Waiters, popularly known as waiters, are often the public face of the restaurants and food businesses we visit. In this article we explain what a waiter is, what their duties and responsibilities are, and what they do on a daily basis.
Did you know that to be successful in this type of job you must possess a set of communication, manners and education skills that stand out in your work environment?
If you are looking for a job as a waiter, either as an additional income or because you want to dedicate yourself to this profession, it is important that you know that the earnings of a waiter, generally, consist of a combination of wages and tips from customers. . Many restaurants pay workers only the federal minimum wage, for those employees who receive tips from customers of at least $ 30 a month.
Duties and responsibilities of the waiter or waiter
A day in the life of a waiter goes by very hectic, due to the amount of duties and responsibilities that he has in each day. Some bartender responsibilities include the following:
- Set up dining areas when working an opening shift.
- Locate customers and greet them at their tables, offer them water and possibly cocktails, and check for any minors (possible alcohol consumers).
- Explain the menu, describe the specials and answer questions about the menu.
- Take orders and deliver them to kitchen staff.
- Garnish dishes and cocktails, if necessary.
- Deliver food and drink to customer tables.
- Remove dishes and utensils as dishes and entrees are finished.
- Prepare itemized receipts and finalize payment.
You should also know that, in general, waiters usually start their work shift well before the most requested lunch hours of the food establishment where they work. For example, if your work shift is lunchtime, you should be ready at your station by 10:30 a.m., depending on how hectic the restaurant tends to be for lunch and the number of diners that typically visit.
Dinner shifts also start early as you need to help set the tables, keep them clean and well presented, and get everything ready for the customers. Servers also go over special dish offerings, chef suggestions, or other important details for that particular work shift.
At the end of your day you may have to help your co-workers, perform tasks related to cleaning the place and help prepare the premises for the next day. These activities may include activities such as drying and putting away cutlery, cleaning trays, placing new tablecloths on tables, and more.
Salary of waiters in the United States
As we already stated in the introduction to this article, what a waiter earns usually consists of a combination of wages and tips from customers. According to Glassdoor, the national median salary for bartenders is $ 31,857 a year. The salary estimates are based on the 18,607 salaries contributed to this page by employees who work as servers, data updated in December 2021.
The same source points out that the highest salary for a waiter in the United States is $ 52,271 a year and the lowest salary is $ 19,416 a year.
For its part, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the average hourly wage for waiters is $11.42. However, pay differences exist in this trade by employer, with a low-wage 10% of the workforce earning less than $ 8.42 an hour and, in contrast, another 10 % of high-wage waiters earning more than $ 20.46 an hour.
Citing this same source , the average hourly wage for waiters in the main industries in which they worked (updated to May 2020) was as follows:
- Accommodation for travelers: $ 12.74 an hour.
- Arts, entertainment and recreation: $ 12.00 an hour.
- Restaurants and other places to eat: $ 11.08 an hour.
Job Outlook for Waiters
According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, employment of waiters is projected to grow 20 % from 2020 to 2030 , much faster than the average for all occupations.
There are projected, on average, about 470,200 job openings for servers each year during the decade. Many of those vacancies are expected to be the result of the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or leave the workforce, for example, to retire.
Much of the projected job growth in this occupation is due to recovery from the COVID-19 recession that began in 2020.
As the population grows and more people dine out, new restaurants are expected to open. Many establishments, particularly full-service restaurants, will continue to employ waiters and waitresses to serve food and beverages and provide customer service.
Education, training and certification
In the United States, you don’t need to have formal education to get a job as a waiter, although high-end restaurants often provide on-the-job training and coaching, which can last a few weeks.
Training
Some restaurant owners require that, as a new employee, you participate in classroom training so that you can learn proper serving techniques. There are also US states and cities that require additional formal training for jobs that involve serving alcohol and for safe food handling.
Experience
Bartenders with industry experience are more in demand than those with no prior experience. Previous experience in any food or drink-related career can be valuable, even if it’s fast food or in a cafeteria-type setting.
Waiter skills and competencies
All staff members who work as waiters must be strong in various skills and attributes demanded by this trade in which you must be fast, confident and very communicative to serve customers.
Appearance
As far as customers are concerned, the server is the face of the restaurant, so maintaining a well-groomed, professional appearance is vital to you. Many restaurant owners require waiters to wear elegant uniforms, others are more pragmatic and opt for casual clothes, but they all agree on the neatness that you must convey to whom you serve. The advice in this regard may vary depending on the appearance of each waiter.
Communication skills
Waiters need to have excellent verbal and non-verbal communication skills, as well as being able to listen to those who request their service. You need to understand customers’ questions and concerns and communicate information clearly to them.
Interpersonal skills
This skill set allows you as a server to pick up nonverbal cues from customers and coordinate your actions with other workers in the restaurant.
customer service skills
Customers should leave a restaurant feeling satisfied with both the food they tasted and the service they received. The waiters have little control over the quality of the dishes, since they do not prepare them, but they can greatly influence the satisfaction of the diners.
Capacity for teamwork
The customer’s gastronomic satisfaction will depend on the result of the efforts of several waiters. If a waiter isn’t up to the service he’s supposed to offer, you’ll have to make amends, ideally without complaining, or at least save your complaints until after the customer has left the place. This is a job where the team wins.
customer service skills
Most of your working time you will have to attend people with different ages, professions, tastes and personalities. It is essential in this trade that you are friendly and polite in order to develop a cordial relationship with all customers.
detail oriented
Waiters must take notes of customers’ orders accurately. You must be able to remember the details of each order, and once prepared by the cooks, be able to deliver them to the correct table.
Physical resistance
You will spend many hours standing, and you will carry trays, plates, glasses and drinks; so you must show off your physical resistance.
Physical strength
Servers must be able to safely lift and carry trays or materials that can weigh up to 50 pounds, and do so safely and promptly.
Finally, if you are opting for a job as a waiter, you should know that many waiters work part-time: some do it very early in the morning; others very late at night; and those who choose to work only on weekends and holiday seasons. In establishments that offer seasonal employment, you will be hired only a few weeks out of the year. Whatever your choice, we wish you the best of luck.
We hope this article will be useful to you if you want to be a waiter.
The amounts of the salaries reflected in this article are based on data provided by the websites cited at the time of writing the text. Wages and salaries may vary depending on the hiring company, experience, educational history, and location status of the candidate.