Waiter or Waitress job description
Cloutra team · Last updated October 12, 2026
A waiter or waitress takes orders, serves food and drinks, and looks after guests from the moment they sit down until they leave. Use this waiter or waitress job description template to attract reliable candidates, and adjust the duties and requirements to fit your restaurant.
Waiter or Waitress responsibilities include:
- Greeting guests and taking food and drink orders
- Serving meals and checking on tables during service
- Preparing checks and handling payments
Job brief
We are looking for a Waiter or Waitress to take orders, serve our guests and help make every visit to our restaurant a pleasant one.
In this role you will greet guests, explain the menu, take orders accurately, bring food and drinks to the table and handle payment at the end of the meal. You will work closely with the kitchen, the bar and the other servers to keep service moving during busy shifts.
To succeed, you should be friendly, attentive and calm under pressure, with a good memory for orders and a real interest in looking after people.
Responsibilities
- Greet guests, seat them when needed and present the menu
- Explain dishes, specials and drinks, and answer questions about ingredients
- Take food and drink orders accurately and enter them into the ordering system
- Pass allergy and dietary requests clearly to the kitchen
- Serve food and drinks promptly and in the right order
- Check on tables during the meal and respond to requests
- Handle complaints politely and involve a manager when needed
- Prepare checks and process cash and card payments
- Clear and reset tables, and keep the dining area clean and stocked
- Follow food safety, hygiene and alcohol service rules
Requirements and skills
- Proven experience as a Waiter or Waitress or in a similar customer-facing role
- Friendly, polite manner with guests and coworkers
- Good memory and attention to detail when taking orders
- Ability to stay calm and organized during busy service
- Basic math skills and experience handling cash and card payments
- Familiarity with point-of-sale or restaurant ordering systems
- Availability to work evenings, weekends and holidays as scheduled
- High school diploma or equivalent experience. Food handler or alcohol service certification as required by your state
Hiring a waiter or waitress?
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Frequently asked questions
What does a waiter or waitress do?
A waiter or waitress takes guests' orders, serves their food and drinks, checks that they have what they need during the meal, and handles the check at the end.
What are the duties and responsibilities of a waiter or waitress?
Typical duties include greeting guests, explaining the menu, taking and entering orders, serving food and drinks, dealing with requests and complaints, processing payments, and clearing and resetting tables.
What makes a good waiter or waitress?
A good waiter or waitress is friendly, attentive and quick on their feet, remembers orders accurately, knows the menu well and stays calm when the restaurant is full.
Who does a waiter or waitress work with?
Waiters and waitresses usually report to a shift supervisor or restaurant manager. They work with hosts, other servers, bartenders, bussers and the kitchen staff.