Server Jobs Near Me – Find Local Opportunities Now

Introduction

Server positions are an excellent entry point into the restaurant and hospitality industry. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for food and beverage serving jobs is projected to grow 14% through 2030, faster than the average for all occupations.[1] This equates to about 473,100 new jobs. The primary factors driving this growth are a continued increase in disposable income and consumers dining out more frequently.

The server role offers flexibility, allowing many people to work part-time hours around school or other Server Jobs. It can also serve as a launchpad for those interested in pursuing management positions or owning their own restaurant someday. The customer service aspect of serving prepares workers for careers in sales, retail, tourism and more. While the work is fast-paced and demanding, the potential for higher earnings through tips makes server jobs appealing. Starting with an entry-level server position and gaining experience can lead to better-paying roles at fine dining or luxury hospitality establishments.

[1] https://www.bls.gov/ooh/food-preparation-and-serving/waiters-and-waitresses.htm

Types of Server Jobs

There are several common types of server jobs to consider:

Waiters/Waitresses

Waiters and waitresses are responsible for taking customer orders, serving food and drinks, and ensuring customers have a positive dining experience. They take orders, deliver food and drinks to tables, check in with customers to ensure satisfaction, process payments, and perform other tasks like filling water glasses and resetting tables. Waiters and waitresses are usually the front line staff that interact most directly with restaurant patrons.

Bartenders

Bartenders prepare and serve alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks to customers seated at the bar or tables. They take drink orders, prepare cocktails and other drinks according to recipes, ensure drink glasses and bar supplies are stocked, process customer payments for drinks, check IDs, and chat with customers at the bar. Bartenders may work at restaurants, bars, clubs, hotels, or other establishments that serve drinks.

Hosts/Hostesses

Hosts and hostesses greet customers as they arrive at the restaurant, confirm or take reservations, and escort customers to their tables. They may also be responsible for managing wait lists, answering phone calls, processing take-out orders, and tidying up the entrance area. Hosts are often the first point of contact when customers arrive and they help ensure a smooth dining experience.

Busboys

Busboys (also known as bussers) assist wait staff by clearing dirty dishes and glassware from tables, resetting tables with clean place settings, filling water pitchers, and keeping dining areas tidy. Their duties allow waiters and waitresses to focus on taking orders and serving customers. Busboys help ensure tables are cleaned and set up to receive new patrons promptly after previous diners depart.

Server Job Responsibilities

A server’s primary duty is to provide excellent customer service by catering to the needs of restaurant patrons. Key responsibilities include:

• Taking orders: Servers greet customers, present menus, make recommendations, answer questions, and take food and drink orders. They must have excellent communication skills, product knowledge, and ability to make suggestions.

• Delivering food/drinks: Once an order is placed, servers relay it to the kitchen staff. They then deliver the prepared food and drinks to the correct table in a timely manner. This requires organizational skills and ability to balance multiple orders.

• Answering questions about menu: Servers must have thorough knowledge about the restaurant’s menu including ingredients, preparation methods, and potential food allergies. They should be able to make recommendations and substitutions.

• Upselling items: Good servers look for opportunities to upsell by making additional recommendations based on the customer’s selections. This increases sales volumes and tips.

• Processing payments: At the end of the meal, servers present the check, process payment via cash or card, and complete any necessary paperwork. They must handle payments securely and efficiently.

The server acts as the face of the restaurant, so excellent customer service skills are essential. They ensure patrons have an enjoyable dining experience that keeps them coming back.

Server Job Requirements

Working as a server requires certain skills and abilities. Here are some of the key requirements for server jobs:

• Customer Service Skills: Servers must have excellent customer service skills, as their job revolves around interacting with patrons. They need to be friendly, patient, and able to adapt to different personalities. Good communication and active listening are essential. Servers must maintain a positive attitude even when dealing with unhappy or difficult customers.

• Attention to Detail: Servers must be detail-oriented in order to accurately take food and drink orders, serve customers the correct items, and handle payment transactions properly. They need to remember specifics for each table, such as who ordered what. Details like food allergies or preparation requests must also be recalled and communicated to the kitchen staff.

• Stamina: Server jobs require being on your feet for hours at a time. Servers are constantly moving between the dining room and kitchen, standing while taking orders, and carrying heavy trays of food and drinks. Stamina is necessary to withstand the physical demands.

• Food Safety Knowledge: Servers should have basic food safety training and understand proper hygiene practices. They need to know how to handle food to avoid cross-contamination, ensure safe temperatures, and watch for allergy risks. Proper hand-washing techniques are a must.

