Servers are one of the most crucial positions in any kitchen. They are the front line between guests and the kitchen and, importantly, they do it with a smile. Servers are the guide for guests to learn about and fall in love with your restaurant. They provide suggestions for meals, offer their thoughts on drinks, and ensure that your food arrives hot and on-time. In other words, they’re vital to the health of the kitchen.
What is a Server?
Servers are the people who help communicate the guests’ wants and needs to the kitchen. While a server job description will vary from restaurant to restaurant, they commonly take orders, process payment, and run food to and from their tables. Some servers will work in a full service restaurant, meaning that they’re the only face that guests see; others, though, can live behind a counter, bar, or register for the majority of their workday.
Server Job Description
General Overview of a Server’s Role
Generally, servers will oversee all payments, including taking and ringing in orders. This means that they’re the one to take all drink and food orders and, generally, are the “face of the restaurant” for most guests. As such, they need to be knowledgeable about the menu and restaurant, and need to be prepared to accommodate odd requests.
Key Traits and Qualifications Needed
Many people assume that you need to be a “people person” in order to be a server. While that’s not entirely true, being comfortable with speaking to strangers all day is a major upside for many servers. This is because being customer-facing is the entire job; you’re going to be talking to dozens (if not hundreds) of people every day. Some will be kind and a joy to interact with, while others will be rude, hurtful, and hangry — and it’s a lot easier to handle that if you’re good with people.
The most important traits for servers are to be easygoing, adaptable, and overall gracious hosts. While they don’t need to be the most personable person in the room, they need to be able to easily carry conversations and, importantly, capable of selling customers. Because sales is the other half of this job. While servers certainly need to ensure that guests are happy, they also should be pushing higher-ticket menu items as often as possible.
Server Duties and Responsibilities
Greeting and Seating Customers
While this is a job that is sometimes shared (or taken entirely) by the host, servers should be comfortable with greeting new customers and getting them seated. Knowing the seating arrangement, sections, and who’s running each section makes this a lot easier. Experienced servers will be able to seat guests equally across sections to ensure that no single server is overwhelmed.
Taking and Communicating Orders Accurately
Taking and communicating orders is one of the most important parts of the job as a server. You need to be able to hear a guest’s order and effectively communicate it to the kitchen and/or bar as quickly as possible. This means that modifications, allergies, and dietary preferences should be clearly noted on tickets in such a way that they can be accommodated.
Delivering Food and Beverages Promptly
While some restaurants will have runners, most rely on their servers to deliver food to their tables. This means that servers need to be able to bounce between taking orders and gathering drinks and food that’s ready. And, importantly, they need to be quick — nobody wants to watch a meal die on the pass because a server didn’t hear the bell.
Handling Customer Complaints and Requests
As they are often the face of the restaurant, servers are generally the first to hear customers’ complaints and requests. Sometimes, complaints or requests can be valid; for example, an overcooked steak or shellfish allergy are vital for the server to know about so they can be dealt with.
Other times, though, guests want something that’s simply not possible. Perhaps they want a soup that’s not gluten-free to be gluten-free, or they want no dairy in a dish that needs dairy; what matters is that your server is able to communicate that those requests aren’t possible and be capable of communicating an alternative that will keep the guest happy.
Processing Payments and Maintaining Receipts
Once it’s all said and done, most servers will be responsible for processing the bill and cashing out their till at the end of the night. While every restaurant does this somewhat differently, it’s important for servers to accurately bill guests and keep receipts for the end of the night.
Skills and Qualifications of a Server
Strong Communication and Interpersonal Skills
The ability to communicate effectively and in varied ways is crucial for servers. While this doesn’t necessarily mean that they need to be extroverted, it does mean that they need to be capable of interacting with a wide variety of people with varied attitudes — and do it graciously.
Ability to Work Under Pressure
Restaurants are pretty widely known as a pretty stressful environment. There’s fire, knives, and all sorts of ways to get hurt, often separated by a single door leading to a very different vibe. And servers are expected to bridge that gap effortlessly while keeping their cool. After all, stressed servers make mistakes and can even snap at guests.
Basic Math and Point-of-Sale System Knowledge
Because they handle money on a regular basis, servers need to have basic math knowledge. The ability to add, subtract, and work with decimals is absolutely vital knowledge in the day-to-day of servers. Beyond that, being capable of using a Point of Sale (POS) system is also incredibly important — though that’s relatively easy to train.
Tips for Hiring the Perfect Server
What to Look for During the Interview Process
When interviewing for a server position, I’ve found that it’s crucial to start with a basic conversation. Seriously — just get to know them for a few minutes. This is because interpersonal skills are crucial for servers, and if they’re able to carry a conversation that’s likely stressing them out, then they’ll likely be able to handle the interpersonal side of the job.
Beyond that, interviews for a server position should involve at least some aspect of assessing their actual physical skills. Whether this takes the form of a stage or a quick roleplay exercise is up to you, but give it a shot. This gives you the ability to see how they handle criticism, how they learn new information, and how they handle various forms of possible complaints. All in all, it just gives you a better view of how they work and, ultimately, how they’ll fit into your crew.
Assessing Experience Versus Trainability
While experienced servers are more likely to understand POS systems, seating arrangements, and the pacing of how to send tickets, they also often have their own way of doing things. This can work for some restaurants, but for others, it can be a hindrance. If you find someone who’s never worked as a server but is ready and willing to learn, a bit of training will teach them what they need to know.
In short, it boils down to how much training you’re willing to provide and how strict you are with servers doing things your way rather than their way.
Server Job Description FAQs
Do Servers Need Previous Experience to Get Hired?
No, they don’t! While experience can help with getting hired as a server, it’s not at all uncommon for people to begin working as a server with no previous experience.
What is the Typical Work Schedule for a Server?
Server schedules vary pretty heavily from place to place. Most restaurants tend to limit server shifts to roughly seven hours, though it’s not uncommon for longer (or shorter) shifts, especially for part-time employees. Some restaurants will schedule servers during the evening, others during the morning, and others still will schedule all day long; it all boils down to what kind of restaurant it is.
What are the Common Challenges Servers Face?
Servers generally have to deal with guests who are hungry and cranky. This leads to guests being rude, tipping poorly, and being generally difficult. Beyond that, servers and the kitchen can tend to butt heads, leading to unnecessary frustration.
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