Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop
Welcome patrons, seat them at tables or in lounge, and help ensure quality of facilities and service.
Sample of reported job titles:
Buffet Hostess, General Teller, Greeter, Host, Hostess, Seater
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Tasks
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Provide guests with menus.
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Assign patrons to tables suitable for their needs and according to rotation so that servers receive an appropriate number of seatings.
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Greet guests and seat them at tables or in waiting areas.
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Answer telephone calls and respond to inquiries or transfer calls.
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Operate cash registers to accept payments for food and beverages.
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Speak with patrons to ensure satisfaction with food and service, to respond to complaints, or to make conversation.
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Take and prepare to-go orders.
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Maintain contact with kitchen staff, management, serving staff, and customers to ensure that dining details are handled properly and customers' concerns are addressed.
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Receive and record patrons' dining reservations.
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Inspect dining and serving areas to ensure cleanliness and proper setup.
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Inform patrons of establishment specialties and features.
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Inspect restrooms for cleanliness and availability of supplies, and clean restrooms when necessary.
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Assist other restaurant workers by serving food and beverages, or by bussing tables.
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Supervise and coordinate activities of dining room staff to ensure that patrons receive prompt and courteous service.
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Hire, train, and supervise food and beverage service staff.
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Prepare cash receipts after establishments close, and make bank deposits.
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Direct patrons to coatrooms and waiting areas, such as lounges.
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Plan parties or other special events and services.
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Order or requisition supplies and equipment for tables and serving stations.
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Perform marketing and advertising services.
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Confer with other staff to help plan establishments' menus.
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Technology Skills
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Calendar and scheduling software — iMagic Restaurant Reservation
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Data base user interface and query software — Avenista Table Reservations; GuestBridge Reserve; OpenTable; Reservation software
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Office suite software — Microsoft Office software
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Operating system software — Microsoft Windows
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Point of sale POS software — Hospitality Control Solutions Aloha Point-of-Sale
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Spreadsheet software — Microsoft Excel
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Web page creation and editing software — Facebook
Hot Technologies are requirements most frequently included across all employer job postings.
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Work Activities
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Performing for or Working Directly with the Public — Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
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Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
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Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
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Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
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Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
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Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
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Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings — Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
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Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others — Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
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Detailed Work Activities
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Assist customers with seating arrangements.
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Present food or beverage information or menus to customers.
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Provide customers with general information or assistance.
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Process customer bills or payments.
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Communicate with customers to resolve complaints or ensure satisfaction.
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Communicate dining or order details to kitchen personnel.
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Package food or supplies.
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Coordinate activities of food service staff.
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Schedule dining reservations.
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Inspect facilities, equipment or supplies to ensure conformance to standards.
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Perform human resources activities.
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Train food preparation or food service personnel.
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Record operational or production data.
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Assist chefs or caterers with food or drink preparation.
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Order materials, supplies, or equipment.
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Manage food service operations or parts of operations.
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Work Context
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Contact With Others — 88% responded “Constant contact with others.”
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Spend Time Standing — 78% responded “Continually or almost continually.”
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Work With Work Group or Team — 64% responded “Extremely important.”
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Telephone — 81% responded “Every day.”
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Face-to-Face Discussions — 71% responded “Every day.”
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Spend Time Walking and Running — 53% responded “Continually or almost continually.”
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Physical Proximity — 44% responded “Very close (near touching).”
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Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People — 49% responded “Every day.”
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Deal With External Customers — 49% responded “Extremely important.”
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Indoors, Environmentally Controlled — 63% responded “Every day.”
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Coordinate or Lead Others — 40% responded “Extremely important.”
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Frequency of Conflict Situations — 42% responded “Every day.”
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Structured versus Unstructured Work — 35% responded “A lot of freedom.”
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Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions — 42% responded “Continually or almost continually.”
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Importance of Being Exact or Accurate — 37% responded “Very important.”
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Freedom to Make Decisions — 27% responded “A lot of freedom.”
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Frequency of Decision Making — 47% responded “Every day.”
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Responsible for Others' Health and Safety — 30% responded “High responsibility.”
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Responsibility for Outcomes and Results — 35% responded “Moderate responsibility.”
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Importance of Repeating Same Tasks — 31% responded “Important.”
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Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results — 29% responded “Moderate results.”
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Job Zone
- Title
- Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed
- Education
- These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
- Related Experience
- Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
- Job Training
- Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
- Job Zone Examples
- These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include orderlies, counter and rental clerks, customer service representatives, security guards, upholsterers, tellers, and dental laboratory technicians.
- SVP Range
- (4.0 to < 6.0)
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Training & Credentials
- State training
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- Local training
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- Certifications
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- State licenses
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Apprenticeship Opportunities
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Skills
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Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
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Speaking — Talking to others to convey information effectively.
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Service Orientation — Actively looking for ways to help people.
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Social Perceptiveness — Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
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Coordination — Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
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Knowledge
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Customer and Personal Service — Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
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English Language — Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
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Food Production — Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
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Sales and Marketing — Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
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Mathematics — Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
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Education
How much education does a new hire need to perform a job in this occupation? Respondents said:
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Abilities
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Oral Comprehension — The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
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Oral Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
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Speech Clarity — The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
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Speech Recognition — The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
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Near Vision — The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
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Problem Sensitivity — The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
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Interests
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Social — Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
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Enterprising — Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.
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Conventional — Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.
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Work Values
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Relationships — Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
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Support — Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
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Achievement — Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
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Work Styles
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Cooperation — Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
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Stress Tolerance — Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
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Self-Control — Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
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Dependability — Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
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Social Orientation — Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
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Adaptability/Flexibility — Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
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Integrity — Job requires being honest and ethical.
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Concern for Others — Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
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Attention to Detail — Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
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Initiative — Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
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Achievement/Effort — Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
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Leadership — Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
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Wages & Employment Trends
- Median wages (2023)
- $14.05 hourly, $29,220 annual
- State wages
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- Local wages
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- Employment (2022)
- 412,800 employees
- Projected growth (2022-2032)
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Little or no change
- Projected job openings (2022-2032)
- 104,200
- State trends
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- Top industries (2022)
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Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2023 wage data
external site and 2022-2032 employment projections
external site.
“Projected growth” represents the estimated change in total employment over the projections period (2022-2032). “Projected job openings” represent openings due to growth and replacement.
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Job Openings on the Web
- State job openings
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- Local job openings
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Professional Associations
Disclaimer:
Sources are listed to provide additional information on related jobs, specialties, and/or industries.
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