications to jump on turnovers faster.
3. Prioritize tasks: Use on-screen notes or team norms to focus on urgent tables first.
4. Close the loop: Share quick feedback with managers on hiccups so workflows can be refined.

How to Display POS Systems Skills on Your Resume

6. Time Management

Time management means juggling resets, waters, polish, and trash runs without dropping the ball. Order in the chaos, especially during the dinner crush.

Why It's Important

Faster turns, fewer bottlenecks, calmer service. Everyone wins—guests, servers, kitchen, and you.

How to Improve Time Management Skills

Trim wasted motion and plan the next step while finishing the current one.

1. Rank tasks: Hit the most urgent, guest-facing needs first; batch the rest.
2. Plan passes: Combine trips—never walk empty-handed if you can help it.
3. Keep stations tidy: Organized tools speed everything else.
4. Talk to the team: Quick check-ins prevent double work and missed tables.
5. Protect your energy: Hydrate, rest when you can, pace yourself for the long haul.

How to Display Time Management Skills on Your Resume

7. Glassware Knowledge

Glassware knowledge is knowing which glass suits which beverage, and how to handle, wash, and store each piece safely. Stemware, pints, rocks, flutes—each with a purpose.

Why It's Important

Right glass, right look, less breakage. It protects guests and elevates presentation instantly.

How to Improve Glassware Knowledge Skills

Learn fast, handle gently.

1. Study the lineup: Match common drinks to their glasses—wine, beer, cocktails, water.

2. Handle with care: Hold by stems or bases to avoid smudges and heat transfer.

3. Wash and dry correctly: Use proper racks, hot water, and lint-free cloths for a spotless finish.

4. Store smart: Space glasses to prevent chips and keep rims clear of shelves.

5. Practice by sight: Quiz yourself during side work to speed recognition.

How to Display Glassware Knowledge Skills on Your Resume

8. Silverware Polishing

Silverware polishing is the final gleam—no water spots, no streaks, no smudges. Ready for service, spotless and sanitary.

Why It's Important

Shiny flatware signals clean and cared-for. Guests notice, even if they don’t call it out.

How to Improve Silverware Polishing Skills

Make shine your signature.

1. Pre-rinse: Knock off residue before a full wash to avoid film.

2. Hot wash, quick dry: Prevent water spots by drying immediately with a clean microfiber cloth.

3. Polish gently: Straight strokes, not circles, to avoid fine scratches.

4. Keep it clean: Fresh cloths and sanitized hands maintain the finish.

5. Store correctly: Dry, covered containers reduce tarnish and dust.

How to Display Silverware Polishing Skills on Your Resume

9. Spill Cleanup

Spill cleanup means act now—cordon the area, absorb, clean, sanitize, dry. Safety first, appearance next, both done quickly.

Why It's Important

Slips and contamination are no joke. Quick cleanup protects guests and keeps service smooth.

How to Improve Spill Cleanup Skills

Move fast, think safe.

1. Size it up: Identify what spilled to choose the right approach and products.

2. Mark the zone: Put out a wet floor sign immediately to prevent accidents.

3. Contain and absorb: Use towels or absorbent material to stop spread before scrubbing.

4. Clean and sanitize: Match cleaner to the spill type, then sanitize and dry the area fully.

5. Dispose properly: Follow house rules for handling soiled materials.

6. Prevent repeats: If it’s recurring, adjust layout or habits to cut the risk.

How to Display Spill Cleanup Skills on Your Resume

10. Tray Balancing

Tray balancing is controlled weight and calm motion—dishes, glasses, and flatware arranged so nothing wobbles and nothing falls.

Why It's Important

Fewer spills, fewer breaks, faster turns. It keeps service slick and safe.

How to Improve Tray Balancing Skills

Technique beats brute strength.

1. Start light: Fewer items, then more as your control improves.
2. Center the weight: Heavier pieces in the middle, balance the rest around them.
3. Solid grip: Support under the tray’s center; graduate to one-handed carry when steady.
4. Posture matters: Straight back, level shoulders, smooth steps.
5. Eyes ahead: Watch your path, not the tray.
6. Practice routes: Rehearse tight turns and narrow aisles before peak hours.

How to Display Tray Balancing Skills on Your Resume

11. Food Safety

Food safety for a busboy means clean hands, clean tools, clean surfaces. Avoid cross-contact, handle dishware properly, and keep the dining area sanitary.

Why It's Important

Good habits prevent foodborne illness. Guests stay healthy, trust stays intact.

How to Improve Food Safety Skills

Make hygiene a reflex.

1. Strict handwashing: Before handling clean items, after clearing tables, and after trash or restroom breaks.

2. Clean, then sanitize: Use the right products and allow proper contact time.

3. Separate clean from dirty: Dedicated bins or sides of a cart keep cross-contamination at bay.

4. Waste control: Remove trash promptly and maintain clean, closed containers.

5. Report illness: Tell a manager if you’re sick—especially with GI symptoms—before working a shift.

How to Display Food Safety Skills on Your Resume

12. Team Collaboration

Team collaboration is the relay—hosts, servers, bussers, expo, kitchen—everyone passing the baton smoothly so service never stutters.

Why It's Important

Shared awareness cuts delays. Clean tables appear, orders land, guests feel cared for. It’s the difference between hectic and harmonious.

How to Improve Team Collaboration Skills

Clarity, tempo, trust.

1. Communicate fast and plain: Short updates—what’s open, what needs hands, what’s next.

2. Align roles: Know your zone and step in when someone’s buried.

3. Feedback loops: Quick huddles to fix bottlenecks and share wins.

4. Light training: Short, regular refreshers keep everyone synced.

5. Positive signals: Courtesy and quick thanks build team rhythm under pressure.

How to Display Team Collaboration Skills on Your Resume