A hostess plays a crucial role in ensuring the smooth running of a restaurant or any hospitality establishment. They are the customer’s first point of contact; they greet guests, manage reservations, and provide a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Traditionally, a hostess has always been a woman, but the times are changing, and the industry has seen an increase in male hosts.
Learn about the role of a hostess, the job description and salary, as well as the role of male hosts
Who Is a Hostess?
In a restaurant, a hostess or host welcomes customers as they arrive, takes and confirms reservations, and directs customers to their tables. They might also help out with serving or busing for other staff members.
Hostesses interact with patrons as well as other restaurant employees, including waiters and bartenders. They should have good organization and understand the flow of traffic. Also, hostesses are expected to manage time effectively and have good customer service skills.
Hostess Job Description
A hostess/host is an individual who works at a restaurant. They welcome customers, seat them, and hand them a menu. A hostess serves as the restaurant’s first and last impression, representing the employees’ service and general hospitality. The job description of a hostess includes being well-organized, calm, and working well with servers and other restaurant staff members.
Skills a Host/Hostess Should Have
- Customer Service
- Interpersonal skills
- Time Management
- Professionalism
- High energy
- Multitasking
- Thoroughness
- Planning
- Basic math
- Teamwork
- Attention to detail
- Verbal communication
- Organization
- Flexible
- Management skills
Education and Qualifications
As a male or female hostess, the typical education and qualifications include the following:
#1. Education
Most positions require a high school diploma or GED, while some may accept a middle school diploma or no formal education. 71.9% of host/hostess job openings require a high school diploma or GED. Also, it is reported that 51% of hosts and hostesses have no education, and 42% have a high school diploma.
#2. Skills
Hosts and hostesses should have excellent customer service skills, a positive attitude, and the ability to work well under pressure with restaurant staff. They should also be able to stand for long periods, safely lift and maneuver food trays, and follow instructions. Proficient computer skills are necessary to manage cash registers, process customer payments, and enter orders into the system.
#3. Experience
While previous experience in a restaurant or customer service role can be beneficial, many host/hostess positions provide on-the-job training. Employers often prioritize candidates with strong interpersonal and communication skills, a customer-focused mindset, and a willingness to learn and adapt.
What Are the Duties of a Hostess?
The duties of a hostess include the following:
- A hostess’s job is to greet guests warmly and kindly as soon as they enter the restaurant keeping eye contact and smiling.
- The hostess takes orders, confirms them, keeps a waiting list, and seats customers while considering server rotation.
- The hostess greets people as they come into the diner, gives them menus, and answers any questions they might have about the place or the food.
- The hostess ensures the guests are happy with the food and service and handles any complaints or other problems that may arise during the evening.
- The hostess is responsible for taking care of phone calls and questions, like taking reservations and answering questions about the place.
- Helping the other people who work at the restaurant When it’s needed, a hostess can help out other people who work there. This help might include clearing tables, offering drinks, or setting up and taking down tables.
- The hostess is responsible for ensuring that the tables are set up and ready for guests, keeping track of how people use the tables, and maintaining seating plans.
- Cashier jobs and taking care of money depending on the location, the hostess may give meal bills, balance cash transactions, and take payments for to-go orders.
- The waitress helps keep the place clean by checking the cleanliness of the menus, ensuring the bathrooms are stocked and in order, and following the rules about cleanliness and safety.
- A hostess needs to know the restaurant’s menu well because she needs to be able to answer customer questions and make tips when necessary.
Requirements of a Hostess
A hostess needs to meet the following requirements:
- A hostess should be able to deliver quality customer service
- She should be positive and can perform well under pressure when working
- Can perform superior work unsupervised.
- Ability to spend a lot of time working while standing.
- Ability to safely lift and move platters of food with ease as needed.
- Be willing to follow directions and seek clarification as necessary.
- Be able to use a point-of-sale system and manage money appropriately.
- Ability to function in a hectic restaurant setting.
- Should have restaurant experience.
What Qualities Make a Good Hostess?
The following are the qualities of a great hostess:
- As the first person customers talk to, a hostess must be nice and friendly, outgoing, and have good communication skills.
- A good hostess has a clear voice and good grammar and is happy talking to big groups of people.
- A hostess can talk to guests and staff in a way that works for everyone. This means she listens actively, shows understanding, and gives information clearly and concisely.
- She has good organization and pays attention to details when handling bookings and seating charts. Careful attention to detail also means not forgetting the guests’ names, tastes, and any other special requests they may have.
- A host can do many different things at once and know how to organize them so that things run smoothly and people don’t have to wait too long.
- Hosts can adjust to changes in staff, appointments, or menu items as needed to make sure customers have the best dining experience possible.
- She can solve problems and deal with complaints from guests in a kind and polite way. Also, she should present creative solutions to problems.
