Every job has transferable skills that employers will value. When I help people with restaurant experience, I have found that they tend to downplay the work. They list the tasks they did, but they don’t know how to show off their waiter or waitress experience on their resume.
Be proud! Not everyone has the work ethic or hustle required to work in the restaurant industry. There is a good chance your future employer started their career as a food server. It’s much more than learning a menu, clearing tables, and refilling water glasses. It’s a great way to learn soft skills that apply to any job.
If you currently work for a national restaurant chain or a well-known brand in the hospitality industry, pay attention to any communications from the headquarters office. This includes companies like Texas Roadhouse (Employees are called Roadies), Olive Garden (Total Quality Program), and Red Lobster (Open jobs are called Lobstertunities!) Note the language they use to describe your work and their approach to food service. Note the safety guidelines they include in their training. You might be able to use this information on your resume.
If you are working on your first student resume, check out this post: 12 High School Student Resume Tips. I walk you through the process, starting with your contact information and education. I also give you a list of things to think about that you might add to your resume like athletics, projects, volunteer work, and other extracurricular activities.
Work Experience Section
Many people start working in their first job as hospitality professionals. Yes, I just called you a hospitality professional! If you have had multiple jobs, this is the section where you show your work history in a chronological format. This may be the only job listed in your work experience section, and that is ok too! There are many resume templates you can choose from but the general layout for each job includes:
Restaurant Name City, State Month Year - Present
Job Title
Bullet points describing the work you did
Bullet points describing the work you did
Bullet points describing the work you did
I am going to give you some potential bullet points for your resume. I will write them for you and you have my permission to use these as is. Some of these cover similar skills but offer you a choice in the description. Use these ideas as thought starters and be sure to edit to better fit your voice or experience. Not all of these will apply to your specific serving experience, so choose the best ones for each job posting.
Responsible for taking food and beverage orders and checking for accuracy before delivering them to the customer in a timely manner.
Delivered excellent service to customers via the phone and in the restaurant to support a positive experience.
Exhibited a depth of menu knowledge to answer questions related to specific dietary needs, preferences, and food allergies.
Filled the role of “expo” as a member of the kitchen staff to expedite customer orders by table number priority to improve the speed of service.
Prepared dining areas by setting out condiments, laying out tableware, and ensuring all dining spaces were clean and welcoming.
Developed the ability to remain calm working in a stressful, fast-paced environment.
Demonstrated superior interpersonal skills through my interactions during the meal service to ensure customer satisfaction and encourage repeat visits.
Provided support to fellow team of servers by clearing tables and refilling water glasses as needed.
Developed valuable sales experience by developing a rapport with my customers, using appealing descriptions of our meals, and suggesting related items.
Learned attention to detail and the importance of teamwork when handling the pre- and post-service side work.
Mastered the Toast POS system to ensure accuracy of special orders, taking split checks, and shaving ticket times.
Learned to follow all safety procedures for the food industry around personal and food hygiene, fire risks, and proper cleaning procedures to ensure a safe work environment.
Developed excellent customer service skills working with demanding and impatient customers, children throwing tantrums, and a lively, feisty kitchen crew.
Developed excellent communication skills to quickly build a rapport with my customers to contribute to an enjoyable dining experience.
Checked on customers throughout their meal to ensure satisfaction, and addressed any concerns or complaints promptly and professionally.
Provided training and guidance to new hires or junior staff when necessary
Skills Section
If you choose a resume template with a skills section, it’s a great place to list soft skills directly related to the job description you are applying for. You might change these out for each different job application to better customize the relevant skills for each job.
Sample skills you may have gained through your server position include:
Active listening
Accountability
Attention to detail
Communication skills
Customer service
Decision making
Interpersonal skills
Problem-solving
Selling skills or sales expertise
Teamwork
Time management
Cover Letter and Interview Ideas
Your restaurant experience can provide unique stories to tell. You’ve probably encountered some interesting scenarios compared to the other job seekers. I suggest you use these in your cover letter (if you choose to write one) or incorporate them in your job interviews. Hiring managers will remember these stories. Here are a couple of examples.
Through three years of experience with my restaurant, I developed strong relationships with repeat customers who frequently requested to sit in my section. One older couple brought me a holiday gift as if I was their grandchild.
I learned to be professional and adaptable in my three years as a waitress. I had one customer who frequently snuck her pet iguana in her large purse, so I ensured extra lettuce garnish was on her sandwich.
I learned several memory techniques in order to memorize the ever-changing menu items with specialty and seasonal ingredients like goji berries, maca, and kudzu!
Hopefully, you now see how much relevant experience you have gained working your waiter and waitress jobs. You’ve proven you are not afraid of hard work and you are a team player. These will support any of your career goals. Good luck!
