What Does A Restaurant Server Do In A Restaurant

A restaurant is considered the most busy place nowadays. It is the most profitable and successful business. For a successful restaurant business, qualified and dedicated staff are essential. Restaurant servers are some of the most important people in restaurants who are responsible for food and beverage servers. Some people don't know what does a restaurant server do in a restaurant. In this article, we will discuss a restaurant server's exact responsibilities and activities.  

Who is a Server in a Restaurant?

A restaurant server is a person who takes orders, answers questions about menus, and delivers food or drinks to the guests. Restaurant servers are mainly responsible for positive guest communication. A restaurant's success partially depends on the servers, because they are the people who interact with customers at first, and they also know how to manage a restaurant.

As restaurant servers are the front-of-the-house staff, hiring the right staff can give your restaurant a positive impression on customers. When you have a properly knowledgeable staff, they can easily create a good impact and turn your customers into loyal regular customers.  

The responsibilities of a restaurant server can be slightly different according to the type of restaurant. However, the primary duty of any restaurant server is to provide excellent customer service. 

What Is The Difference Between A Waiter And A Server

Almost all people think that servers and waiters are the same thing. They basically ask Is a restaurant server a waiter? It is a common mistake that all people make. But in general, a server and waiter have plenty of differences. You get the exact ideas when you research in depth. 

A server, as the term suggests, serves the guests. On the other hand, waiters are more like attendants. 

In a restaurant, waiters mainly work as guest attendants. Their responsibility is to answer customers' queries and provide proper guidelines about food. Along With these, they are also responsible for taking orders and waiting as long as the customers make any decision. 

As a restaurant server, you must remember that the customers are always right because customers pay a considerable amount of money for the food and beverages. If the customers are not satisfied with the food quality and taste, as a server, you should not argue with the customers. It falls under misbehaving with the guests. You can take initial steps to solve the problems, like taking the food from customers and informing the manager. Then, the manager will take further steps to solve these issues.

Restaurant Server Job Skills

A restaurant server job is a hospitality job. It is a challenging and demanding job. Only a humble and responsible person is suitable as a server. A server needs some qualifications and skills for the food server jobs. Without these qualifications and skills, a person can never be a successful restaurant server.

Here, we will discuss a restaurant server's job skills and qualifications. 

• High school diploma or a degree in hospitality management.

• Good communication skills. 

• Excellent customer service skills.

• Proven experience in a restaurant or food-serving sector. 

• Ability to work in a team.

• Good attitude towards work.

• Depth of knowledge in menus, cuisine and beverage.
• Should be responsible and trustworthy.

• Well interpersonal skills.

• Patience and ability to manage conflict.

• There should be enough working knowledge of the POS system.

• Good written and management skills.

• Proper knowledge about cleanness and hygiene.

• Enough flexibility to work in multiple schedules.

• High level of stamina to work under pressure.

What Does A Restaurant Server Do (Restaurant Server Responsibilities)

A restaurant server is the busiest person in a restaurant who does multitasking work in a restaurant. From welcoming to serving food, all the tasks in a restaurant are done by a server. A server knows very well how to turn an ordinary restaurant into a good restaurant by providing great customer service.  

In this article, we will discuss in detail what is the responsibility of a server in a restaurant.

01. Table Arrangement

It is a great thing that falls under the responsibilities of a restaurant server jobs. When a restaurant is well decorated, and all the equipment is organized well, it attracts more customers towards the restaurants. So, as a server, it is your vital responsibility to arrange and specially prepare your restaurant table to attract more customers. 

02. Attending and Greeting Customers

It is good manners to attend to guests while they are at the entrance to the restaurant. It creates a positive impact on guests. When any customers enter the restaurant,  a server should also greet customers In addition to the host or manager. It is good manners that the guest appreciates. Along with these, a server should also help the customers where they want to sit. 

03. Present Restaurant Menus

As a server, your responsibility is to present the restaurant menus while any customers enter the restaurant. You will also have to give suggestions while they choose the food items. You may also inform the guest about the food ingredients, quality, and quantity issues. It helps customers to select the best food items. 

04. Taking Orders

While taking orders from customers, you should keep a smile on your face. It shows a positive attitude towards guests. It is a great way to attract customers' attention. Write an order on a paper slip or a computer so that everything is clear and send it to the kitchen staff. Engage with guests in a friendly manner and ask for any appetizer or beverage. This is the smart way of taking orders from customers. 

05. Keep Kitchen Staff Informed

As a restaurant server, you should keep notified your kitchen staff about meal progression. When you keep informing your kitchen staff about meal progression, it helps to do early food delivery. It makes customers happy, and it also helps to increase restaurant sales. 

06. Table and Utensils Cleaning

Properly clean the tables and other utensils before serving food. It falls under the food safety rules. So you should be very careful and check that all the utensils like water glasses, plates, spoons, etc are neat and clean.  

07. Serving Foods

Foodservice is the primary duty of a restaurant server. So when you deliver food to the guests, do it with manners and maintain proper hygiene. A good food server always provides a lifetime memorable dining experience by resolving guests' needs. As a server, you should ensure that customers enjoy their food. Moreover, a server should have the quality to solve any issues. You may also suggest any appetizer or dessert while they are about to finish the food. 

08. Clearing the Leftover Food

When the customers finish their food, a server should clean the leftover food immediately. It creates a destructive impact if the leftover food stays on the tables long. So, as a server, you should wash all the used items and make the tables neat and clean so that the customers feel comfortable.  

