Hostess Job Description: Top Duties and Qualifications

A Hostess, or Host is responsible for welcoming customers into a restaurant, bar or similar hospitality establishment. Their duties include greeting diners, showing customers to their respective tables and taking bookings over the phone.

 

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Hostess duties and responsibilities

A Hostess is responsible for making sure that the customer has the best possible experience. Their day-to-day duties and responsibilities depend on the particular restaurant or cafe and generally include:

  • Managing bookings, either in person, over the phone, or online
  • Providing waiting times to customers who are not pre-booked
  • Creating an appropriate atmosphere for guests that’s in line with the restaurant or bar’s image or branding
  • Providing a point of contact for customer feedback and helping to resolve any customer issues
  • Providing personalised service and assistance for large parties of guests and VIPs
  • Ensuring cleanliness and hygiene standards are met in the front of house area
  • Assisting with the opening and closing of the restaurant
  • Learning the food and beverage menu 

 

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Hostess Job Description Examples:

 

Example 1

*Company description* We provide high quality and professional promotional services within a variety of late night venues across the UK. We focus on exceptional customer service and sales, creating higher profits for venues by increasing the availability of drinks and providing a more memorable experience for customers. *Job description* Do you want to meet lots of great people and get paid to party? We are looking for part time shot sellers in Plymouth for several late night venues. You will be part of a friendly team, selling drinks in clubs by approaching customers and socialising with them throughout the night. - Fun and sociable work with flexible part time hours! The applicant must be able to work weekends, with weeknight work opportunities in the future - Excellent rates of pay plus lots of bonuses and tips! - The applicant must have good communication skills, be confident talking to people and be happy working in a fast paced environment - Sales and customer service experience is desirable but not essential as full training will be provided - The applicant must be over 18 and hold a valid UK ID Job Type: Part-time Salary: £10.00-£20.00 per hour Additional pay: * Bonus scheme * Tips Benefits: * Flexible schedule Schedule: * Night shift * Weekends * UK ID (required) Shift availability: * Night shift (required) Work remotely: * No

Example 2

*Full – Time / Live in available / Great career progression opportunity / Award winning team / Restaurant and Hotel Discounts / In-house Training / Paid overtime and Tips / Required: Experience as a Barperson / Passion for good wine and ability to shake a mean martini* We need a *Bartender* to stir, shake and mix amazing cocktails for our guests. We love gin, we love good whiskey and we do enjoy a chat and laugh! If you know a bit or two about wine, know your way around the bar and share our interest in good spirits then join us and get paid for doing what you love! Barnsley House is a seventeen-century house, it sits perfectly in the small Cotswold Village of Barnsley and is entirely beautiful. Its gardens because of their legacy, will always be at the forefront of Barnsley’s offering and shape our restaurant, “The Potager” from day to day and service to service. With a wonderful 18 bedrooms that are spoilt with understated country luxury, a fresh and forward-thinking restaurant, Barnsley offers a 4 red star experience to our guests who are looking to retreat to the rolling hills of the Cotswolds. Barnsley House is located in the centre of the Cotswold village of Barnsley, on the B4425 (Cirencester to Bibury and Burford road), four miles north-east of Cirencester in The perks when working for The Calcot Collection: · Personal development programmes through the Calcot Academy · 28 days holiday per annum (inclusive of Bank Holidays) · Paid overtime and tips · Uniform provided · Meals while on duty · Free car park · Long service awards · Discounts on stays within The Calcot Collection £50 B&B (T&C’s apply) · 50% discount on food purchases within our restaurants (Wine & Bar will be charged) · Spa Discount – 15% off Spa products, 20% off Spa treatments · Staff Christmas pressie vouchers for use in any of our properties · Employee assistance programme Training and support: The company runs an integrated scheme designed to reach all levels under the banner of the Calcot Academy. We are committed to people development at all stages and the long service of our key staff bears witness to this. The Calcot Collection is a small privately-owned company that is home to a portfolio of four acclaimed hotels. Not considering ourselves as a group, each of our hotels celebrates its own style and personality and offers a different and unique experience that is signature to their offering. Reference ID: Bartender and Host at Barnsley House, GL7 5EE Job Types: Full-time, Permanent Salary: Up to £9.00 per hour Additional pay: * Tips Benefits: * Bike to work scheme * Company events * Company pension * Discounted or free food * Employee discount * On-site parking * Referral programme * Sick pay Application question(s): * Do you have transport to commute to: Barnsley House, Barnlsey, Cirencester, GL7 5EE? Experience: * Bartending: 1 year (preferred)

