Key takeaways
- A host or hostess (also called a front-of-house host or greeter) is the first and last impression of a restaurant. They greet guests, manage the waitlist and reservations, seat tables, and keep the floor turning smoothly.
- The hosts who get hired and promoted show measurable impact: covers seated per shift, wait times managed, reservation systems used, and glowing guest feedback.
- Most applications are read by software first, so mirror the exact words in the job posting (reservations, seating, guest service, OpenTable) and keep the layout simple.
- Run your resume through our free ATS resume checker before you apply.
A clear host or hostess job description is the front door of a well-run restaurant, and understanding it is just as important for anyone turning front-of-house shifts into a resume that gets interviews. Hosts, sometimes listed as greeters or front-of-house coordinators, own the guest experience from the moment someone walks in: greeting warmly, managing the waitlist and reservations, seating tables in a balance that keeps servers and the kitchen sane, and handling the flow so the dining room runs at capacity without feeling rushed. Below we break down exactly what a host does, the duties employers list, the skills that matter most, what the role pays according to federal data, and how to present it on a resume that beats the applicant tracking system (ATS).
What does a host or hostess do?
A host is the conductor of the dining room. They greet every guest, quote accurate wait times, manage the reservation book or system, and seat parties in a rotation that spreads tables evenly across servers so no station gets slammed. They answer the phone, take bookings, manage the waitlist during a rush, walk guests to their table with menus, and often handle to-go orders, coat check, and guest questions. At the end of the meal they thank departing guests, so they are both the first and the last impression the restaurant makes.
That framing matters for your resume. Employers are not just looking for someone to say “table for two.” They want someone who controls the flow of the floor, keeps wait times honest, defuses frustrated guests, and helps the whole team turn more covers with a better experience. When you describe your work in terms of guest satisfaction, seating efficiency, and calm under pressure rather than a list of tasks, you separate yourself from applicants who just wrote “seated customers.”
Host and hostess duties and responsibilities
| Duty | Why it matters to employers |
|---|---|
| Greeting and welcoming every guest | Sets the tone and drives repeat business and reviews |
| Managing reservations and the waitlist | Keeps the dining room full without overwhelming servers |
| Seating parties and rotating stations | Balances workload so service stays fast and fair |
| Quoting accurate wait times | Manages expectations and reduces walk-outs and complaints |
| Answering phones and taking to-go orders | Captures revenue and bookings the restaurant would lose |
| Handling guest questions and concerns | Protects the experience and eases pressure on managers |
Skills employers look for
Hosting is judged on guest service, organisation, and poise. Hard skills include using reservation and point-of-sale systems (such as OpenTable, Resy, or Toast), managing a floor plan, and keeping an accurate waitlist. The soft skills carry equal weight: a warm and professional manner, clear communication, multitasking during a rush, and staying calm and gracious with difficult guests. Any customer-service background is directly relevant and worth featuring.
A host who keeps the floor turning and the guests happy quietly makes the whole restaurant more money, so prove that impact with numbers.
How much do hosts and hostesses earn?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, hosts and hostesses earn a median wage of roughly 14 dollars an hour, or about 29,000 dollars a year, with more in upscale and high-volume restaurants and in some cases a share of tips. Pay and opportunity rise quickly for hosts who master reservation systems and guest recovery, which are common stepping stones to server, lead host, and front-of-house management roles.
How to put host or hostess experience on your resume (5 steps)
Mirror the job posting’s keywords
Pull the exact terms from the listing, such as “reservations,” “seating,” “guest service,” “waitlist,” and any named system like “OpenTable,” and use them where they truthfully apply. This is what the ATS scores.
Do: “Managed reservations and seating for a 120-seat dining room using OpenTable” · Not: “Seated customers”
Lead every bullet with a strong action verb
Start with words like greeted, coordinated, managed, and resolved, not “responsible for.” Action verbs read as ownership.
Do: “Coordinated seating across 8 server stations to balance workload during peak service”
Quantify covers, wait times, and reviews
Numbers turn a task list into proof. Seats managed, parties seated per shift, and guest-satisfaction scores all count.
Do: “Seated 200-plus guests a shift and kept quoted wait times accurate within 5 minutes”
Show guest service and recovery
Restaurants prize hosts who keep guests happy and defuse tension. Give an example of turning a wait or a complaint into a good experience.
Do: “Recovered frustrated guests during long waits, protecting the experience and earning repeat visits”
Highlight reliability and systems
Name the reservation and POS systems you know and any perfect-attendance or lead-host record. It signals you can be trusted at the door.
Do: “Trusted to open and close the host stand; proficient in OpenTable and Toast”
Will your resume pass the ATS?
Paste your resume and a job description into our free checker for an instant ATS score, the keywords you are missing, and prioritised fixes, all in your browser with nothing uploaded.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need experience to be a host or hostess?
No. Hosting is a common entry-level role, and most restaurants train on the job. Lead your resume with friendliness, organisation, and any customer-service experience. For a related front-of-house role, see our server job description.
What makes a host resume stand out?
Quantified covers and wait times, named reservation and POS systems, clear examples of guest service and recovery, and a simple, ATS-friendly layout that mirrors the job posting.
Is hosting a good first restaurant job?
Yes. It builds guest-service, communication, and multitasking skills, and it is a natural stepping stone to server, lead host, and front-of-house management roles.
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