Top 12 Restaurant Skills to Put on Your Resume
In the fast-paced and dynamic world of the restaurant industry, having the right set of skills on your resume can significantly elevate your chances of landing your desired job. This guide highlights the top 12 restaurant skills that employers value, providing you with a competitive edge in the bustling hospitality market.
Restaurant Skills
- POS Systems
- OpenTable
- Inventory Management
- Food Safety
- Customer Service
- Reservation Management
- TouchBistro
- Square
- Menu Development
- Wine Knowledge
- Kitchen Operations
- Clover
1. POS Systems
A POS (Point of Sale) system for a restaurant is a digital platform that manages orders, payments, inventory, and customer data, streamlining operations from the moment a customer places an order to the final billing and payment process.
Why It's Important
POS (Point of Sale) systems are crucial for restaurants as they streamline operations by managing orders, payments, inventory, and customer data, enhancing efficiency, accuracy, and customer service.
How to Improve POS Systems Skills
Improving POS (Point of Sale) systems for a restaurant involves enhancing efficiency, user experience, and integrating advanced features. Here are concise ways to achieve this:
Upgrade to Cloud-Based Systems: Migrate to a cloud-based POS system for real-time data access, better security, and scalability. Square and Toast are examples of robust cloud-based POS solutions.
Integrate with Mobile Ordering and Payments: Adopt mobile ordering and contactless payment options to streamline operations and improve customer experience. Services like Square offer seamless mobile payment solutions.
Enhance User Interface (UI): Ensure the POS system has an intuitive and easy-to-use interface to speed up training and reduce errors. TouchBistro is known for its user-friendly UI designed specifically for restaurants.
Implement Inventory Management: Integrate advanced inventory management tools to track stock levels in real-time, reducing waste and optimizing ordering. Lightspeed provides comprehensive inventory management features.
Offer Comprehensive Reporting and Analytics: Utilize POS systems that offer detailed analytics and reporting tools to make informed business decisions based on sales trends, inventory, and customer preferences. Shopify POS offers in-depth reporting features.
Ensure Multi-Location Support: For restaurants with multiple locations, choose a POS system that supports centralized management of menus, pricing, and policies. Revel Systems offers robust multi-location support.
Focus on Security: Opt for POS systems with strong security measures, including PCI compliance and data encryption, to protect sensitive customer information. Verifone is known for its emphasis on secure transactions.
Offer Loyalty Programs and Gift Cards: Integrate loyalty programs and gift card options to encourage repeat business and attract new customers. Vend offers built-in loyalty and gift card features.
By focusing on these aspects, restaurants can significantly improve their POS systems, enhancing both operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.
How to Display POS Systems Skills on Your Resume
2. OpenTable
OpenTable is an online reservation platform that allows customers to book tables at restaurants.
Why It's Important
OpenTable is important for restaurants because it streamlines the reservation process, attracts more customers through its extensive network, and provides tools for managing guest experiences and optimizing seating capacities, thereby increasing operational efficiency and revenue.
How to Improve OpenTable Skills
To enhance the OpenTable experience for a restaurant, consider the following strategies:
Optimize Your Profile: Ensure your restaurant's profile is complete and appealing. Include high-quality photos, a detailed description, and up-to-date menus. This will attract more diners and improve your visibility. Optimize Your Listing
Leverage Marketing Tools: Utilize OpenTable's marketing tools to reach more potential customers. Participate in promotional programs like OpenTable's Dining Points or Special Offers to stand out. Marketing Tools
Enhance Guest Management: Use OpenTable's guest management features to personalize customer experiences. Keep track of regular customers' preferences and special occasions to provide a memorable service. Guest Management
Analyze Feedback: Regularly review diner feedback and ratings on OpenTable. Use this information to address any areas of improvement and to enhance the overall dining experience. Feedback and Reviews
Train Your Staff: Ensure your team is well-versed in using OpenTable, from managing reservations efficiently to understanding how to leverage the platform's features to improve service and customer satisfaction. Training Resources
Integrate with Social Media: Share your OpenTable reservation link on your restaurant's social media profiles. This simplifies the booking process for customers and can lead to increased reservations. Social Media Integration
By implementing these strategies, you can improve your restaurant's performance on OpenTable, enhance the diner experience, and ultimately, increase your revenue.
