Restaurant Hosts

Career summary

#No alternate titles CJ

Restaurant hosts greet customers, and if all tables are occupied, estimate how long it might take to be seated. They escort customers to their tables and give them menus. They take reservations and arrange parties or special events for customers.

Hosts respond to customer complaints and make sure customers are satisfied with their dining experience.

Some restaurant hosts supervise the work of other dining room staff. They assign tables to waiters, waitresses, and buspersons. They also create the work schedules for employees. Sometimes hosts interview, hire, and train other dining room staff. They may also meet with other staff to help plan the menus.

Restaurant hosts ensure the dining room is neat, clean, and meets other standards. They order table linens and other supplies for serving stations. They also inspect serving stations to make sure they are neat and stocked. After closing the restaurant for the day they total all of the receipts to verify sales, and clear the cash register.

Related careers

This career is part of the Hospitality and Tourism cluster of careers.

Related careers include:

• Cashiers
• Concierges
• Counter and Rental Clerks
• Counter Attendants
• Hotel Desk Clerks
• Retail Salespeople
• Stock Clerks
• Ushers and Ticket Takers
• Waiters and Waitresses

Job duties

Task list

The following list of tasks is specific to restaurant hosts.

• Greet guests and escort them to tables. Provide menus.
• Seat guests at tables that meet their needs.
• Inspect dining room serving stations to make sure they are neat and clean.
• Operate cash register to accept payments.
• Total receipts at end of shift to verify sales. Clear cash register.
• Address customer complaints.
• Assign work tasks to staff.
• Take reservations and arrange parties or special events for customers.
• Encourage cooks to speed up food orders for guests who had a long wait.
• Explain restaurants specialties and features to guests.
• Escort guests to waiting areas, such as lounges.
• Schedule work hours of dining room workers.
• Order table linens and other supplies for tables and serving stations.
• Interview, hire, and fire dining room personnel. Train dining room employees.
• Meet with staff to prepare menus.
• Take and prepare to-go orders.

Common work activities

Restaurant hosts perform the following tasks. These tasks are common to many careers.

• Perform for or work with the public
• Communicate with supervisors, peers, or subordinates
• Establish and maintain relationships
• Identify objects, actions, and events
• Get information needed to do the job
• Make decisions and solve problems
• Monitor events, materials, and surroundings
• Resolve conflicts and negotiate with others

Work requirements

Working conditions

In a typical work setting, restaurant hosts:

Interpersonal relationships

• Have a high level of social contact. They work closely with customers and employees.
• Often deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous customers.
• Are placed in conflict situations on a weekly basis.
• Are responsible for the work done by the workers they supervise.
• Communicate with coworkers and customers daily by telephone or in person.
• Work in a group or as part of a team.

Physical work conditions

• Always work indoors.
• Work very near customers and coworkers. They often work within inches of other people.
• Often wear a uniform.

Work performance

• Must be exact in their work so that customers have a good dining experience.
• Often make decisions that affect customers. They consult supervisors for some decisions, but make most without talking to a supervisor.
• Are able to set some tasks for the day without consulting with a supervisor.
• Repeat the same physical and mental tasks.

Hours/travel

• Generally have a set schedule each week.
• May work full time or part time, but most work less than 40 hours a week.
• May work days, evenings, weekends, or holidays.
• May work split shifts. For example, they might work from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., with time off in between.

Physical demands

Restaurant hosts frequently:

• Stand for long periods of time.
• Walk or run for long periods of time.
• Repeat the same movements.

It is important for restaurant hosts to be able to:

• Understand the speech of another person.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• See details of objects that are less than a few feet away.

It is not as important, but still necessary, for restaurant hosts to be able to:

• Use stomach and lower back muscles to support the body for long periods without getting tired.
• See details of objects that are more than a few feet away.
• Use fingers to grasp, move, or assemble very small objects.
• Use one or two hands to grasp, move, or assemble objects.
• Focus on one source of sound and ignore others.
• Be physically active for long periods without getting tired or out of breath.
• Use muscles to lift, push, pull, or carry heavy objects.
• Hold the arm and hand in one position or hold the hand steady while moving the arm.

Skills and abilities

Restaurant hosts need to:

Communicate

• Understand spoken information.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• Listen to others and ask questions.

Reason and problem solve

• Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.

