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Waitress Job Description: Top Duties and Qualifications

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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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6 min read

Your job description is the first touchpoint between your company and your new hire. With millions of people searching for jobs on Indeed each month, a great job description can help you attract the most qualified candidates to your open position. To get you started, here are some tips for creating an effective job description.

Waitress job title

A great job title typically includes a general term, level of experience and any special requirements. The general term will optimize your job title to show up in a general search for jobs of the same nature. The level of experience will help you attract the most qualified applicants by outlining the amount of responsibility and prior knowledge required. And if your position is specialized, consider including the specialization in the job title as well. But avoid using internal titles, abbreviations or acronyms to make sure people understand what your job posting is before clicking.

  • Waiter/Waitress
  • Restaurant Server (Part-Time)
  • Food and Beverage Server
  • Head Waitress/Waiter
  • Bartender and Waitress/Waiter

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Waitress Job Description Examples:

Our mission

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

Waitress job summary

A great job description starts with a compelling summary of the position and its role within your company. Your summary should provide an overview of your company and expectations for the position. Outline the types of activities and responsibilities required for the job so job seekers can determine if they are qualified, or if the job is a good fit.

Example of a Waitress job summary

Our busy restaurant is looking for a friendly and competent waitress/waiter to make sure our diners have a memorable experience. Since the quality of our service is crucial to success, the ideal candidate should possess clear communication skills, patience and attentiveness. You should be adept at working in fast-paced, unpredictable environments. You must be able to think on your feet and work well with the entire staff, from the chefs to the other servers. The successful applicant will be able to provide superior guest service and make certain the dining experience, from the food to the environment, meets the standards of our patrons.

Waitress responsibilities and duties

The responsibilities and duties section is the most important part of the job description. Here you should outline the functions this position will perform on a regular basis, how the job functions within the organization and who the job reports to.

  • Greet customers upon entrance
  • Prepare dining tables by arranging condiments, kitchenware and decorations
  • Help patrons select dishes by answering questions about foods and drinks, describing house specialties and identifying appropriate drink pairings
  • Take orders to kitchen staff and notify them of any special requests or dietary needs
  • Deliver food to guests in a timely manner and attend to the needs of guests throughout the dining process
  • Issue bills and obtain payment

Waitress qualifications and skills

Next, outline the required and preferred skills for your position. This may include education, previous job experience, certifications and technical skills. You may also include soft skills and personality traits that you envision for a successful hire. While it may be tempting to include a long list of skills and requirements, including too many could dissuade qualified candidates from applying. Keep your list of qualifications concise, but provide enough detail with relevant keywords and terms.

  • Excellent verbal communication skills
  • General math skills
  • Great customer service and conflict-resolution skills, and a commitment to professionalism
  • Must possess or obtain all licenses and certificates required by the local health department and Alcoholic Beverage Commission
  • Ability to work on your feet for hours at a time
  • Excellent teamwork ability
Create a culture of innovation
Download our free step-by-step guide on encouraging healthy risk-taking
Get the guide

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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Job Description Examples

Need help writing a job description for a specific role? Use these job description examples to create your next great job posting. Or if you’re ready to hire, post your job on Indeed.

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