Seeking a new serving position?
Before we help you craft one, we will take a look at some impressive Server Resume examples before we go step-by-step toward a stunning resume.
We explain each resume section with samples for you to draw inspiration from.
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Server Resume Examples
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What to Highlight in a Server Resume
Depending on how far along you are in your serving career, you are going to want to highlight different things. For both beginners and seasoned servers, it is important to clearly identify the type of settings you have worked in. This includes the type of cuisine, for example, American, French, or Italian, as well as the type of service, for example, fast food, fast-casual, casual dining, and fine dining. This information should be included in both your summary/objective, as well as in each position description. If you aren’t sure what type of service you have worked in, you can review the breakdown below:
Fast Food- Emphasis on the speed of service. This could range from a food cart to a corporate chain. Food is not ordered from a table, but rather from a counter. Examples of fast-food restaurants include McDonald's, Wendy’s, and Burger King.
Fast Casual- Slightly higher quality of food than that of a fast-food restaurant. Orders are still taken at a counter, not at a table. The food is prepared fresh in-house daily. Examples of fast-casual restaurants include chains like Chipotle, Moe’s, and Panera Bread.
Casual Dining- Serves mid-range priced foods in a casual setting. Orders are taken at a table by a server. Casual dining restaurants typically have a full bar. Examples include TGI Friday’s, 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 servers and restaurant staff to follow.
The other important thing to highlight is how many tables or customers you have served a shift. There is a big difference between handling 5 and 50 customers and employers are looking to see if you have handled the number of customers that they typically host.
The Server Resume Guide:
Resume Sections
Contact Information:
Name, Address, Phone Number, Email
Profile:
1 – 3 sentences giving a broad overview of your profession, years of experience in the industry, and specific areas of specialty (ex. Fine dining, French cuisine, etc.)
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 (Sales, Customer Service Agent, etc.) to show you have work experience. If you have been in the industry for a while, only include your foodservice 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 foodservice industry.
Server Job Description, Responsibilities and Duties
Whether you are just starting your restaurant food server 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 things:
Examples
General Food Server duties & responsibilities
- Greetings guests in a prompt and courteous manner
- Validating proper identification for 21+ parties
- Delivered quality service by providing a warm and welcoming experience
- Serving patrons, while giving special attention to requests and food allergies
- Served food as it arrived and refilled glasses in both a professional and timely manner
- Closing out customer’s bills, ensuring credit cards are run correctly and that the correct change is given
- Following all safety and hygiene policies when handling food and beverages to meet food safety standards and policies.
- Routinely cleaning the working area, including glasses and cutlery
- Taking concise orders from customers, making sure to ask all relevant questions during the initial visit
- Completing side work during downtime, including rolling silverware, bussing tables, running food, and shining glasses
- Bringing prepared food to tables as soon as the kitchen is done preparing it
- Checking in on guests to ensure their meal and experience is satisfactory
- Addressing diner complaints with our kitchen staff, making sure problems are solved promptly
- Inputting orders into our POS system per the chef's guidelines
- Bringing prepared food to tables as soon as it was ready and quickly clearing tables once the food was finished
- Preparing, transporting and setting up food for events
Experienced server duties (3+ years)
- Memorizing customer’s orders instead of writing them down
- Making knowledgeable suggestions on food and wine pairings
- Assisting management with food and supply inventory
- Training new servers and facilitating shadow days
- Making suggestions on food and wine pairings, trying to upsell when appropriate
- Assisting management with duty coverage and supervision
Quantifying Your Successes
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 these numbers in your job description and responsibilities section, For instance:
- How many tables did you serve on a shift?
- How often were you able to upsell your customers on a more expensive bottle of wine?
- What is your average sales quota?
Server Resume Skills
When it comes to being a restaurant server, soft skills are more important than practical skills. When customers are coming to a restaurant, they are looking for a comfortable and inviting atmosphere. If they don’t feel welcomed, it doesn’t matter how good the food is. To show employers that you have the soft skills they are looking for, try to incorporate these into your profile, key skills, and cover letter sections:
- Friendly
- Approachable
- Knowledgeable
- Professional
- Courteous
- Organized
- Communication
- Food Safety
- Food Service
- Food preparation
- Bartending
- Wine pairing
- Customer service
- Memory
Server Resume Action Verbs
| Serving | Prepairing | Suggesting |
| Cleaning | Interpreting | Organizing |
| Greeting | Taking | Making |
| Inputting | Completing | TRaining |
| Estimating | Analyzing | Running |
| Applying | Working | Utilizing |
| Cleaning | Bussing | Showing |
| Ordering | Checking | Calculating |
Related Cover Letters
Click here, see and download a restaurant server cover letter:
