What Do Restaurant Hosts and Hostesses Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Restaurant Hosts and Hostesses welcome patrons, seat them at tables or in lounge, and help ensure quality of facilities and service. They also provide guests with menus.

Other tasks include:

• Assign patrons to tables suitable for their needs and according to rotation so that servers receive an appropriate number of seatings.
• Greet guests and seat them at tables or in waiting areas.
• Answer telephone calls and respond to inquiries or transfer calls.
• Operate cash registers to accept payments for food and beverages.
• Speak with patrons to ensure satisfaction with food and service, to respond to complaints, or to make conversation.
• Take and prepare to-go orders.

We asked Restaurant Hosts and Hostesses how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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56% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 33% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Restaurant Hosts and Hostesses provide guests with menus. They greet guests and seat them at tables or in waiting areas.

A typical day for a Restaurant, Lounge and Coffee Shop Host and Hostess will also include:

• Operate cash registers to accept payments for food and beverages.
• Assign patrons to tables suitable for their needs and according to rotation so that servers receive an appropriate number of seatings.
• Answer telephone calls and respond to inquiries or transfer calls.
• Maintain contact with kitchen staff, management, serving staff, and customers to ensure that dining details are handled properly and customers’ concerns are addressed.
• Speak with patrons to ensure satisfaction with food and service, to respond to complaints, or to make conversation.

We asked some Restaurant Hosts and Hostesses a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	77% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	65% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	89% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	45% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	36% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	41% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Restaurant Hosts and Hostesses also plan parties or other special events and services. They may also hire, train, and supervise food and beverage service staff.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Restaurant Hosts and Hostesses Prepare staff work schedules. They might also Prepare cash receipts after establishments close, and make bank deposits.

In addition, they Direct patrons to coatrooms and waiting areas such as lounges.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Receive and record patrons’ dining reservations.

To some Restaurant Hosts and Hostesses, it is also their responsibility to Confer with other staff to help plan establishments’ menus.

Working life

Less than 40 hours per week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as a Restaurant, Lounge and Coffee Shop Host and Hostess, you can expect to work less than 40 hours per week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like starting up and carrying out projects. They like leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business..

They also like working with, communicating with, and teaching people. They like helping or providing service to others.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/OOH/food-preparation-and-serving/food-and-beverage-serving-and-related-workers.htm

http://www.restaurant.org/

http://www.restaurant.org/