How to Display OpenTable Skills on Your Resume
3. Inventory Management
Inventory management in a restaurant involves tracking and controlling the stock of ingredients and supplies to ensure there is enough to meet customer demand without overstocking, minimizing waste and costs.
Why It's Important
Inventory management is crucial for a restaurant to ensure efficient use of ingredients, minimize waste, control food costs, and maintain consistent quality and availability of menu items, ultimately maximizing profitability and customer satisfaction.
How to Improve Inventory Management Skills
Improving inventory management in a restaurant involves streamlining processes to ensure accurate tracking, reducing waste, and optimizing stock levels. Here are concise strategies:
Implement a POS System: Use a Point of Sale (POS) system that integrates inventory management. This helps in real-time tracking of sales and inventory levels.
Conduct Regular Audits: Schedule regular inventory audits to compare actual stock levels against what's recorded in your system, identifying discrepancies early.
FIFO Method: Adopt the First In, First Out (FIFO) method to ensure older stock is used first, reducing spoilage.
Supplier Management: Establish strong relationships with suppliers for better negotiation on prices and delivery schedules, ensuring you're not overstocking or facing shortages.
Use Inventory Management Software: Invest in specialized inventory management software that offers features like demand forecasting, automatic reordering, and detailed reporting.
Train Your Staff: Ensure your staff is properly trained on inventory management procedures to minimize errors and wastage.
Track Food Waste: Monitor and track food waste closely. Analyzing waste can help adjust purchasing decisions and improve menu planning.
Adopting these strategies will help in maintaining an efficient inventory system, ultimately leading to cost savings and reduced waste in your restaurant.
How to Display Inventory Management Skills on Your Resume
4. Food Safety
Food safety in a restaurant context refers to the practices and measures taken to ensure that all food served is safe to eat, free from contamination, and prepared, stored, and handled according to established hygiene standards to prevent foodborne illnesses.
Why It's Important
Food safety is crucial in a restaurant to prevent foodborne illnesses, ensure customer health, and maintain the establishment's reputation and compliance with health regulations.
How to Improve Food Safety Skills
Improving food safety in a restaurant involves adopting practices that prevent foodborne illnesses. Here are concise steps:
Training: Ensure all staff receive proper food safety training on a regular basis. This includes understanding cross-contamination, proper cooking temperatures, and safe food storage.
Temperature Control: Maintain foods at safe temperatures, below 40°F (4°C) for cold foods and above 140°F (60°C) for hot foods, to prevent bacterial growth.
Cross-Contamination Prevention: Use separate equipment and surfaces for raw and cooked foods. Color-coded cutting boards can help.
Regular Health Inspections: Schedule and pass regular health inspections to ensure compliance with local health codes and regulations.
Proper Sanitation: Implement a rigorous cleaning and sanitation program for all kitchen areas and equipment. Refer to EPA-approved disinfectants for effective options.
Supplier Standards: Source ingredients from reputable suppliers with good safety practices. Conduct supplier audits if possible.
Allergen Management: Implement an allergen management plan to prevent cross-contact of allergens.
Pest Control: Engage a professional pest control service to prevent infestations that can compromise food safety.
By following these steps, a restaurant can significantly improve its food safety practices, protect its customers, and comply with regulatory standards.
How to Display Food Safety Skills on Your Resume
5. Customer Service
Customer service in a restaurant refers to the assistance and care provided to diners by the staff to ensure a pleasant and satisfactory dining experience.
Why It's Important
Customer service is crucial in a restaurant as it directly influences the dining experience, affecting customer satisfaction, repeat business, and word-of-mouth recommendations, ultimately determining the restaurant's success and reputation.
How to Improve Customer Service Skills
Improving customer service in a restaurant involves several straightforward yet impactful strategies:
Train Staff: Ensure all staff are thoroughly trained in customer service, including handling complaints effectively. National Restaurant Association provides insights on staff training.
