Hire Food Servers
The restaurant scene is always evolving. New cooking techniques, flavor combinations, and food presentations are constantly being introduced. But one thing remains a constant in any successful restaurant is excellent customer service.
These days, a great dining experience goes way beyond the quality of the food. How was the restaurant ambiance? Was there a long wait time to be seated? Were the servers friendly and helpful? Food servers have the ability to most directly affect a customer’s experience in a restaurant and should be hired with care.
Hiring a food server begins with writing a descriptive job posting. Aim to be as detailed as possible; outline specific tasks and expectations of the ideal candidate. Take care to describe your restaurant’s values, culture, and any special history. Aside from general job boards, it is best for hiring managers to post job announcements on industry-specific job boards, online groups, and local community forums as well. In this way, the talent pool will be larger and increase the odds of finding the right candidate.
Food Server Responsibilities
A food server is a member of the wait staff for a restaurant. When patrons walk in the door, the food runner welcomes and greets them warmly and helps them with their food selection. They must know the restaurant’s menu, specialties, and promos if available. Food servers answer questions on food preparation and recommend good beverage pairings. The food server also asks about food allergies or dietary restrictions of the guests and then relays the information to the kitchen.
Additionally, the food runner takes note of the meal progression and timing, serving the food to customers in a timely manner, checking in often. To maintain the table setting, the food server also observes and removes plates, refills water and other drinks, and replaces needed utensils.
To ensure a wonderful dining experience, the Food Server actively responds to any other additional requests or questions from the guests.
Food Server Skills and Qualifications
The ideal candidate for a food runner role is dynamic and passionate about food and customer service. They should work well in a fast-paced restaurant environment, and have a calm, friendly, and professional demeanor at all times.
Certifications in food safety training may be required. Prior customer service experience in a restaurant setting as a server is usually preferred.
The candidate should be able to meet the physical demands of the job, being able to stand for long periods of time and carry heavy trays with food and beverages. Lastly, the ideal candidate also should be available to work in shifts, on weekends, and holidays.
A fantastic food server can leave a lasting impression on guests, and is often the difference between one-time and returning customers.
