Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop

Provide guests with menus.
Assign patrons to tables suitable for their needs and according to rotation so that servers receive an appropriate number of seatings.
Greet guests and seat them at tables or in waiting areas.

Important Qualities

Communication skills. Food and beverage serving and related workers must listen to customers’ orders and relay them correctly to the kitchen staff so that the orders are prepared as requested.

Customer-service skills. Food service establishments rely on good food and customer service to keep customers and succeed in a competitive industry. As a result, workers should be courteous and be able to attend to customers’ requests.

Physical stamina. Food and beverage serving and related workers spend most of their shift doing physical tasks such as standing, carrying trays, and cleaning work areas.

Physical strength. Food and beverage serving and related workers need to be able to lift and carry stock and equipment that can weigh up to 50 pounds.

Personality

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Characteristics of this Career
		82%	Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
		77%	Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
		77%	Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
		75%	Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
		73%	Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
		72%	Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
		71%	Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
		70%	Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
		67%	Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
		64%	Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
		54%	Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Strengths
		83%	Enterprising - Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.
		56%	Social - Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Values of the Work Environment
		67%	Relationships - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.

Aptitude

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Abilities \| Cognitive, Physical, Personality
		72%	Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
		72%	Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
		60%	Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
		60%	Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
		56%	Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Job Details

Responsibilities

Assist customers with seating arrangements.

Communicate with customers to resolve complaints or ensure satisfaction.

Provide customers with general information or assistance.

Inspect facilities, equipment or supplies to ensure conformance to standards.

Package food or supplies.

Take customer orders.

Assist chefs or caterers with food or drink preparation.

Present food or beverage information or menus to customers.

Assist customers with seating arrangements.

Schedule dining reservations.

Communicate dining or order details to kitchen personnel.

Present food or beverage information or menus to customers.

Provide customers with general information or assistance.

Operate cash registers.

Process customer bills or payments.

Record operational or production data.

Coordinate activities of food service staff.

Manage food service operations or parts of operations.

Perform human resources activities.

Order materials, supplies, or equipment.

Train food preparation or food service personnel.

Perform human resources activities.

Plan special events.

Plan menu options.

Manage food service operations or parts of operations.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent
		95%	Contact With Others - How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
		91%	Spend Time Standing - How much does this job require standing?
		90%	Work With Work Group or Team - How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
		88%	Telephone - How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
		87%	Face-to-Face Discussions - How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
		82%	Spend Time Walking and Running - How much does this job require walking and running?
		79%	Physical Proximity - To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks in close physical proximity to other people?
		75%	Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People - How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements?
		73%	Deal With External Customers - How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?
		71%	Indoors, Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
		70%	Coordinate or Lead Others - How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job?
		68%	Frequency of Conflict Situations - How often are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job?
		68%	Structured versus Unstructured Work - To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
		66%	Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions - How much does this job require making repetitive motions?
		63%	Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
		62%	Freedom to Make Decisions - How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
		61%	Frequency of Decision Making - How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
		59%	Responsible for Others' Health and Safety - How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
		56%	Responsibility for Outcomes and Results - How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
		55%	Importance of Repeating Same Tasks - How important is repeating the same physical activities (e.g., key entry) or mental activities (e.g., checking entries in a ledger) over and over, without stopping, to performing this job?
		53%	Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results - What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Tasks & Values
		77%	Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
		65%	Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
		64%	Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
		64%	Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
		61%	Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
		58%	Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
		52%	Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

What Food and Beverage Serving and Related Workers Do

Food and beverage workers may work directly with customers.

Food and beverage serving and related workers take and prepare orders, clear tables, and do other tasks associated with providing food and drink to customers.

Duties

Food and beverage serving and related workers typically do the following:

Greet customers and answer their questions about menu items and specials
Take food and drink orders from customers
Prepare food and drink orders, such as sandwiches and coffee
Relay customers’ orders to other kitchen staff
Serve food and drinks to customers at a counter, at a stand, or in a hotel room
Accept payment and provide customers with receipts
Clean assigned work areas, such as dining tables or serving counters
Stock service stations, cabinets, and tables
Set tables or prepare food stations for new customers

Food and beverage serving and related workers are the front line of customer service in restaurants, cafeterias, and other food service establishments. They seat customers, take or prepare food and drink orders, clear and set tables, and serve food and beverages. Depending on the establishment, they may do some or all of these tasks during their shift.

Most work as part of a team, although their responsibilities and job titles vary.

The following are examples of types of food and beverage serving and related workers:

Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers—sometimes collectively referred to as bus staff—help waiters, waitresses, and bartenders by cleaning and setting tables, removing dirty dishes, and stocking serving areas with supplies. They also may help waiters and waitresses by bringing meals from the kitchen, distributing dishes to diners, filling water glasses, and delivering condiments.

Fast food and counter workers are employed primarily by limited-service restaurants, cafeterias, and snack bars at which customers generally order and pay before eating. These workers take food and beverage orders, prepare or retrieve items, and accept payment. They also heat food items and make salads and sandwiches.