Example 3

*Adventurous, experienced, passionate and think outside the [website] does this sound like you? If so read [website] Are you tired of the same mundane job every day?! Want to work at a start-up company that’s exciting, changing the way things are done and has endless opportunities to grow and thrive… then you’re looking in the right place. *Based in the Notting Hill, Young LDN is redefining what skincare means to the Gen Z and millennial population. *A far cry from stuffy Harley Street clinics, Young LDN offers the best-in-class treatments from leading aesthetic experts and technicians that champion youth and inspire confidence. We provide the young (and young at heart) with a relaxed, informal yet highly-effective destination for all skin concerns. We’re looking for passionate and exciting Front of House Host to join our tribe part time. Someone with *high attention to detail*, who *thinks outside the box*, has an incredible *ability to talk to anyone*, is great with technology and has a thirst for product and treatment knowledge. Still sound like you? Keep going… We offer a highly competitive salary and benefits package, but most of all we offer the opportunity to work for a business where the growth potential is unparalleled. This is a unique opportunity to get involved in an *exciting young business. *As we grow, so will the opportunities within the business. Our people will be central to our success and we want to make sure we have the right people in place from the very start who can *learn*, *develop* and *thrive as we do*. If this sounds like you and you like the idea of working for young, fun and trend setting new company then please get in touch! *Responsibilities* * Provide cover for Front of House manager on Sundays and Mondays and other days where necessary * Management of tribe members diaries * Opening and closing of the Studio including cashing up * Assisting the Front of House Manager with the Studios email addresses, ensuring all clients are responded to in a timely manner and their questions and queries dealt with * Liaising with PR and marketing teams to book in journalists, influencers and other important guests * Processing and fulfilling of online ecommerce orders *Qualifications* * Exceptional manner both in person and on the phone * Creativity, passion and flair * High attention to detail * extremely organised, self-starter capable of effectively managing several tasks at the same time * Strong communication skills * High EQ with an ability to work with many different personality types and positively influence others * Ability to assess people within a few seconds and adapt manner as appropriate * Experience with booking systems a plus * Passionate about the latest skincare and beauty trends * A good understanding of skincare products and treatments * Team player who goes above and beyond * A keen interest to help build a new business and client base from scratch * A valid UK passport or work visa * 2 employment references Part-time hours: 25 per week Application deadline: 21/06/2021 Job Types: Part-time, Permanent Salary: £10.00-£12.00 per hour Additional pay: * Bonus scheme * Tips Benefits: * Casual dress * Company pension * Employee discount * Sick pay Schedule: * 10 hour shift Work remotely: * No

What does a Hostess do?

A Hostess works within cafes, restaurants and other drinking and eating establishments. They create a friendly and hospitable environment for customers. They are a part of the front of house (FOH) team and work closely with waitstaff or bar staff to ensure that patrons not only feel welcome, but also receive excellent customer service. They coordinate  with other team members to ensure that customers find their seat and are presented with menus and specials. 

 

Hostess skills and qualifications

A successful Hostess candidate will have various prerequisite skills and qualifications to perform their job effectively. These include: 

  • Ability to deal with customer requests in a timely and positive manner
  • Self-motivation and positivity to greet guests warmly regardless of the time of day 
  • Teamwork skills to help take on tasks outside of their specific job description and to help other team members with service
  • Excellent knowledge of food and beverages, including wine pairings or in-house or regional specialities
  • Practical front of the house and waiting skills, such as carrying multiple plates and pouring drinks
  • Ability to stay on their feet for long periods of time, both early in the morning and night late at night
  • Knowledge of restaurant management systems and point of sales systems
  • Arithmetic skills to assist with taking money or cashing up

 

Hostess experience requirements

A Hostess needs at least one year of experience working in a hospitality setting. A candidate’s experience needs to be in the same setting as the role they are applying for. For example, a Hostess in a family restaurant must have experience working as front of house staff in a busy restaurant. A Hostess in a bar must likewise have experience working in a busy bar environment. Experience working in other customer-facing roles outside the hospitality industry, such as retail can be useful too. 

 

Hostess education and training requirements

A successful Hostess needs to have experience working in a a busy restaurant, as this is more essential than formal education. A Hostess will often work their way up from other front of house roles, such as waitstaff or bar staff. However, candidates do need to demonstrate that they have good results in maths and English at the GCSE level to demonstrate key communication skills. Practical college courses or apprenticeships can prove useful too. Such courses can include a Level 1 Award in Introduction to Employment in the Hospitality Industry or a Level 1 Award in Food and Beverage Service. 

 

Hostess salary expectations

According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary for a Hostess in the UK, is £9.17 per hour. Salary may be dependent on experience, location and company. 

 

Job description samples for similar positions

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Hostess job description FAQs

 

What's the difference between a Waitress or Waiter and a Hostess?

A Waitress or Waiter is part of the front of house team in a restaurant or bar, just like a Hostess, but their primary area of responsibility is table service rather than greeting customers. A Hostess shows the customer to their table, but the Waitress or Waiter will be the member of staff actually taking orders to the kitchen and delivering food and drinks to the table. 

 

Who does a Hostess report to?

A Hostess will often report to a Restaurant Manager or Bar Manager to ensure that service is running smoothly and customer satisfaction is high. A Hostess may also have to report to an Executive Chef to keep communication flowing between the table staff and the kitchen staff.

 

What makes for a great Hostess CV?

A great Hostess CV will highlight their experience providing quality customer service despite being in a busy, pressurised environment. A great CV will show that a Hostess has the skills and character to provide exceptional service in a range of different situations. 

Job Description Examples

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