Work with people

• Look for ways to help people.
• Be aware of others' reactions and understand the possible causes.
• Change behavior in relation to others' actions.

Education and training

Educational programs

The programs of study listed below will help you prepare for the occupation or career cluster you are exploring.

Programs of study directly related to this occupation

• Food Services

Other programs of study to consider

• Hospitality Management

Training

To work as a restaurant host, you typically need to:

• complete short-term, on-the-job training.

Education after high school

Restaurant host jobs tend to be entry-level jobs that require little or no previous work experience. However, many employers prefer that you have a high school diploma or equivalent.

Work experience

Many restaurant hosts have work experience as a waiter or waitress.

On-the-job training

Almost all restaurant hosts learn their skills on the job from an experienced worker. Some employers offer videotaped instruction as extra training for their hosts. Training includes:

• job duties;
• customer service skills; and
• orientation to restaurant policies.

Training may last up to a month.

Helpful high school courses

You should take a general high school curriculum that meets the state's graduation requirements. You will be required to take both math and science classes to graduate.

Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this career include:

• Food and Nutrition
• Food Service
• Hospitality

The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering taking.

You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing, internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.

Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe one of them will help direct you to a future career. Here are examples of activities and groups that may be available in your high school or community.

Things to know

Employers prefer to hire restaurant hosts who have a high school diploma or equivalent. Some employers require experience in food or customer service.

Employers look for restaurant hosts who have a good memory for faces and numbers. They want employees who can remember the preferences of frequent customers. In addition, employers look for hosts who are well-spoken and have a neat, clean appearance. Employers prefer hosts who enjoy dealing with people and have a pleasant manner.

Some employers require workers to be willing to work all shifts and sometimes do split shifts. Jobs at some restaurants may be seasonal. Workers may also need to be familiar with Point of Sale (POS) systems.

#Info from host ads posted on America's Job Bank 3/28/07, CJ.

Job listings

Listed below are links to job categories from the National Labor Exchange that relate to this career. Once you get a list of jobs, you can view information about individual jobs and find out how to apply. If your job search finds too many openings, or if you wish to search for jobs outside of Washington, you will need to refine your search.

• Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop 

To get a listing of current jobs from the WorkSource system, go to the WorkSource website .

Wages

The minimum wage for Washington State as of January 1, 2020 is $13.50 per hour. Some areas of the state may have a higher minimum wage.

Wages vary by employer and area of the country. Wages also vary by the amount of tips hosts receive. In some restaurants, hosts do not receive tips. In other restaurants, the waiters and waitresses put some of their tips into a tip pool. This money is divided among all restaurant staff at the end of the shift. Restaurant hosts who receive tips usually are paid less per hour by their employer.

Restaurant hosts who work full time may receive benefits. Typical benefits include sick leave, paid vacation, and health insurance.

Employment and outlook

Washington outlook

The table below provides information about the number of workers in this career in various regions. It also provides information about the expected growth rate and future job openings.

National employment

Jobs are located throughout the country. They are plentiful in large cities and tourist areas.

Major employers:

• Full-service restaurants
• Hotels, motels, and other lodging with restaurants
• Coffee shops
• Bars

National outlook

Demand for this occupation will grow steadily. Growth will be due to increases in population, household income, and leisure time. In addition, because there are more demands on their time, families will go to informal restaurants more often. These factors will increase the demand for restaurant hosts.

Job turnover is high due to low wages and the fact that most jobs are part time. Employers will continue to hire young workers who do not have experience. In finer, more expensive restaurants, job turnover will be lower because tips are larger. Competition for these positions will be stronger.

Other resources

American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute 
(Certification options in the hospitality industry)

National Restaurant Association 
2055 L Street NW, Suite 700
Washington, DC 20036
800.424.5156
202.331.5900

National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation 
2055 L Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
800.424.5156

References

Career cluster

• Hospitality and Tourism

Career path

• Enterprising (Business Communications)

O*Net  occupation

• Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop (35-9031.00) 

O*Net job zone 

• Job Zone 2 - Some preparation needed. Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful in these occupations, but usually is not needed.

DOT occupation

• Host/Hostess, Restaurant (310.137-010) 

Holland occupational clusters

• Enterprising/Social/Conventional
• Enterprising/Social/Realistic

COPSystem

• Service Skilled