HOST
first impressions are the most lasting
Host Program
You never get a second chance to make a first impression!
The restaurant host or hostess is the first employee to interact with your guests as they enter the restaurant. It is the job of the host or hostess to greet arriving guests, welcome them into the establishment and seat them. The guests receive their first impression of the service of the restaurant by their exchange with the host or hostess.
The Importance of the host role in a restaurant's success
Think about the last time you ate dinner at a sit-down restaurant. Remember the person who greeted you at the door, compliment you about your outfit and then took you to your table? That person was probably a host or hostess.
As a host or hostess you are responsible for many things. You need to cheerfully greet arriving guests, take them to their table and provide them with silverware and a menu. You need to be able to monitor the table rotation and make sure that each member of the wait staff gets a fair amount of tables without giving them too many all at once. At the same time, you need to know which servers you can count on to take extra tables when you get barraged with customers. You also need to keep track of which tables are cleaned and available for new guests, and you may even be required to answer the phone, take reservations and in some cases take-out orders.
Duties and responsibilities
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Greet guests as soon as they walk through the door, and again when they exit
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Monitor the dining sections of the restaurant
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Estimate accurate wait times for guests
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Move tables together to accommodate parties
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Seat guests based on rotation of tables, servers, or sections
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Escort guests to their table and engage them in conversation
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Be friendly to all guests and accommodate their needs throughout their entire visit
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Answer the telephone and articulate clearly when speaking
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Must maintain hygienic behavior compliant with food service safety standards
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Be highly knowledgeable of the menu
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At times, assist the server assistant in cleaning dirty table tops, chairs, booths and surrounding area as parties depart
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Reset and arrange tabletop
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Inspect, clean and restock restrooms
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Communicate with server and host team to ensure efficient seating, table utilization and customer service
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Assist servers as needed with food delivery
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Acknowledge and thank all departing guests
Due to the huge success of this program, registration is limited.
For information on how to register to the program or to offer your ideas on other community needs that we could fulfill, please call us.