- She has the ability to make a place feel warm and welcoming
- A good hostess ensures that the dining room, waiting area, and entrance are all clean, well-lit, and comfortable for the guests.
Hostess Salary Range
The salary for a hostess can vary based on experience and seniority. Below, we will list host and hostess salary by seniority:
- Top-level host and hostess salary: $15.89/h – $33,050/y
- Senior-level host and hostess salary: $14.16/h – $29,450/y
- Mid-level host and hostess salary: $11.83/h – $24,600/y
- Junior-level host and hostess salary: $10.46/h – $21,750/y
- Starting level host and hostess: $8.73/h – $18,160/y
A male host and a female hostess earn the same salary if they have the same level of experience.
Male Hostess
The term “hostess” specifically refers to a female, while “host” refers to a male. However, you can refer to a woman as a host.
When it comes to duties and responsibilities, a male host performs the same duties as a hostess.
The duties of a male hostess include:
- Greeting customers.
- Assigning tables to guests.
- Taking customers’ orders.
- Managing reservations
- Monitoring wait list
Is a Hostess the Same as a Waiter?
The host is the first person to meet guests and seat them at a table, after which the guests interact with a waiter or waitress who tends to their needs during their stay at the diner.
Hostesses are the initial point of contact for guests. While guests are seated, hosts distribute tables to wait for staff and go over the menu with them. Waiters at some restaurants also take on the role of hosts during quiet shifts, when there is typically not much of a line for guests waiting for a seat.
Waiters shuttle between the kitchen and the dining room to deliver meals to tables and serve dishes, while hosts are solely responsible for delivering customer service in the front of the house.
What Is the Difference Between Attendants and Hosts?
The difference between an attendant and a hostess lies in their roles and responsibilities in various contexts.
In a restaurant, a hostess meets the customers, greets them, directs them to their tables, and provides menus. They focus on hospitality and ensuring a pleasant experience for the guests. On the other hand, an attendant’s role can vary depending on the context in which they are employed, and they can perform the same function as a hostess.
In aviation, air hostesses and flight attendants are often used interchangeably, but there are differences in their duties and responsibilities. Air hostesses typically have more responsibilities related to operating the aircraft, such as starting engines, controlling the rudder, and communicating with air traffic control. While Flight attendants focus more on onboard services like meal preparation, beverage service, and aircraft cleaning between flights. Additionally, air hostesses usually need more language and sales skills, while flight attendants primarily interact with English-speaking passengers and require emergency training.
How Does a Hostess Greet Guests?
The goal of a hostess is to make customers feel welcomed and appreciated, so you should be charismatic and maintain a positive attitude. A hostess should greet guests properly by following these tips:
- Smile while making eye contact: Making eye contact and offering a warm smile shows that you value the guest’s patronage and helps create a welcoming atmosphere.
- Greet guests with a warm welcome: Address them by name if they are frequent customers, and let them know if they will need to wait.
- Acknowledge new arrivals: If you’re busy with another guest when someone arrives, acknowledge the new arrival with a smile or by saying something like
- Ask about the party size: Don’t assume the size based on the number of guests who have walked in. Always ask to ensure you provide the appropriate table size.
- Don’t delay in attending to guests: Try to attend to guests within 30 seconds of their arrival.
- Be polite and focused: Use a soft tone, be kind and sincere, and give the guest your undivided attention.
- Personalize your greeting: Refer to a CRM system to acknowledge regular guests by name and welcome them back to the restaurant.
- Offer genuine compliments: Compliment the guest’s outfit, jewelry, or hairstyle, but avoid making it too personal.
- Use appropriate language: The tone of your greeting should match the restaurant’s style, but it should never be too informal or chatty.
- Greet the customers as they leave: Acknowledge guests with a polite goodbye as they leave, ensuring their dining experience concludes on a positive note.
How Do I Pass My Hostess Interview?
Are you preparing for a hostess interview? Then check out the following tips on how to ace your job interview!
Five Tips for Acing Your Interview
- Do your research: Before the interview, you should research the company, its values, its goals, and what has happened recently in the company. This can help you answer the, ‘Why do you want to work for us question?’
- Look up interview questions and practice them: Doing this can help you answer any question you are asked because you probably would have practised it. That way, you can give a suitable answer.
- Talk about your experience and skills: When you are asked a question, try to answer in such a way that your skills and experiences are highlighted. Talk about your previous job and how you handled tasks.
- Be confident and smile: Good communication skills and friendliness are among the skills a hostess should have, so you should show that at the interview by the way you answer.
- Prepare questions you will ask the interviewers: After the interviewers have exhausted their questions for you, you can proceed to ask them questions too. Ask them about your position, pay, training, and anything else you want to clarify.
After the interview, you can write a short email to the interviewer thanking them for the opportunity and asking for feedback on their decision.
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