Feedback Mechanism: Implement a system for collecting and acting on customer feedback, such as comment cards or digital surveys. SurveyMonkey offers customizable restaurant survey templates.
Personalize the Experience: Encourage staff to remember regular customers' preferences, making them feel valued. Forbes discusses the power of personalized experiences.
Efficiency in Service: Optimize order taking and food delivery processes to minimize wait times. Toast provides tips on improving restaurant efficiency.
Manage Online Reputation: Actively manage your restaurant’s online reviews on platforms like Yelp and Google, responding professionally to both positive and negative reviews. HubSpot offers guidance on responding to online reviews.
Implementing these strategies can significantly enhance the customer service experience in your restaurant.
How to Display Customer Service Skills on Your Resume
6. Reservation Management
Reservation management in a restaurant involves overseeing and organizing table bookings to optimize dining room capacity, enhance the guest experience, and improve operational efficiency.
Why It's Important
Reservation management is crucial for a restaurant as it helps optimize dining room capacity, reduce wait times, ensure a smooth service flow, and enhance customer satisfaction by effectively managing guest expectations and seating arrangements.
How to Improve Reservation Management Skills
To improve reservation management for a restaurant, follow these concise strategies:
Implement a Reliable Reservation System: Use a digital reservation system like OpenTable or Resy, which automates the process and provides real-time availability.
Optimize Table Turnover: Analyze dining patterns and adjust reservation slots to maximize seating efficiency without compromising guest experience.
Train Staff: Ensure your team understands the reservation system and customer service practices to handle bookings efficiently and deal with any issues promptly.
Leverage Social Media and Website: Use your restaurant's website and social media platforms for direct bookings, offering an easy and accessible way for customers to reserve a table.
Feedback and Adjustments: Regularly gather feedback from guests and staff to identify areas for improvement in your reservation process.
By focusing on these areas, restaurants can streamline their reservation management, enhance customer satisfaction, and optimize operational efficiency.
How to Display Reservation Management Skills on Your Resume
7. TouchBistro
TouchBistro is an iPad-based point of sale (POS) system designed specifically for restaurants, helping them to manage orders, payments, menus, and inventory more efficiently.
Why It's Important
TouchBistro is important for a restaurant because it streamlines operations, enhances customer service, and improves sales management through its comprehensive, user-friendly point-of-sale (POS) system specifically designed for the food service industry.
How to Improve TouchBistro Skills
To enhance TouchBistro for a restaurant, consider implementing the following strategies:
Integrate with Third-party Apps: Seamlessly connect TouchBistro with popular accounting software, inventory management systems, and online ordering platforms to streamline operations. Explore integrations on the TouchBistro Marketplace.
Utilize Analytics and Reporting: Leverage TouchBistro’s built-in analytics and reporting tools to make data-driven decisions. Monitor sales trends, menu item performance, and staff efficiency to optimize operations.
Train Staff Thoroughly: Ensure all staff members are well-trained on TouchBistro’s functionalities through the TouchBistro Academy, enhancing efficiency and customer service.
Customize for Your Needs: Tailor TouchBistro’s layout and features to your restaurant’s specific requirements. Customize menus, table layouts, and payment options to improve operational flow and customer experience.
Stay Updated: Regularly update the TouchBistro app to benefit from the latest features and improvements. Check the TouchBistro Blog for updates and tips.
Implementing these strategies can help maximize the benefits of TouchBistro for your restaurant, improving efficiency, customer satisfaction, and profitability.
How to Display TouchBistro Skills on Your Resume
8. Square
Square is a financial services and mobile payment company that provides a point-of-sale (POS) system, allowing restaurants to process payments, manage orders, and operate more efficiently.
Why It's Important
Square is important for a restaurant because it provides an efficient and user-friendly point-of-sale (POS) system, enabling seamless transactions, inventory management, and customer relationship management, all of which are crucial for improving service speed, accuracy, and overall customer satisfaction.