• Multitasking Skills: The ability to balance multiple tasks at once is crucial for servers. They juggle taking orders, serving food, bussing tables, and attending to customer needs simultaneously. The ability to prioritize and manage time effectively is essential.

The fast-paced restaurant environment demands servers who are customer-focused, attentive, energetic, and able to multitask. While experience is not always required, core skills like customer service, organization, stamina, and stress management are must-haves for the job. With the right abilities, servers can provide an excellent dining experience for customers.

Working Conditions for Servers

Server jobs are typically fast-paced with long hours spent on your feet. Here’s an overview of what you can expect:

Hours/Shifts

• Servers often work evenings, late nights, weekends, and holidays since those are peak times for restaurants.
• Shifts are usually around 4-6 hours. Full-time servers may work doubles (two shifts in a row).
• You’ll need to have a flexible schedule as shifts rotate and change. Servers are expected to work when they’re needed.

Part-time vs Full-time

• Many server jobs are part-time, which allows workers to hold multiple jobs or attend school.
• Full-time servers get more hours/shifts but also take on more closing duties and side work.

Indoor vs Outdoor

• Most servers work indoors at traditional sit-down restaurants or cafes.
• Outdoor servers may work poolside at hotels/resorts or at patio restaurants and bars. Outdoor settings can be hot, cold, or rainy.

Dealing with Stress

• Server jobs are fast-paced and rely heavily on providing excellent customer service. This can be stressful.
• Servers need to juggle many tasks, tables, and demands simultaneously. Staying calm under pressure is a must.
• Dealing politely with rude customers is also a reality you’ll need to prepare for. Having a resilient attitude is important.

So in summary – server jobs require a flexible schedule, the ability to spend hours on your feet, and grace under pressure. But they can provide great opportunities to earn cash each shift!

Server Job Pay, Tips & Benefits

Servers are paid primarily through hourly wages and tips. Exact pay can vary greatly depending on the type and quality of the restaurant, location, and your experience level.

• Hourly Wages: Entry-level restaurant servers typically earn minimum wage in their state. Those with experience or working at fine dining establishments may earn $10-15 per hour. Pay also varies by location, with higher hourly wages in major metro areas.

• Tip Potential: Tips make up a significant portion of a server’s pay. They typically earn tips equal to 15-25% of the total bill. Fine dining servers average 18-20% tips. At high-end establishments, tips can exceed 20%. With experience, top servers at busy restaurants can earn $20-30+ per hour in tips alone.

• Health Insurance: Server jobs rarely provide health insurance. However, some restaurants, especially corporate chains, offer basic benefits to full-time staff. Independent restaurants are less likely to offer benefits. Servers must often obtain their own insurance.

• Flexible Schedules: Restaurant server schedules are designed around busy meal times. While shifts usually include nights and weekends, there is some flexibility to sign up for your preferred days. Servers can sometimes swap shifts with coworkers if schedule conflicts arise. The flexible nature of server shifts allows opportunities to attend school or accommodate another part-time job.

Finding Server Jobs Near Me

Looking for server jobs in your local area? There are several effective ways to find open positions nearby.

Online Job Boards

One of the most popular ways to find local server jobs is using online job boards. Sites like Indeed, Monster, and Craigslist allow you to search for server and waitstaff positions in your city or zip code. You can filter results by location, job type, and shift. Many also let you set up alerts to be notified of new postings that match your search criteria. This makes regularly checking for the latest openings much easier.

Restaurant Websites

Don’t forget to check the “Careers” or “Jobs” section of your favorite local restaurants’ websites. Oftentimes they will post server positions directly on their sites before listing them anywhere else.

In-Person Inquiries

You can get your foot in the door by dropping off your resume in person when you visit restaurants. Ask to speak to the hiring manager on duty. Highlight your interest in joining their team, your availability, and your qualifications. While they may not have immediate openings, you’ll make a good impression for future opportunities.

Staffing Agencies

Finally, recruiting or staffing agencies specialize in hospitality and restaurant placements. They often have relationships with various dining establishments to fill their front-of-house roles. Registering with ones in your area gets your information directly to those hiring servers locally. Just be sure to ask about their applicant screening process and placement fees.

The most effective approach is using a combination of these methods to maximize your chances of securing server employment nearby. Be persistent and patient, and you’ll soon land the right job that fits your schedule and experience.

Applying for Server Jobs

When applying for server jobs, having a strong resume is crucial for standing out. Focus on highlighting any previous serving experience, including specific responsibilities and achievements. List any relevant skills like communication, multitasking, and attention to detail. Have someone proofread your resume before submitting.

