Waitress Resume examples & templates

Written by: 

Adam

Build Your Resume Now
Copyable resume examples

Copyable Waitress Resume examples

Like performers on Broadway, waitresses choreograph a complex dance between kitchen and dining room, reading audience cues and adjusting their performance on the fly. But unlike theater, there's no script to follow—just an endless variety of human interactions that unfold differently every shift. The food service industry employs over 2.6 million servers in the U.S. alone, with waitressing remaining one of the most accessible yet challenging frontline careers available without specialized education.

The field is evolving rapidly as digital ordering systems and tableside payment technologies transform traditional service models. Restaurants that once relied on paper tickets now integrate sophisticated POS systems that servers must master alongside their people skills. Despite predictions that technology would diminish the server's role, many upscale establishments are moving in the opposite direction—emphasizing personalized tableside service as a premium experience that machines simply can't replicate. For those with sharp memories, physical stamina, and genuine people skills, waitressing continues to offer flexible schedules and immediate income while potentially opening doors to management, hospitality, and customer experience careers far beyond the dining room.

Junior Waitress Resume Example

Samantha “Sam” Parker

Denver, CO 80202 • (720) 555-8142 • samparker97@email.com • linkedin.com/in/samanthaparker

Friendly and detail-oriented waitress with 2 years of experience in fast-paced restaurant environments. Quick learner who thrives under pressure and maintains a positive attitude during peak hours. Known for accurate order taking, efficient service, and building rapport with regular customers. Food handler certified with basic wine knowledge.

EXPERIENCE

Server – Riverside Grill, Denver, CO

March 2022 – Present

  • Manage 8-10 tables simultaneously during weekend dinner rushes, maintaining 97% order accuracy
  • Memorized extensive menu featuring 31 entrees and nightly specials, including ingredients and common allergens
  • Upsell appetizers, desserts, and premium beverages, increasing average check size by 12%
  • Train new servers on POS system and restaurant protocols (trained 4 new hires last quarter)
  • Handle cash and credit transactions accurately, maintaining balanced drawer at end of shift

Food Runner/Hostess – The Copper Pot, Denver, CO

June 2021 – February 2022

  • Greeted and seated guests while managing waitlists during peak hours
  • Delivered food promptly to tables while ensuring order accuracy and presentation
  • Assisted servers by refilling beverages and clearing tables to improve turnover times
  • Maintained clean and organized front-of-house area, including sanitizing menus between uses

Barista (Part-time) – Campus Coffee Shop, University of Colorado, Boulder

September 2020 – May 2021

  • Prepared specialty coffee drinks and simple food items for university students and staff
  • Operated cash register and processed payments while maintaining friendly customer service
  • Kept work area clean and stocked during busy morning rushes

EDUCATION

Associate of Arts in Business – Front Range Community College, Westminster, CO

Graduated May 2021

  • Relevant coursework: Business Communications, Customer Service Fundamentals
  • Maintained 3.4 GPA while working part-time

CERTIFICATIONS

Colorado Food Handler’s Certificate – Expires December 2023

Responsible Alcohol Service Certification – Expires March 2024

Basic First Aid & CPR – American Red Cross, Completed January 2022

SKILLS

  • Point of Sale (POS) Systems: Toast, Square
  • Cash handling & credit card processing
  • Food & beverage knowledge
  • Multitasking in fast-paced environments
  • Conflict resolution & problem solving
  • Menu memorization
  • Basic wine knowledge
  • Table management
  • Accurate order taking
  • Team collaboration

Mid-level Waitress Resume Example

Melissa Robinson

Providence, RI • (401) 555-8721 • mrobinson@emailprovider.com • linkedin.com/in/melissarobinson

Dedicated waitress with 5+ years of experience in casual dining and upscale restaurant environments. Known for efficiently handling high-volume shifts while maintaining exceptional customer service standards. Skilled in upselling techniques that increased average check size by 17% at The Harbor Grill. Consistently receive top guest satisfaction scores and train new team members.

