Head waiters are the dining room supervisors for dining establishments. Their job is to provide great customer service while performing their regular waiter duties, as well as managing their fellow waiters. One must be a great multi-tasker and quick decision maker to succeed in this position. Head waiters are employed exclusively in the restaurant industry. Their duties and work environment differ based on the establishment; a pub will tend to have a more relaxed environment than a fine dining establishment. Work hours also vary by establishment. Head waiters can usually expect to work evenings, weekends, and holidays.
Head waiters serve in a supervisory capacity; their responsibilities include helping the host/hostess assign waitstaff tables, talking to patrons to ensure they have a good experience, and performing opening and closing duties
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Responsibilities and Duties
Head waiters have supervisory responsibilities on top of their serving responsibilities. We researched head waiter job descriptions to come up with the following list of the most relevant head waiter duties and responsibilities:
Guide patrons to their seats
Head waiters work with the host/hostess to guide patrons to open tables, informing them of the day's food and drink specials. They must maintain an upbeat and friendly attitude throughout this process.
Assign Waitstaff to Tables
Head waiters also work with the host/hostess to assign tables to waitstaff in addition to waiting on their own tables.
Place Food and Drink Orders
Head waiters take the orders from their tables, communicating with the kitchen and bar staff to place food and drink orders. They also check that the waitstaff place orders correctly and deliver them to the correct tables.
Train New Waitstaff
The head waiter trains new waitstaff on basic techniques and the specific expectations and procedures of their employer.
Manage Waitstaff
This includes creating weekly schedules, managing callouts, coordinating shift covers, and disciplining waitstaff as necessary.
Perform Opening and Closing Duties
These include tasks such as making sure the dining area is clean, opening or closing the registers, cleaning windows, and preparing the specials board.