Make sure to arrive early and dressed professionally for server job interviews. Wear clean, wrinkle-free attire like dress pants, a button-down shirt, and dress shoes. Be polite to everyone you encounter. Bring extra copies of your resume. Greet your interviewers with a firm handshake and maintain good eye contact.

After an interview, write down any questions you were asked along with your responses. Send a follow up email or letter within 24 hours thanking the interviewers for their time. Briefly reinforce your interest and fit for the server position. You can also politely ask about the hiring timeline.

If you receive a job offer, be ready to provide professional references. Make your decision promptly and notify the employer. Thank them for the opportunity either way. Keep applying until you secure a server job. With preparation and persistence, you can land serving positions in your area.

Training & Advancement

Many server jobs provide on-the-job training to help new employees learn the ropes. This may include shadowing experienced servers, going through training manuals and videos, and receiving coaching from managers. The hands-on training teaches servers how to properly take orders, deliver food and drinks, work the cash register, handle customer complaints, and follow health and safety protocols.

Some restaurants and hospitality companies offer more formalized training programs for servers looking to advance their careers. These may include courses on providing excellent customer service, managing inventory, supervising other staff, and running restaurant operations. Completing a training program can help servers move into shift leader, floor manager, and general manager roles with more responsibility. Those with aspirations of managing or owning a restaurant some day can get on track by taking business and hospitality management classes.

Certification programs are another option for servers to boost their skills. The National Restaurant Association offers a ServSafe certification in food safety training that many restaurants require. Earning this certification shows a solid understanding of proper food handling, cleaning, storage, and preparation. Other recognized certifications for servers include those in responsible alcohol service, allergen awareness, and customer service excellence. These types of specialized certifications can help servers stand out and qualify for more advanced positions.

With good performance and further training, servers have room for advancement in restaurant roles. They may be promoted to shift leader to help manage a specific shift. After gaining supervisory experience, shift leaders can move up to assistant manager or general manager positions. Especially ambitious servers with the right business knowledge can go on to own and operate their own restaurant franchise or independent eatery. While the server job itself may not require extensive training, it can be the first step to accessing training for bigger roles in the hospitality industry.

Is a Server Career Right for You?

When considering a server job, it’s important to weigh the pros and cons to determine if it’s the right fit. Here are some things to think about:

Pros

• Flexible scheduling – Server jobs often have flexible schedules with opportunities to work nights, weekends, and holidays when many other businesses are closed. This can accommodate school schedules or other commitments.

• Potential to earn cash daily – Tips are a big part of a server’s income. Since tips are paid daily, you take home cash at the end of each shift. This can be helpful for covering immediate expenses.

• Less educational requirements – A high school diploma is usually the only educational requirement. No college degree is required for most server jobs.

• Transferable skills – Servers develop excellent hospitality, customer service, multitasking, and communication skills. These transferable skills can be advantageous when changing careers.

• Fast hiring and start work quickly – Server jobs have quick turnaround hiring practices. Training is typically provided on the job allowing you to start earning within days or weeks.

Cons

• Physically demanding – Servers spend hours on their feet carrying heavy trays and plates. The job can take a toll physically over time. Chronic conditions like back or foot pain are common.

• Irregular hours – Server shifts often include late nights, weekends, and holidays. This can make it difficult to plan regular family or social activities outside of work.

• Reliance on tips – Tips vary shift to shift, making income unpredictable. Bad weather, slow nights, or poor tippers all impact potential earnings.

• Dealing with difficult customers – Servers sometimes encounter rude, impatient, or inappropriate behavior. Having composure under stress is essential.

• Lack of benefits – Very few server jobs offer full healthcare, retirement, or paid time off benefits without seniority. This requires careful budgeting when ill or taking vacations.

Good Skills

• Stamina and physical fitness – Carrying heavy loads over many hours requires energy and strength. Being physically fit helps meet the demands.

• Customer service attitude – Patience and friendliness when dealing with all types of people is a must. The ability to smile through challenges is important.

• Responsibility and organization – Servers must juggle many tasks at once. Staying focused and organized helps ensure good service.

• Communication abilities – Servers should communicate menus and specials articulately. They also need to listen attentively to customer needs.

• Composure under pressure – When things get hectic, servers must keep calm and address what needs attention first. Stress management is key.

If you enjoy hospitality, are comfortable with irregular hours, can handle pressure, and possess strong social skills, a server career may be a good option. Weighing the pros and cons and evaluating your personal abilities can determine if server work aligns with your goals.