EXPERIENCE

Senior Server – The Harbor Grill, Providence, RI (March 2020 – Present)

  • Manage a section of 8-10 tables during peak hours, serving 50+ guests per shift while maintaining 97% customer satisfaction rating
  • Train and mentor 12 new servers on restaurant protocols, POS system operation, and effective customer service techniques
  • Implemented a personalized suggestion system that boosted wine sales by 23% over 6 months
  • Handle complicated special orders and dietary restrictions, coordinating directly with kitchen staff to ensure accuracy
  • Promoted from Server to Senior Server after 18 months due to consistent performance excellence

Server – Café Bianca, Cranston, RI (June 2018 – February 2020)

  • Served 30+ breakfast and lunch customers daily in fast-paced casual dining environment
  • Memorized extensive menu including 27 breakfast items and 19 lunch specials, plus seasonal offerings
  • Balanced multiple responsibilities including hosting, serving, and occasional barista duties during staff shortages
  • Received “Server of the Month” recognition twice for maintaining high sales averages and positive customer feedback

Hostess/Server Assistant – Marinara’s Italian Restaurant, Warwick, RI (Sept 2017 – May 2018)

  • Greeted and seated guests while managing reservations and walk-ins during busy weekend shifts
  • Assisted servers by delivering bread baskets, refilling water glasses, and clearing tables
  • Handled to-go orders and coordinated with kitchen on timing to ensure food quality
  • Promoted to part-time server position after 4 months due to demonstrated reliability and customer service skills

EDUCATION

Associate of Science in Hospitality Management
Community College of Rhode Island, Warwick, RI
Graduated: May 2017

Certifications:

  • ServSafe Food Handler Certification (Current)
  • TIPS Alcohol Service Certification (Renewed 2022)
  • First Aid & CPR Certified (2021)

SKILLS

  • POS Systems: Toast, Aloha, Square
  • Menu knowledge & food/wine pairing
  • Cash handling & accurate reconciliation
  • Conflict resolution & problem-solving
  • Upselling & suggestive selling techniques
  • Multi-tasking in fast-paced environment
  • Team collaboration & communication
  • Inventory management
  • Basic conversational Spanish

Senior / Experienced Waitress Resume Example

Amanda Marie Wilson

Chicago, IL | (312) 555-8974 | amwilson@email.com | linkedin.com/in/amandawilson

Dedicated hospitality professional with 9+ years of experience delivering exceptional customer service in high-volume restaurants. Known for handling pressure with grace, building lasting customer relationships, and training new staff. Consistently maintained 94% customer satisfaction ratings while exceeding monthly sales targets by 17% through effective upselling and personalized service.

EXPERIENCE

Senior Server/Shift Lead – Lakeside Bistro & Bar, Chicago, IL (June 2019 – Present)

  • Serve 25-30 tables during peak weekend shifts, maintaining 93% customer satisfaction scores
  • Mentor and train 14 new servers annually, reducing onboarding time from 3 weeks to 10 days
  • Manage closing shifts 3 nights weekly, handling cash reconciliation and securing $4,000+ in sales
  • Implemented a new table rotation system that increased turn times by 12% without rushing guests
  • Recognized as “Server of the Year” in 2022 for consistently exceeding sales targets and receiving zero complaints

Lead Waitress – The Harbor Grill, Chicago, IL (March 2017 – May 2019)

  • Maintained knowledge of 45+ menu items, daily specials, and wine pairings for upscale seafood restaurant
  • Generated $1,200+ in average nightly sales with 22% coming from successful upselling
  • Collaborated with kitchen staff to ensure food quality and timely delivery during rushes
  • Assisted management with scheduling and staff assignments during busy weekend shifts
  • Earned “Top Sales” recognition 7 consecutive quarters through effective customer engagement

Waitress – Cornerstone Diner, Evanston, IL (August 2014 – February 2017)

  • Provided friendly service to 70+ customers daily in fast-paced family restaurant
  • Memorized regular customers’ preferences, building loyalty that increased repeat visits by 31%
  • Balanced multiple responsibilities including hosting, serving, and cashiering during staff shortages
  • Maintained perfect attendance record for 2+ years while working challenging split shifts

EDUCATION

Associate of Arts in Hospitality Management – Harper College, Palatine, IL (2016)

Food Safety Manager Certification – ServSafe® (Renewed 2022)

Bartender Certification – Illinois Bartending School (2018)

SKILLS

  • Point-of-Sale Systems (Toast, Aloha, Square)
  • Wine & Cocktail Knowledge
  • Conflict Resolution
  • Team Leadership
  • Cash Handling & Reconciliation
  • Upselling Techniques
  • Food Safety Procedures
  • Allergen Awareness
  • Inventory Management
  • Multilingual (English, Conversational Spanish)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Available for flexible scheduling including evenings, weekends and holidays. Clean driving record and reliable transportation. Willing to pick up last-minute shifts when needed – covered 37 emergency shifts in 2022 alone!

How to Write a Waitress Resume

Introduction

Landing a great waitressing job starts with a resume that showcases your customer service skills and restaurant experience. Whether you're just starting out or have years of experience carrying trays and memorizing specials, your resume needs to show managers you can handle a busy section while keeping customers happy. I've helped hundreds of servers land jobs at everything from casual diners to fine dining establishments, and I'm sharing what actually works in today's competitive restaurant market.