How to Improve Square Skills
Improving your restaurant's Square setup involves a few strategic steps focused on enhancing efficiency, sales, and customer experience:
Utilize Square for Restaurants: Adopt Square for Restaurants to streamline operations, from front-of-house management to back-office logistics.
Implement Online Ordering: Set up Square Online to offer online ordering, catering to the growing demand for takeout and delivery services.
Optimize Menu Management: Use Square's features to easily update and manage your menu online, keeping your offerings fresh and appealing.
Leverage Analytics: Analyze sales data through Square to understand customer preferences and seasonality, adjusting your menu and marketing accordingly.
Encourage Feedback: Use Square feedback tools to gather customer insights directly through digital receipts, helping you to improve service and menu items.
Integrate Loyalty Programs: Implement a loyalty program with Square to encourage repeat business and reward your regular customers.
Offer Gift Cards: Sell digital or physical gift cards through Square to increase upfront revenue and attract new customers.
Train Your Staff: Ensure your staff is well-trained on using Square efficiently for a smooth operation and enhanced customer service.
By focusing on these areas, you can significantly improve your restaurant's performance and customer satisfaction with Square.
How to Display Square Skills on Your Resume
9. Menu Development
Menu development in a restaurant involves designing and updating the selection of dishes and drinks offered to customers, considering factors like ingredient availability, cost, customer preferences, and culinary trends to balance creativity with profitability and operational efficiency.
Why It's Important
Menu development is crucial for a restaurant as it directly influences customer satisfaction, drives sales by appealing to the target market, and reflects the establishment's concept and brand, ensuring operational efficiency and profitability.
How to Improve Menu Development Skills
Improving menu development for a restaurant involves several strategies focusing on customer satisfaction, cost efficiency, and market trends. Here’s a concise guide:
Market Research: Understand your target audience and local market trends. Use surveys or social media to gather feedback (National Restaurant Association).
Analyze Food Costs: Regularly review and adjust your menu based on the cost of ingredients to ensure profitability (RestaurantOwner.com).
Menu Engineering: Use menu engineering techniques to highlight high-margin dishes and analyze the performance of each item (Cornell University).
Seasonal and Local Ingredients: Incorporate seasonal and local ingredients to freshen up the menu, reduce costs, and appeal to consumer preferences for sustainability (Farm to Table).
Simplify Offerings: Streamline your menu to focus on dishes that exemplify your restaurant's theme and are popular and profitable (QSR Magazine).
Menu Design: Design your menu for ease of reading and to subtly guide choices towards higher-margin dishes (Canva).
Test and Feedback: Regularly test new items and solicit customer feedback to refine offerings (SurveyMonkey).
Staff Training: Ensure your staff is knowledgeable about the menu. Their recommendations can influence customer choices and satisfaction (Toast).
Digital Presence: Update your online menus across your website and social media platforms to ensure accuracy and entice customers (Yelp for Business).
Sustainability Practices: Consider environmental impacts by offering plant-based options and minimizing waste (Sustainable Restaurant Association).
By strategically applying these principles, you can create a dynamic menu that appeals to your target market, optimizes profitability, and enhances the dining experience.
How to Display Menu Development Skills on Your Resume
10. Wine Knowledge
Wine knowledge in a restaurant context refers to an understanding of wine varieties, regions, tasting techniques, food pairings, and proper serving methods to enhance the dining experience and meet the preferences of guests.
Why It's Important
Wine knowledge is crucial in a restaurant setting to enhance customer experience through expert pairing recommendations, cater to diverse preferences, and elevate the establishment's reputation for quality and sophistication.
How to Improve Wine Knowledge Skills
To improve wine knowledge, especially for a restaurant setting, consider the following concise steps:
Take Online Courses: Enroll in online wine courses from reputable sources like Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) or Coursera.
Read Widely: Consult authoritative books and websites. Start with "The Wine Bible" by Karen MacNeil and explore resources like Wine Folly for visual guides.
Tasting Events: Attend wine tastings and trade events. Look for local events or check out platforms like Eventbrite for wine tasting sessions.
