there are many people who consider this as the best platform for honing their people skills, as one has to interact and handle different types of people throughout the day. So, if you are planning to take up this job to get some practical experience in dealing with people, it is extremely important to know about the expectations, duties and responsibilities related to this job.
Though a restaurant is usually known because of its excellent food, poor service can mar the popularity of the place. Hence, most good restaurants follow various stringent criteria while hiring servers. Although they do not lay emphasis on educational qualifications while hiring for this profile, qualities like patience, smartness, good memory, positive attitude,
manual dexterity, etc., are some of the attributes that employers seek in their staff. Though good looks is not always a
major criteria, girls who are neat and smartly dressed often have better chances of being chosen.
The first and foremost thing to do is to greet the guests and welcome them. Every waitress is given a section of the restaurant to handle during her shift. It is her duty to welcome the customers and escort them to their respective tables. Hand over the menu card to the guests and give them some space and time to deliberate and decide. After they have decided, ask them politely if they would like to place the order.
Taking Orders
There is a possibility that the guests are unable to decide what to order. At this stage, if the customers are confused or are not able to make a decision, it is your responsibility to describe as well as recommend wines or other drinks. This applies to the food too, i.e. you have to know about each food item in the menu and how it is cooked. If required, you may also suggest certain dishes to the customers. Giving a brief description and answering questions about the drinks and food is expected of you. In case of taking orders for alcohol, sometimes you may also have to check their IDs for proof of age. While the patrons are placing their order, you will have to write the items down in a notepad and then inform the chef.