Waiter/Waitress

Introduction

Waiters/waitresses prepare tables in a restaurant before guests arrive, take orders, serve food and drink, and clear tables. They might have to add up the bill for the meal and take payment for it.

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Work Activities

Waiters/waitresses are also known as waiting staff. Wherever people have food brought to their table - restaurants, cafes and so on - you will find waiting staff.

Before a restaurant is open or before the guests arrive at a function (such as a wedding) the waiting staff may have several jobs to do. They might have to lay out the tables - putting out tablecloths, napkins, cutlery, crockery and table decorations. They might have to move tables around and polish the cutlery.

If people have to sit in certain places, for example, at a function, the waiting staff put out the name cards at each place. They will also have to check that there are enough menus available, and that any other equipment they use (trays, serving trolleys, warmers) is clean and to hand.

Once the restaurant is open or guests start to arrive, the waiting staff help to make sure people feel comfortable. They might show people to their tables and hang up their coats, though sometimes this is the job of a head waiter/waitress.

When people sit down, the waiting staff show them a menu and ask if they would like a drink. The waiting staff take orders for meals and explain any unusual items on the menu. The orders are written on a pad and handed in to the kitchen. A waiter/waitress usually looks after a set area or group of tables.

When the food is ready, the waiting staff bring it from the kitchen and serve it to the guests. Sometimes the food is put on the plate in the kitchen (this is known as 'plate service'). Otherwise the waiting staff bring out the food on trays and serve it onto the plates at the table. This takes some skill and is known as 'silver service'.

While people are eating, the waiting staff need to stay alert in case the diners ask for anything else, and they should be ready to refill drinks glasses. Once the meal is over, the staff clear the table, serve teas and coffees, and give the customers their bill. When the guests leave, the staff may need to re-set the table. In some places the waiting staff may have to deal with payments for meals.

When the function ends or the restaurant closes, the waiting staff clear the tables and put the linen aside for washing. They polish and put away the cutlery and generally help to tidy up.

Some staff specialise in serving wine and drinks and are known as wine waiters/waitresses.

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Personal Qualities and Skills

This can be a very busy job, full of pressure. You must be tactful and patient with customers. As waiting staff you are the public face of a restaurant or cafe. It can often be down to you whether people will come back or will recommend the place to their friends.

You need to have energy and stamina for this job as you are on your feet all the time. You should be polite and friendly, and able to communicate clearly. You should also be interested in food - customers might ask for your recommendation, so it helps to know something about what is on the menu.

You need good personal hygiene and a smart appearance. Number skills are important for handling money.

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Pay and Opportunities

Wages vary depending on the type of employer.

The pay rates given below are approximate.

Waiters/Waitresses earn in the range of £220 - £280 a week, rising to around £320 a week.

Waiters/waitresses usually work 37-40 hours a week, which may include shift work, split shifts, early starts, late finishes, weekend work and public holidays. Overtime may be available. Part-time, temporary and seasonal employment is also possible.

Waiters/waitresses work throughout the UK, in pubs, hotels and restaurants. Holiday camps and other leisure centres, both indoors and outdoors, also employ waiters/waitresses.

There are many opportunities for promotion and rapid career development to supervisory or management level is possible.

Vacancies are often advertised in the local newspapers and at Jobcentre Plus.

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Adult Opportunities

It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Some entrants have relevant skills and abilities gained in working with the public and handling cash.

Colleges will usually consider applications from candidates who don't meet their usual entry requirements. You should check the admissions policy of individual colleges.

• 70% of waiters/waitresses work part-time.
• 2% have flexible hours.
• 12% work on a temporary basis.

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