Best Hostess Job Description Sample (+ Free Template Download)

A hostess or restaurant host is a professional responsible for greeting customers as they enter an establishment and assist with their dining reservations. The hostess assists the patrons by providing them with restaurant menus and showing them to their seats. The hostess may handle the incoming phone calls and customer questions regarding the restaurant, menu, and creating dining reservations.

A hostess is sometimes referred to as a restaurant hostess or coffee shop hostess.

Restaurant Hostess Job Description Sample

Our fine dining restaurant is seeking a hostess who can create a high-quality dining experience for our patrons and guests. A hostess will greet guests, mark their reservation, review the seating chart, and assist guests to their seats while providing them with a restaurant menu. Our hostess will oversee the dining room and front desk. The hostess should have a positive attitude at all times, especially during busy periods, and provide guests with accurate wait times in a friendly fashion.

Restaurant Hostess Duties and Responsibilities

Below are the hostess job duties and responsibilities.

• Greet customers as they arrive.
• Work closely with the kitchen staff and waitress or waiter to start service for a new customer.
• Show guests the lounge and bar area for a beverage during long wait times.
• Work closely with the wait staff to ensure table rotation.
• Ensure the waiting area is clean, clear of obstructions and guests have a place to sit.
• Provide each guest with a high quality experience.
• Provide customer service to each guest who has questions about the menu, table seatings, or other questions.
• Offer a smile and a warm welcome while greeting guests.
• Provide excellent customer service while seating guests.
• Ensure guest satisfaction by asking about their meals.
• Mark each guest reservation as they arrive.
• Answer phone calls and take guest reservations.

Lobby Hostess Duties and Responsibilities

• Greeting guests as they arrive and informing them of specials and events.
• Thanking guests as they leave and inviting them back.
• Managing a waiting list, seating guests, bussing tables, and assisting servers.
• Answering telephone calls.

Lounge Hostess Duties and Responsibilities

• Answering the phones and book reservations.
• Greeting customers and making them feel welcome.
• Estimating wait time for guests.

Restaurant Hostess Requirements

Qualified candidates should have the following:

• High School diploma or equivalent.
• Previous experience in the food industry.
• Ability to practice excellent customer service.
• Previous experience in a hostess position preferred.

Restaurant Hostess Salary and Job Outlook

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, a server earns $11.54 on hour, per average. Equalling $24,010 in median annual wages.

Overall employment of food and beverage serving and related workers is projected to grow 10% or more from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations.

Restaurant Hostess Skills

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, top candidates should have the following skills:

• Communication skills. Food and beverage serving and related workers must listen carefully to their customers’ orders and relay them correctly to the kitchen staff so that the orders are prepared to the customers’ request.
• Customer-service skills. Foodservice establishments rely on good food and customer service to keep customers and succeed in a competitive industry. As a result, workers should be courteous and be able to attend to customers’ requests.
• Physical stamina. Food and beverage serving and related workers spend most of their work time standing, carrying heavy trays, cleaning work areas, and attending to customers’ needs.
• Physical strength. Food and beverage serving and related workers need to be able to lift and carry stock and equipment that can weigh up to 50 pounds.

In addition to these skills, Humanity.com says that charm is a key skill to look for in a hostess. Saying, "A great host or hostess must be well-spoken and polite at all times. Whether they are talking to customers in person or taking reservations over the phone, a great host or hostess will speak clearly and collectedly, never rushing their conversations or showing any signs that can imply rudeness."

Other skills, characteristics, qualities, traits, and behaviors to look for in a hostess includes:

• Team Spirit
• People Skills
• Composure
• Confidence

Restaurant Hostess Job Boards

Employers who are posting a restaurant hostess job advertisement should post their job description on a "niche" job board before opening it up to a wider, national job board like Indeed, Monster, or Dice.com. Job seekers who are using the "niche" job board have a greater likelihood of being passionate about their career advancement and passionate about their work.

Top restaurant hostess job boards

• FoodEmployment.com
• iHobnob
• Nosh.com
• Good Food Jobs

Posting on these job boards before opening up a wider search using national job boards is advised. In addition, employers can post the available job on community center websites or community center bulletin boards. Local cities have Facebook Groups where a job posting can be listed, as well. Most commonly, restaurant hostess positions are filled in local geography rather than a national search.

Related: Hostess Resume

Restaurant Hostess Certifications

Most restaurant hostess positions are entry-level employment opportunities, where on-the-job training is provided by the employer. While no certifications are required for this position, the American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute provides a Certified Restaurant Server (CRS) certification. A restaurant hostess who has obtained this certification can show significant promise in treating their role with the utmost professionalism. While the program is intended for restaurant servers, a restaurant hostess has similar job duties and responsibilities. And can benefit from this certification.

Restaurant Hostess Resources

Those looking to advance themselves in the restaurant hostess job title or employers looking to place restaurant hostess positions may want to consider the following resources. These resources can provide helpful insight on creating an ideal workplace, understanding the role with clarity, and ensuring a healthy work relationship between employee and employer:

• Book: The Encyclopedia of Restaurant Training: A Complete Ready-to-Use Training Program for All Positions in the Food Service Industry
• Association: Association of Nutrition & Foodservice Professionals
• Book: Presenting Service: The Ultimate Guide for the Foodservice Professional
• The National Restaurant Association

Restaurant Hostess Job Description Template

• [List 4-5 essential functions of the job role]

• [List 5+ qualifications including education level, experience level, key skills, and expectations of the job function]

• [LIst 2-5 characteristics, traits, and other requirements of the role]
• [If physical requirements are necessary, include reasonable accommodation details]