6 Entry Level Restaurant Jobs

By Allie Caton on November 9, 2017

You don’t have to be a waitress or cook to work in a restaurant. There is a huge array of jobs other than waiting or bussing tables that are available in the restaurant industry. Working in a restaurant is a good way to get experience quickly and to make some extra money. It’s also an industry with a lot of room for growth and promotion. Many people start working in a restaurant as a waiter and rise through the ranks to a managerial position through time and hard work.

If you are looking to break into the restaurant industry, but aren’t sure where to start or what jobs are available, check out this list of jobs in a restaurant.

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1. Hostess

If you are a people person, being a hostess might be a good position for you. You are the face of the restaurant, the first thing that customers see, so you have to be good with people. Being a hostess is a great way to meet people and start their dining experience off well.

A good hostess should be bubbly but not too chatty. No one wants to stand chatting with a hostess for too long when they could be eating.

2. Busser & Dishwasher

Being a busser involves clearing tables, cleaning them, and filling water glasses for guests. This is different than being a dishwasher which involves actually cleaning the dishes that the busser brings back. These are both good jobs for people who aren’t as excited about interacting with customers as the hostess but still are looking to work in a restaurant.

You have to have some communication skills to be a busser, but there really isn’t much interaction with the customers when you are a busser. To do either of these jobs you have to be willing to get dirty. If this doesn’t bother you, then these jobs could be perfect for you.

3. Server

This is probably the most well-known job in the restaurant industry. Like the hostess, a server has to be willing and eager to interact with customers. Different than a hostess, however, you have to be able to balance managing orders and food on top of being friendly with guests.

Being a server involves a lot of different things: being friendly with guests, taking orders correctly, transporting food from the kitchen to the table, and preparing checks and payment. It’s a hard and multifaceted job, but if you are someone who thrives on constant action and a dynamic environment, being a server is for you!

4. Food Runner

Oftentimes this job is merged with the job of a server, but in some restaurants, the two jobs are separated. If you are someone who is quick on your feet and enjoy moving on the job, being a food runner could be great for you. Your main job is to transport food from the kitchen to the guest’s tables; however, you are also responsible for communicating with servers and expediting the process of getting food out of the kitchen. You will also sometimes be responsible for helping to clean tables, but this job is secondary to making sure the food is transported efficiently.

5. Bartender

You might only think about bartenders in the context of bars, but bartenders are needed in almost any restaurant that sells alcohol. As a bartender, you are responsible for taking drink orders from servers or guests directly, and making and pouring drinks.

Being a bartender is also a multifaceted job that requires a lot of knowledge and experience. To be a bartender, you should have a good handle on drink recipes as well as alcohol in general in case guests ask for questions or recommendations.

6. Chef

Last but not least, you could be a chef! Chefs are the core of a restaurant — with no chef, no food! Being a chef, however, does take some experience and training; however, you don’t have to jump right into an executive chef position.

To be a chef, you have to be willing to be on your feet for long hours as well as have a love for food. If you have both of these things, the rest will fall into place!

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