Resume Structure and Format

Keep your resume clean and organized—just like you'd keep your section during a Saturday night rush. Restaurant managers typically spend less than 30 seconds scanning resumes, so make yours easy to read:

  • Stick to 1 page (seriously, no one's reading page 2)
  • Use a clean, readable font like Arial or Calibri in 11-12pt size
  • Include clear section headings to guide the reader's eye
  • Use bullet points instead of dense paragraphs
  • Leave some white space—don't cram everything together
  • Save as a PDF (unless specifically asked for another format)

Profile/Summary Section

Think of your profile as the "special of the day"—it should grab attention immediately. This 3-4 line section sits at the top of your resume and highlights your best qualities. For example:

Personable server with 4+ years of experience in fast-paced restaurants. Known for accurate order-taking, efficient table management, and $1,200+ in average nightly sales. Comfortable handling 8-table sections while maintaining 22% tip average.

Notice how this example includes specific numbers? That's what makes it powerful. If you're new to waitressing, focus on transferable customer service skills instead.

Professional Experience

This is the "main course" of your resume. List your work history starting with your most recent job. For each position, include:

  • Restaurant name and location
  • Your job title
  • Dates of employment (month/year to month/year)
  • 4-6 bullet points highlighting accomplishments, not just duties

Strong bullet points start with action verbs and include specific achievements. Compare these examples:

Weak: Responsible for taking orders and serving food
Strong: Managed 12-table section during weekend rushes, memorizing complex orders while maintaining 97% accuracy rate

Weak: Helped with customer service
Strong: Upsold wine and dessert options, increasing average check size by $14 and earning "Top Server" recognition 3 months running

Education and Certifications

Most waitress positions don't require advanced degrees, but you should still include your education. List your highest level of education first. Relevant certifications can set you apart:

  • Food Handler's Permit/Card
  • Alcohol service certification (TIPS, ServSafe Alcohol, etc.)
  • CPR/First Aid training
  • Wine or barista certifications

Keywords and ATS Tips

Many restaurants, especially chains, use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to filter resumes. To get past these digital gatekeepers, sprinkle these keywords throughout your resume:

  • Point-of-sale systems you've used (Aloha, Toast, Square, Clover)
  • Service styles (table service, counter service, fine dining)
  • Customer service skills (conflict resolution, upselling)
  • Food safety practices

Industry-specific Terms

Show you know the business by naturally incorporating industry terminology:

  • Table turnover rates
  • Pre-bussing
  • Side work
  • POS systems
  • Check averages
  • Suggestive selling

Common Resume Mistakes

Avoid these resume killers that I see all the time:

  • Using a generic objective statement ("Seeking a position as a waitress")
  • Including irrelevant personal information (hobbies, age, marital status)
  • Listing every single restaurant task without showing results
  • Forgetting to proofread (nothing says "I don't pay attention to details" like typos!)
  • Using an unprofessional email address (partygirl123@email.com is not making the cut)

Before/After Example

Before: "Took food orders and served customers at Ruby's Diner."

After: "Handled 80+ customers per shift at Ruby's Diner while maintaining 96% order accuracy and 24% average tips—5% above restaurant average."

See the difference? The second version shows exactly what you accomplished, not just what you were supposed to do.

Your resume should show managers you can handle whatever their restaurant throws at you—from the Sunday brunch rush to that table that keeps modifying their orders. Good luck, and may your sections always be full and your tips generous!

Soft skills for your Waitress resume

  • Conflict resolution – defusing tense situations with upset customers while maintaining professionalism
  • Multi-tasking under pressure (juggling 8+ tables during weekend rushes without compromising service quality)
  • Team coordination – seamlessly collaborating with kitchen staff to ensure food comes out correctly and on time
  • Active listening to catch unstated preferences and special requests that customers might hesitate to mention
  • Adaptability to shifting priorities when short-staffed or facing unexpected rushes
  • Memory retention for regular customers’ preferences and dietary restrictions

Hard skills for your Waitress resume

  • POS system expertise (Aloha, Toast, Micros)
  • Food allergen awareness and cross-contamination prevention
  • Wine service and pairing knowledge (15+ varietals)
  • Alcohol certification (TIPS/ServSafe)
  • Cash handling and end-of-shift reconciliation
  • Menu memorization and ingredient knowledge
  • Multi-table time management (8+ table sections)
  • Reservation system proficiency (OpenTable, Resy)
  • Basic food safety certification