Hosts and hostesses greet customers, seat guests, and manage reservations and waiting lists. They also may provide menus, take and prepare to-go orders, and assist with maintaining cleanliness of the dining area.

Nonrestaurant food servers provide food to customers outside a restaurant environment. For example, they may deliver room-service orders in hotels or meals to hospital rooms. Some work as carhops at venues such as drive-in movie theaters, bringing orders to customers in parked cars.

Work Environment

Food and beverage serving and related workers held about 4.5 million jobs in 2022. Employment in the detailed occupations that make up food and beverage serving and related workers was distributed as follows:

Fast food and counter workers	3,410,100
Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers	459,200
Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop	412,800
Food servers, nonrestaurant	258,600

The largest employers of food and beverage serving and related workers were as follows:

Restaurants and other eating places	77%
Retail trade	4
Healthcare and social assistance	4
Special food services	4
Educational services; state, local, and private	3

Food and beverage serving and related workers spend most of their shift on their feet. They carry trays of food, dishes, or glassware, which are often heavy. During busy dining periods, they are under pressure to serve customers quickly and efficiently.

Injuries and Illnesses

Food preparation and serving areas in restaurants often have potential safety hazards, such as hot ovens and slippery floors. Common injuries include slips, cuts, and burns. To reduce these risks, workers may wear gloves, aprons, or nonslip shoes.

Work Schedules

Part-time work is common for food and beverage serving and related workers. Because restaurants and other eating places typically have extended dining hours, work shifts often include early mornings, late evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Work may be seasonal. Food and beverage serving and related workers may not work or may have limited hours during certain times of the year. For example, those in school cafeterias may work only during the school year, usually 9 to 10 months.

In addition, business hours in restaurants allow for flexible schedules that appeal to teenagers. Food and beverage serving and related workers employs more 16- to 19-year-olds than any other occupation.

Getting Started

Education:

62%

High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)

32%

Less than a High School Diploma

How to Become a Food and Beverage Serving or Related Worker

Food and beverage and related workers need customer service skills.

Food and beverage serving and related workers typically have no requirements for education to enter the occupation. They receive short-term on-the-job training.

Most states require workers who serve alcoholic beverages, even as an accompaniment to meals, to be at least 18 years old.

Education

There typically are no formal education requirements for becoming a food and beverage serving worker.

Training

Workers typically learn through on-the-job training, which may last from few days to several weeks. Training includes basic customer service, kitchen safety, safe food-handling procedures, and sanitation guidelines.

Food and beverage serving and related workers typically learn their duties by watching and working with experienced staff. Some employers, particularly those in fast-food restaurants, have specific training programs for new workers.

Bartender helpers and other workers in establishments where alcohol is served may need training on state and local laws concerning the sale of alcoholic beverages. Some states, counties, and cities mandate such training, which typically lasts a few hours.

Advancement

Some food and beverage serving and related workers advance to waiter, waitress, or bartender positions as they learn the basics of serving food or preparing drinks. Kitchen staff may advance to become food preparation workers or cooks. Still others may move up to supervisory or food service manager positions.

Job Outlook

Overall employment of food and beverage serving and related workers is projected to grow 2 percent from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as the average for all occupations.

About 1,026,200 openings for food and beverage serving and related workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

Projected employment of food and beverage serving and related workers varies by occupation (see table).

As a growing population continues to dine out, purchase take-out meals, or have food delivered, more restaurants, particularly fast-food and casual dining restaurants, are expected to open. In response, more food and beverage serving and related workers are expected to be needed.

In addition, nontraditional food service operations, such as those inside grocery stores and cafeterias in hospitals and residential care facilities, are expected to serve more prepared meals. Because these workers are essential to the operation of a food-serving establishment, they should continue to be in demand.

Contacts for More Information

For more information on food and beverage serving careers, visit

National Restaurant Association

Similar Occupations

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of food and beverage serving and related workers.

Occupation	Job Duties	Entry-Level Education	Median Annual Pay, May 2022
Bartenders	Bartenders mix drinks and serve them directly to customers or through wait staff.	No formal educational credential	$29,380
Cashiers	Cashiers process payments from customers purchasing goods and services.	No formal educational credential	$28,240
Cooks	Cooks season and prepare foods, including soups, salads, entrees, and desserts.	See How to Become One	$30,910
Flight Attendants	Flight attendants provide routine services and respond to emergencies to ensure the safety and comfort of airline passengers.	High school diploma or equivalent	$63,760
Food Preparation Workers	Food preparation workers perform a variety of tasks other than cooking, such as slicing meat and brewing coffee.	No formal educational credential	$29,790
Retail Sales Workers	Retail sales workers help customers find products they want and process customers’ payments.	No formal educational credential	$30,750
Waiters and Waitresses	Waiters and waitresses take orders and serve food and beverages to customers in dining establishments.	No formal educational credential	$29,120

Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop

Food and Beverage Serving or Related Worker

What they do:

On the job, you would: