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Food Runner Job Description: Top Duties and Requirements

Edited by Indeed Employer Content Team
Last updated October 8, 2025
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Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

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7 min read

Food Runners, or Expeditors, play a crucial role in restaurants. They act as a liaison between the kitchen staff, front-of-house team, and the restaurant’s guests. Their primary duty is to deliver food to guests, and they work alongside Servers and Bartenders to ensure customer satisfaction.

Food Runner duties and responsibilities

To make sure customers get the correct order and are happy with their meal, Food Runners need to have some clear duties and responsibilities, including:

  • Delivering food to customers while ensuring they receive the correct order
  • Acting as the primary contact between the front-of-the-house and back-of-the-house staff
  • Setting tables before clients arrive by ensuring napkins, decorations, and utensils are all on the tables
  • Making sure clients with children get special silverware and items meant for kids
  • Restocking side stations with ice, glassware, and other supplies
  • Refilling customers’ drinks when needed
  • Ensuring they meet food safety principles when taking food to clients, and cleaning tables and floors after guests have left
  • Reporting to management as needed

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Food Runner Job Description Examples:

Example 1

Join our team! We take pride in what we do, and we are looking for some new people to join our team at our soon to be open new Aspen location!

The right candidate will be able to work independently and be part of a team. We are a high-volume restaurant that takes care of guests dining in, as well as take-out. You will be responsible for the smooth flow of service and liaison between the BOH and FOH. You will be the one setting the tone for a fantastic experience. Taking initiative, working at a fast pace, and having a passion in this industry will go a long way! If you are efficient, able to multitask and creative, we want you on our team.

Please send us your resume and selected candidates will be contacted for an interview.

Activities and Responsibilities:

· Relay important information between the kitchen and the wait staff.

· Inspect the premises according to quality and sanitation standards, and assist with cleaning.

· Check dishes before delivery for accuracy, presentation and temperature.

· Deliver orders to tables to maintain fast service and assist guests if they require further items.

· Ensure orders are being prepared with the correct priority.

· Keep all items in the expediter station restocked.

· Take and prepare to-go orders.

· Attend all scheduled employee meetings and offers suggestions for improvement.

· Other duties as assigned.

Skills and experience required:

· No experience is required! Must have a willingness to learn!

· Positive, upbeat and team player

· Expert communicator

· Fast-paced environment

· Ability to work well under pressure

Weekend Availability IS A MUST

Job Type: Part-time

Salary: $15.00 per hour

Additional pay:
  • Tips
Benefits:
  • Discounted or free food
  • On-site parking
Schedule:
  • Evening shift

Ability to commute/relocate:
  • Calgary, AB T3H 0N5: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)

Experience:
  • Restaurant: 1 year (preferred)
  • leadership: 2 years (preferred)

Shift availability:
  • Night Shift Shift (preferred)

Example 2

Job Description

JOB Overview: Under the guidance of the Markland Wood’s Management Team the Food Runner/Expo will assist in the delivery of superior service to members at Markland Woods.

External: Interacts with members.

1. Stocks, cleans and restocks service stations, restaurant sections and buffet according to the Markland’s Food and Beverage Standards.

2. Follows proper inventory control and ordering procedures, maintaining established par stock levels.

3. Assists in the delivery of Food and Beverage service as requested

4. Answers the phone within three rings using pre-established greeting

5. Is familiar with all Food and Beverage items in the Restaurant and Bar in order to assist the members in their selection and to promote these items. Enhances revenue flow through suggestive selling techniques.

[website] servers in cleaning and resetting tables according to standards as requested.

7. Cleans the restaurant after every meal period and when deemed necessary.

8. Follows all fire, health and safety regulations and laws governing Food and Beverage operations in Ontario.

9. Fulfills and reasonable duties or tasks as assigned.

Standard Specifications:

Requirements are representative of minimum levels of knowledge, skills and/or abilities. To perform this job successfully, the incumbent will possess the abilities or aptitudes to perform each duty proficiently.

Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health and safety of themselves, other employees or guests.

Qualifications:

Essential:

1. Smart Serve Certificate

2. Ability to satisfactorily communicate in English with guests, management and co-workers to their understanding*.*

3. Applicant must be a self starter, outgoing, demonstrate flexibility and work well with others

4. Ability to focus attention on detail

5. Ability to follow directions thoroughly

6. Ability to exert strong physical effort in transporting heavy supplies from storeroom to restaurant and transporting trays of equipment, food and beverages to/from dining room.

7. Ability to ensure abundant physical movements through the work area

8. Knowledge about basic service rules

Job Type: Part-time

Salary: $15.65 Hour

Job Types: Part-time, Permanent

Salary: $15.65 per hour

Additional pay:
  • Bonus pay
Benefits:
  • Discounted or free food
Flexible language requirement:
  • French not required
Schedule:
  • 8 hour shift
  • Evening shift

Ability to ON: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)

Example 3

We are looking for a Food Runner to join our team and facilitate collaboration between our kitchen and wait staff.

Food Runner responsibilities include setting tables, serving food orders and removing used dishes and utensils. If you’d like to gain experience in the restaurant industry and learn how to provide an excellent dining experience, we’d like to meet you. To be considered for this role, you should be available to work various shifts, including weekends.

Ultimately, you will ensure our guests have a high-quality dining experience by serving their food in a timely and accurate manner.

Responsibilities

  • Deliver food orders from the kitchen to customers’ tables rapidly and accurately
  • Act as the contact point between Front of the House and Back of the House staff
  • Communicate food orders to chefs, paying attention to priorities and special requests (e.g. food allergies)
  • Assist the wait staff with table setting by fetching and placing appropriate tableware, eating utensils and napkins
  • Serve welcome drinks and hors d’oeuvres, upon guests’ arrival
  • Ensure food is served in accordance with safety standards (e.g. proper temperature)
  • Check in with customers and take additional orders or refill water, as needed
  • Remove dirty dishes and utensils
  • Answer guests’ questions about ingredients and menu items
  • Inform restaurant staff about customers’ feedback or requests (e.g. when they ask for the check)
  • Make sure families with young children get kids menus and special silverware sets


Requirements and skills

  • Experience as a Food Expeditoror similar entry-level role in a restaurant
  • Understanding of hygiene and food safety rules
  • Physical ability and stamina to carry heavy trays and stand for long hours
  • Availability to work various shifts, including weekends
  • Multi-tasking abilities
  • Good oral communication skills
  • Ability to remain calm and professional in a fast-paced work environment
  • Degree in hospitality or restaurant management is a plus

Job Type: Part-time

Benefits:
  • Discounted or free food
  • On-site parking
Flexible Language Requirement:
  • French not required
Schedule:
  • 8 hour shift
  • Evening shift
  • Holidays
  • Night shift
  • On call
  • Weekends as needed
Supplemental pay types:
  • Tips



Ability to commute/relocate:
  • Etobicoke, ON M9A 1C4: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work Location: In person
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Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

Read our editorial guidelines
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What does a Food Runner do?

A Food Runner performs many tasks, but their main role is to ensure that restaurant guests receive the right order on time. Just like Servers and Chefs, this position is integral in ensuring a smooth and efficient operation between back-of-house and front-of-house areas. Seamless operations between these two lead to high-quality service, which keeps customers happy.

Food Runner skills and qualifications

The nature of their job requires Food Runners to have a variety of skills. Besides a friendly personality, successful Food Runners also need to have some of the following skills and qualifications:

  • Clear understanding of hygiene and food safety regulations
  • Superb communication and interpersonal skills, especially in verbal interactions
  • Exceptional multitasking skills and attention to detail
  • Accurate memory to remember small details to relay the right message and respond accordingly
  • Ability to stay calm when handling difficult clients and stressful situations

Food Runner experience requirements

Food Runners don’t need any previous work experience. However, candidates need to demonstrate they can thrive in fast-paced, high-pressure environments. Food Runners need to work well as part of a team and on individual tasks, and must pay attention to detail to ensure every dish looks its best when it’s served. Look for candidates with experience working in teams at school, extracurricular activities, or in volunteer positions.

Food Runner education and training requirements

Since a Food Runner is an entry-level position, no advanced education is necessary. On-the-job training provides Food Runners with everything they need to know about the restaurant’s dishes and service expectations. Look for candidates with a high school diploma or GED, or you can employ high school students on a part-time basis or over the summer. Candidates need to provide their Food Handler certification, recognized across Canada.

For restaurants that serve alcohol, Food Runners with an alcohol service certification are an asset as they also run drinks and clear tables for guests. This certification is specific to every province and territory. For example, employees in Ontario need a Smart Serve certificate, in Alberta it’s ProServe, and in British Columbia it’s called Serving It Right. If a candidate has their Alberta ProServe but is applying to a job in Ontario, they’ll have to complete the Smart Serve certification before they can legally serve alcohol.

Food Runner salary expectations

According to Indeed Salaries, the average wage for a Food Runner in Canada is $14.28 per hour. This amount may vary depending on the company’s location and size, and the candidate’s previous experience and education.

Job description samples for similar positions

If a Food Runner job description isn’t quite what you’re looking for, see similar job description samples that may suit your search including:

Create a culture of innovation
Download our free step-by-step guide on encouraging healthy risk-taking
Get the guide

Food Runner job description FAQs

Two chefs, one wearing a red headband, review a laptop and take notes at a wooden table in a kitchen setting.

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