09. Collect Payments From Tables

Once the meal has finished, the server can request the guest to pay. But this task should be done very politely. A restaurant server should learn all aspects of the billing system, such as how to use the POS system or some basic math skills to solve billing issues in an emergency.  

10. Helping Food Preparation Staff In Case Of Emergency

A restaurant server should also learn food preparation skills. So that, in case of any emergency, a server can help the food preparation staff. It helps to build a strong bond among the other staff. And finally, a server needs to ensure the restaurant is neat and clean when closing and opening.

How Much Money Does A Restaurant Server Make

The national average remuneration for a restaurant server is $13.97 per hour. The average salary for a waiter rises to $15.41 after six to nine years of employment in the field. But by receiving tips from the customers, the total revenue increases dramatically.

A high school degree, a culinary school certificate or a diploma in hospitality management are all required for server employment, except for larger establishments with intricate processes. It is fascinating to note that the three big cities with the highest paying restaurants for servers in the US are Dallas ($15.32/hourly), Houston ($14.97/hourly), and San Diego ($14.87/hourly). 

The servers who put in a lot of effort, study the restaurant industry, and develop their customer service abilities can aim to become managers of the establishment. So, to start your career as a restaurant server, you should know all the pros and cons of this profession.   

Things You Should Know As A Server

As a server, you have lots of responsibilities in a restaurant. If you want to fulfill your responsibilities accurately, you have to know many important things. Here, we will discuss those essential things you should know as a server.

•  Be Efficient

A practical server is the critical factor of a successful restaurant. So, you should be efficient enough when you choose your carrier as a server; as a server, turning tables efficiently is the main way to make more revenue. You have developed your skills on how to turn the restaurant table effectively. 

On the other hand, good servers know that free time in a restaurant is scarce. So, a great server always goes from one place to another with everything. You may develop a habit of helping others when you do not have any work. It will help you to gain more skills and help to maintain a healthy relationship with other staff. This will save time and allow more customers in restaurants.

•  Be Observant

As we know, a restaurant is busy and has a big area to cover. So it is tough to keep an eye on every area of a restaurant, but it is possible. For these, you have to be observant. You don't need to visit every table and ask how everything is going. 

You can simply do this task as you walk past the tables. When the customers need anything, they will let you know. It is a great way to observe your restaurant quickly in all areas. On the other hand, you can track how far along in the meal the customers are. Or you can ask if any beverage is needed. It is a great way to observe your restaurant. 

•  Be Diplomatic

As a restaurant server, you should be diplomatic while handling your customers. When you work in a restaurant as a server, you will face different types of customers. Some customers will visit your restaurant only to eat, and they will leave the restaurant as soon as they finish their food. On the other hand, some customers will see the restaurant as time passes. They spend more time after having their food. These types of customers are called campers. 

These types of customers are wasting your restaurant's valuable time. To handle these types of customers, you need to be very diplomatic. You will lose your customers if you lose your temper and behave rudely with your guests. And it will destroy your restaurant's reputation. Moreover, when the campers want to spend more time after finishing their food, you should not force them to leave. You can request them to leave the table as someone has made a table reservation and is waiting for the table. These are things you need to know as a server. 

•  Good Manners

However, a restaurant server's primary duty is to serve food from the kitchen to the dining tables. But exercising good manners is something that is beyond the job itself. When you deal with customers smartly, it will create positive vibes in guests.

Good manners involve greeting and looking customers in the eye while dealing with them. Moreover, you may pull out the chair and help them to sit. And most importantly, try to keep smiling and listen carefully to what customers say. 

Final Thought

Restaurant servers who are successful and gain fame for their extreme hospitality ability are highly appreciated. The most essential quality of a restaurant server is they never stop improving their skills. They always try to keep themselves updated with the current situation. An extreme passion for food and beverage help them to build their career as a server. In this article, we have covered all the information of what does a restaurant server do in a restaurant. From here, you will get to know all the restaurant server job description information.  

Frequently Asked Question(FAQ)

Do restaurant servers have an easy job?

The restaurant server job is challenging. It is considered one of the most demanding jobs because of its long working hours. It is a stressful job where you have to multitask. As a restaurant server, you need the ability to work very long hours without any breaks. Moreover, you have to handle multiple tables at a time in a restaurant. In a restaurant, server duty starts from the opening hours until the closing hours. A restaurant server's most challenging part is dealing with different customer types. Some customers are insulting, and it is tough to deal with them. 

What are the pros and cons of being a server at a restaurant?

As we know, every job has some pros and cons; a restaurant server job is not one of these. Here, we discuss the pros and cons of being a restaurant server.

Pros:

• From these professions, you may learn to work in a team.
• You can develop your communication skills.
• A server can meet thousands of people, which can help it become popular. 
• As a server can handle different types of people, it helps grow confidence. 
• A server can earn a considerable amount of extra money from tips. 

Cons:

• A very long working hours.
• Basic salary is low compared to other professions.
• Lots of work pressure which can make you feel exhausted. 
• Prone to being ill due to heavy work pressure. 
• You are not able to get out while you are scheduled for duty. 

How can I be a good restaurant server?

There is no alternative to growing skills. Good practice and dedication to work can make you perfect. So, to establish yourself as a good restaurant server, you need to be dedicated to your work. As a server, you must be polite and humble while handling the customers. You need to learn restaurant server skills and responsibilities in detail to be a good restaurant server. Moreover, you need to be diplomatic enough to handle different situations in your restaurant.