Restaurant Hostess Resume & Guide

When you are seeking a new restaurant hostess position, it is important to look first look at other restaurant hostess resume samples. With hundreds of other hostesses looking for a new position at the same time, you need to make sure your resume stands out by being both informative and intriguing. Below is the guide that will help you to write that resume. With samples per section, you luckily do not have to invent the wheel over and over again.

Now, we happen to have some impressive resume examples to inspire & show what your resume could look like. Let's get you started!

12 Restaurant Hostess Resume Sample(s)

Or download these examples in PDF at the bottom of this page for free

What to Highlight in your Hostess Resume

Pretty Hostess smiling to camera with a tablet in her hand

Depending on how far along you are in your career, you are going to want to highlight different elements in your resume. For both beginner and seasoned hostesses, it is important to clearly identify the types of settings that you have worked in. This includes both the type of cuisine, for example, a steakhouse or a pizzeria, and the type of service; casual dining or fine dining. If you aren’t sure what types of restaurants you have worked in, you can review the breakdown below:

Casual Dining– Serves mid-range priced foods in a casual setting. Guests are seated by a hostess and orders are taken at a table by a server. Examples include TGI Fridays, Cracker Barrel, and Olive Garden.

Fine Fining- Full-service restaurants with dedicated meal courses. Higher-end décor and prices. Often have dress code rules, in addition to strict guidelines for restaurant staff to follow.

Another important thing to highlight is how many guests you are used to seating in a day. There is a big difference between 10 and 60 guests and employers need to know if you can handle the capacity of customers that they host per day.

The Restaurant Hostess Resume Guide:

Resume Sections

Contact Information:
Name, Address, Phone Number, Email, Nationality, Driver's license (optional)

Profile:
1 – 3 sentences giving a broad overview of your profession, years of experience in the industry, and specific areas of experience

Skills Summary/Key Skills:
List of key skills that you possess that are also found in the job posting

Languages:
Optional- If you know how to speak multiple languages, include what languages you know and your level of proficiency. This is especially important when looking for work in a cosmopolitan city.

Employment History:
Showcase your past places of employment and include a list of your daily responsibilities. If you are new to the restaurant industry, you can add other employment (ex. Sales, Customer Service Agent, etc.) to show you have work experience. If you have been in the industry for a while, only include your restaurant experience.

Education/Licenses/Certifications/Relevant Coursework/Training:
List any training classes, food service certifications, and relevant workshops that you have received. It is not necessary to have any kind of diploma or education to work in the food service industry.

Hostess Skills & Responsibilities

Whether you are just starting your hostess career, or are a seasoned veteran, employers are expecting you to be familiar with the basics. To make sure your resume is what employers are looking for, try incorporating these experiences and skills:

  • Greeting guests when they first arrive, holding the front door open when possible
  • Inquiring about the number of guests in a party and evaluating where to seat them
  • Asking special requests from guests and relaying essential information to their server, including special occasions and food allergies
  • Making accommodations for parties with special needs, including wheelchairs or child seats
  • Thanking guests as they leave and asking them to come back again
  • Taking advanced reservations over the phone

As you become more advanced in your career, employers are also looking for you to do the following things. Advanced hostesses, try incorporating these into your resume:

  • Suggesting menu items based on the guest’s preferences and needs
  • Taking guest’s orders when the service staff is too busy
  • Working with management to create special seating arrangements for holidays and special events
  • Helping the GM to decide the server’s schedule, based on the typical number of guests in a given shift

Quantifying Your Resume

Emily Restaurant Hostess smiling at work in het costume

Employers love numbers because it makes your experience feel more tangible. When writing your resume, if you can answer the questions, “How much?” or “How many?”, you should try to include that number. For instance:

  • How many customers did you seat per shift?
  • How many advanced reservations do you typically take?

The Importance of Soft Skills

When it comes to being a hostess, soft skills are just as critical as practical skills. You are the first person a guest sees when they arrive at a restaurant, so it is of the utmost importance that you make them feel welcome and comfortable. To show employers that you have the soft skills they are looking for, try incorporating these soft skills into your profile, key skills, and cover letter sections:

  • Calm
  • Friendly
  • Engaging
  • Knowledgeable
  • Professional
  • Courteous
  • Organized
  • Written & Verbal Communication

Restaurant Hostess Action Verbs

GreetingSeatingScheduling
AnsweringPrepairingCleaning
ReservingTalkingCommunicating
InputtingCompletingTraining
EstimatingAnalyzingAssisting
ApplyingHandlingSuggesting
OrderingServingShowing
ManagingCheckingCalculating

Related Cover Letters

Click here to download a hostess sample cover letter

Download Restaurant Hostess Resume Samples


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