Visit Vineyards: If possible, visit local or international vineyards. Direct experience with wine production can offer invaluable insights.
Join a Wine Club: Become a member of a wine club for regular exposure to different wines. Websites like Wine.com offer club memberships with diverse wine selections.
Use Wine Apps: Leverage technology by using apps like Vivino to track and learn about different wines you encounter.
Follow Wine Experts: Stay updated with trends and insights by following wine experts and sommeliers on social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram.
By integrating these steps, you can systematically enhance your wine knowledge to better serve your restaurant's clientele and enrich your personal appreciation of wine.
How to Display Wine Knowledge Skills on Your Resume
11. Kitchen Operations
Kitchen operations in a restaurant involve all the activities and processes required to prepare, cook, and present food to customers. This includes meal planning, ingredient procurement, food preparation, cooking, plating, and ensuring food safety and hygiene standards are met.
Why It's Important
Kitchen operations are crucial in a restaurant because they ensure the efficient preparation of high-quality food, maintain hygiene and safety standards, and contribute to customer satisfaction and business profitability.
How to Improve Kitchen Operations Skills
Improving kitchen operations in a restaurant involves enhancing efficiency, reducing waste, and ensuring food quality. Here are concise strategies:
Streamline Workflow: Design the kitchen layout for optimal flow from food storage to prep to cooking stations. Implementing an assembly line setup can minimize unnecessary movement and speed up service.
Menu Simplification: Focus on a compact, well-crafted menu. This reduces inventory needs and prep time. The National Restaurant Association offers insights on menu engineering.
Inventory Management: Use inventory management software to track stock levels, reduce waste, and forecast needs. Tools like TouchBistro provide comprehensive guides and solutions.
Staff Training and Scheduling: Ensure staff are well-trained and schedules are optimized for busy periods. Cross-training employees can increase flexibility. Toast provides tips on effective staff training.
Implement Technology: Incorporate kitchen display systems (KDS) and point of sale (POS) systems to streamline orders and enhance communication between the front and back of the house. Square offers solutions tailored for kitchen efficiency.
Regular Maintenance: Keep equipment in top condition to prevent downtime. Schedule regular maintenance and promptly address repairs.
Sustainability Practices: Reduce waste by implementing sustainability practices, such as composting and recycling. The EPA provides guidelines on reducing food waste.
By focusing on these areas, restaurants can significantly improve kitchen operations, leading to faster service, reduced costs, and happier customers.
How to Display Kitchen Operations Skills on Your Resume
12. Clover
Clover is a fast-casual restaurant chain known for its vegetarian and vegan-friendly menu, focusing on locally sourced, fresh ingredients and environmentally sustainable practices.
Why It's Important
Clover is important for a restaurant because it offers an efficient point-of-sale (POS) system that streamlines operations, enhances customer service, and provides valuable sales and inventory analytics.
How to Improve Clover Skills
Improving Clover for a restaurant involves enhancing its efficiency, customer experience, and marketing strategies. Here are concise strategies:
Integrate Online Ordering: Implement Clover's online ordering system to streamline takeout and delivery services, making it easy for customers to place orders directly.
Utilize Customer Engagement Tools: Leverage Clover's customer engagement tools to collect feedback, manage loyalty programs, and send targeted promotions, improving customer satisfaction and retention.
Optimize Menu Management: Use Clover's menu management features to easily update your menu across all platforms, ensuring accuracy and allowing for quick changes based on inventory or customer preferences.
Implement Tableside Ordering: Equip your staff with Clover devices for tableside ordering to improve order accuracy, speed up service, and enhance the dining experience.
Analyze Sales Data: Utilize Clover's analytics and reporting tools to understand sales trends, popular items, and customer behavior, enabling data-driven decisions to boost profitability.
Adopt Employee Management Solutions: Streamline staff scheduling, payroll, and performance tracking with Clover's employee management systems, ensuring smooth operations and employee satisfaction.
By implementing these strategies and making full use of Clover's capabilities, restaurants can significantly enhance their operational efficiency, customer satisfaction, and overall profitability.
How to Display Clover Skills on Your Resume
