Restaurant Hostess

Roles and responsibilities

1. Guest Greeting and Reception:

• Warm Welcome: Greet guests with a friendly, professional, and welcoming attitude as they arrive at the restaurant.
• Manage Waitlists: Politely inform guests of wait times during busy hours and manage a waitlist, if necessary. Ensure guests are seated as soon as their table becomes available.
• Escort Guests to Tables: Lead guests to their assigned table, making sure they are comfortable and ready for the dining experience.

2. Reservations and Seating:

• Manage Reservations: Handle incoming reservations, either by phone, email, or online booking systems. Ensure that reservation details are accurate and up-to-date.
• Seating Coordination: Assign tables to guests based on availability, preferences (such as booths or window seating), and party size while balancing the flow of guests in the dining area.
• Special Requests: Record and communicate any special requests to the kitchen or servers (e.g., dietary restrictions, celebrations, preferred seating).

3. Communication and Customer Service:

• Liaise with Restaurant Staff: Work closely with servers, bartenders, and kitchen staff to ensure a smooth seating process and that guests’ needs are met promptly.
• Answering Questions: Provide information about the menu, specials, or restaurant policies, and direct guests to other areas (e.g., restrooms, bar area).
• Manage Guest Expectations: Communicate wait times clearly and check in with guests during their wait, ensuring that they remain comfortable and informed.

4. Managing the Flow of Guests:

• Control the Pace of Seating: Ensure that the dining area is properly balanced, seating guests in a way that allows servers to manage their tables efficiently while minimizing wait times.
• Monitor Dining Room Occupancy: Keep track of seating availability and table turnover to ensure guests are seated promptly and the restaurant runs efficiently during peak hours.

5. Ensuring Guest Satisfaction:

• Make Reservations for Future Visits: Assist guests with booking future reservations, ensuring that they feel valued and encourage repeat visits.
• Assist with Special Occasions: If guests are celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, or other special events, help make the occasion feel special by ensuring the dining experience is memorable.
• Handle Complaints: Address any concerns or issues that arise politely and professionally, escalating more serious issues to a manager or supervisor as needed.

6. Maintaining Cleanliness and Organization:

• Keep Host Area Tidy: Ensure the host/hostess stand is clean, organized, and welcoming at all times.
• Monitor the Dining Area: Ensure that the dining area is visually appealing by keeping an eye on cleanliness, such as ensuring tables are cleared quickly and properly set for the next guests.
• Assist with Table Settings: In some settings, hostesses may also assist in resetting tables between guests, especially if the restaurant is very busy.

Desired candidate profile

• Meets, greets and bids farewell to guest according to standards.
• Responds to guest needs in appropriate manner and time or as per standard.
• Maintains reservation book updated and in impeccable order.
• Escorts guest to the table or to other areas if and when required.
• Provides any information guests may ask, hence to be informed not only about the designated restaurant but also other areas of the resort.
• Answers the phone appropriately and according to standard.
• Ensures that personal appearance and uniform are as per standard.
• Attentive and assertive to guest needs.
• Remains in his or her area, approachable to guests.
• Thru guest interaction to seek performance of team, areas of improvement and seeks to deliver over and above to guests.
• Works as a team, liaises and coordinates with team, peers and other managers of the food and beverage division.
• Executes any other work or responsibility within his scope of duty given by his/her manager.
  

Requirements

Experience and Qualification Requirements:

• Guest relation orientated, outgoing and smiley.
• Preferably with previous experience as hostess/front office/customer service in busy venues.
• Effective communication skills in English