Responsibilities and roles of a waiter

A waiter is a person who provides service to customers in a hotel, restaurant, cafe or any other eating place. The main roles of a waiter are as follows:

• Welcoming customers 
• Communicating with customers and providing service  
• Serving menus and taking orders 
• Bringing orders to the kitchen 
• Serving food and drinks 
• Fulfilling customer requests
• Table cleaning
• Giving bill and taking payment 
• Taking feedback from customers
• Handling special requests (such as providing water, napkins and extra cutlery)

Tips that help a waiter to do their job properly:

1. Having in-depth knowledge of the menu

• Know all the dishes, their ingredients, preparation methods. When customers ask for suggestions, offer advice with confidence.
• Always ask the kitchen about daily specials and promotions, so you can tell them to customers at the right time.

2. Pay attention to customers’ order details

• When customers place orders, listen carefully and understand any special requests or changes.
• Pay attention to customers’ body language so you can sense if they need something, like a refill or something extra, without them having to ask.

3. Improve time management and multitasking

• Be organized in handling multiple tables. Know when to meet customers’ needs, when to serve food, and when to remove plates.

• Group tasks together to avoid unnecessary detours. For example, if you’re serving food to a customer, check to see if they need anything else.
• If your restaurant uses tablets or POS systems, get familiar with them so you can enter orders quickly and accurately.

4. Improve communication skills

• Polite communication can improve the customer experience.
• Smiling and eye contact can make a difference in customer satisfaction and create a welcoming atmosphere.

5. Handle difficult situations calmly

• Remain calm under pressure. If a customer is angry, listen calmly and resolve the problem with empathy, always involving the manager if necessary.

6. Stay organized

• Keep the work area clean. A clean and organized space ensures that you can work more efficiently. Always keep essential items, such as napkins and cutlery, in stock.

8. Build good rapport with the team

• Maintain coordination and communication with the kitchen and other staff. Good teamwork is very important to ensure orders are received accurately and on time.
• The roles of a waiter also include providing support to your coworkers.

9. Take feedback 

• Ask for feedback from customers (or managers) about service. You can improve with positive and constructive criticism.

A waiter is invaluable to any restaurant, providing excellent customer service, ensuring smooth operations, and enhancing the dining experience through efficient order management and hospitality. By knowing all this information about the roles of a waiter, you can do your job even better. 

If you are looking for a job in the hotel and restaurant industry then you can use MyJobee app where you can find jobs like waiter, cook/chef, barista, captain, bellboy, kitchen helper, steward, hotel manager or restaurant manager and more. So download the MyJobee app today and make your blue collar job search easy.