Free Server Job Description Template
A server job description written for real service — orders, the POS and tips.
Part of our free job description templates.
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1.Job Brief (About the Role)
{{Company Name}} is hiring a Server to deliver a great guest experience in our {{restaurant / dining room}}. This role reports to the {{Floor Manager / General Manager}} and works the {{lunch / dinner}} shift as part of the front-of-house team.
Three or four sentences: the team, who the role reports to, and why this position exists. Skip generic openers like “We are looking for…”.
2.Responsibilities
- Greet guests, present menus, and answer questions about dishes and allergens
- Take food and drink orders accurately and enter them in the {{POS}}
- Suggestively upsell appetizers, specials, drinks, and desserts
- Run and deliver food and drinks promptly and check back on tables
- Handle payments, close checks, and reconcile cash and card tips
- Reset and bus tables and keep service stations stocked
- Follow food-safety, allergen, and responsible-alcohol-service rules
- Coordinate with the kitchen and bar to keep tickets moving
Eight to twelve bullets, each starting with a verb. Keep them specific to the day-to-day work, not aspirational filler.
3.Requirements & Skills
- {{X}}+ months of serving or front-of-house experience (or a willingness to train)
- Friendly, fast, and calm under a busy rush
- Able to memorize the menu and operate a POS
- Food-handler card and {{alcohol-service certification — e.g. TIPS/ServSafe}} where required
- Able to stand, walk, and carry trays for a full shift
List the must-haves: experience, licenses or certifications, the systems and tools used, and any physical or shift realities.
4.Nice-to-Have
- Experience in {{fine dining / high-volume / a specific cuisine}}
- Wine or cocktail knowledge
Two to four genuinely optional items. Keep them strictly separate from Requirements so they don’t deter good applicants.
5.Compensation & Benefits
| Pay range | {{Salary Range}} |
|---|
Enter a pay range from local market data — do not leave it blank. Pay transparency improves applicant quality and is now required in many states.
6.Schedule & Work Environment
- {{Part-time / full-time}}; nights, weekends, and holidays as scheduled
- Fast-paced dining room; on your feet the whole shift
- Able to lift and carry trays up to {{25}} lbs
Be honest about shifts, weekends, overtime, and the physical environment. Realistic expectations reduce early turnover.
7.How to Apply
To apply, {{application instructions — e.g., send a resume and short cover note to careers@company.com}}.
Filled in for a server at a busy casual-dining restaurant.
1.Job Brief (About the Role)
The Copper Kettle is hiring Servers for our casual-dining dining room. This role reports to the Floor Manager and works dinner shifts as part of a tight front-of-house team that turns 30+ tables a night.
2.Responsibilities
- Greet and seat guests, walk them through the menu, and flag allergens
- Enter orders accurately in Toast and time them with the kitchen
- Upsell starters, specials, and dessert to lift average check
- Run food, refill drinks, and pre-bus throughout the meal
- Close checks in Toast and tip-out the bar and bussers per policy
- Reset tables fast to keep the wait list moving on Friday nights
- Check IDs and serve alcohol responsibly (TIPS certified)
- Keep server stations stocked and the dining room clean
3.Requirements & Skills
- 1+ year serving in a high-volume restaurant
- Quick, upbeat, and unflappable during the dinner rush
- Knows the Toast POS and can carry three plates
- Current food-handler card and TIPS certification
- Available nights, weekends, and holidays
4.Nice-to-Have
- Craft-beer or wine knowledge
- Experience turning a 12-table section
5.Compensation & Benefits
| Pay range | $9 per hour plus tips (averaging $25–$30 per hour with tips) |
|---|
- Flexible scheduling
- Shift meal
- Paid sick time per local law
6.Schedule & Work Environment
- Part-time to full-time; dinner shifts plus weekends and holidays
- Fast-paced dining room, on your feet the full shift
- Carrying trays and bus tubs up to 25 lbs
7.How to Apply
To apply, drop by between 2–4pm to fill out an application or email jobs@copperkettle.example.
How it works
- Preview the server job description and a filled casual-dining example.
- Download Word/PDF, or copy the text to paste into Google Docs.
- Set your shifts, POS, and certification requirements, note the tip structure, and post it.
Frequently asked questions
What does a server do?
A server (waiter or waitress) greets guests, takes food and drink orders, enters them in the POS, runs and delivers food, upsells specials, handles payments and tips, resets tables, and follows food-safety and alcohol-service rules. The template lists these as editable responsibilities.
What is the difference between a server and a bartender?
A server works the dining room — tables, orders, and food running — while a bartender works the bar, mixing and serving drinks and managing the bar area. They overlap on guest service and alcohol rules; this site has a separate bartender job description template too.
Does a server need certifications?
Many areas require a food-handler card, and serving alcohol usually requires an alcohol-service certification such as TIPS or ServSafe Alcohol. Requirements vary by state and venue, so name the specific certifications your restaurant requires.
How should a server job description handle pay and tips?
Be clear about the base wage and how tips work (kept individually or pooled, and any tip-out to the bar or bussers), since take-home pay is the top question for applicants. Pay transparency is required in many areas.