A day as a Host
The host stand is where a restaurant's night either holds together or falls apart. You're the first face every guest sees, and you decide who sits where, when, and with which server. It looks like smiling and handing out menus, but most of the job is quiet math about tables, timing and people's patience.
One dinner shift at a busy full-service restaurant
Clock in and read the book
You pull up tonight's reservations in OpenTable or Resy and look for trouble before it arrives. A big party booked at the same time as a birthday, a regular who always wants the corner booth, a note that says "allergy, shellfish." You check the floor plan with the manager and find out which servers are on and how the sections are split.
Pre-shift and a quick walk of the room
The kitchen runs through specials and anything they've eighty-sixed, so you can warn guests before they fall in love with the halibut. Then you walk the dining room. Menus wiped, high chairs stacked where you can grab them, the patio heaters actually on. You also check that your pager buzzers are charged, because a dead buzzer at seven is a bad conversation.
The rush, and the moment the plan breaks
A big group shows up without a reservation, two tables are camping over dessert, and a server just told you they're in the weeds. This is the real job. You quote an honest wait, push walk-ins to the bar, and hold off seating a fresh table in the slammed section even though it's open. You keep the rotation fair so no server gets triple-sat while another stands around, and you keep your voice calm while the lobby fills up.
Recovering the room
The wait list starts shrinking. You text guests when their table's ready, apologize to the couple you quoted short, and ask a manager to send them a round if it went badly. You're also answering the phone, taking a pickup order, and telling a guest where the restroom is again, because someone always asks.
Closing the stand
You tidy the menus, restock the to-go bags, and note any reservation issues for tomorrow's host. If the restaurant uses a table-management system, you close out any tables left open on the screen so the data isn't a mess in the morning. Then you roll silverware with the servers, because everyone does side work before they leave.
What separates a good host from a greeter
Anyone can say welcome in. A strong host protects the kitchen and the servers from getting buried, which means sometimes you leave an empty table empty for a few minutes on purpose. Guests will see that open booth and ask why they can't have it. You need a short, true answer ready ("it's being held for a reservation" or "that server just got a big table, I'll have you seated in a few minutes") and the backbone to stick to it. Managers notice the host who keeps the flow even, because it shows up in faster tickets and happier servers by the end of the night.
How people usually end up at the stand
First job, straight in
This is the most common route. Plenty of hosts are students or career changers with no restaurant background, and that's fine. What gets you hired is showing up to the interview neat, making eye contact, and saying you can work weekends and holidays, because that's when the book is full.
From retail or front-desk work
If you've worked a register, a hotel front desk or a reception desk, you already know how to greet people and handle a line. Lead with that on your application. Managers like hosts who've dealt with an upset customer before and didn't flinch.
Sideways from bussing or food running
Bussers and runners who already know the floor plan and the servers often move up to the stand when a shift opens. It's also a common stop on the way to serving, since you learn the menu, the regulars and the timing of the room. Ask your manager directly if you want the next host opening.
What Host postings ask for
Hiring the most
- Cec146
- Dinebrands100
- daveandbusters.wd1/Dave_and_Busters_Careers99
- Dave & Buster's Homepage98
- Crackerbarrel60
Remote
2% of openings are fully remote.
Questions people ask
Do hosts get tips?
Sometimes. Many restaurants pay hosts an hourly wage and then include them in a tip-out from servers or bartenders at the end of the night. Others don't share tips with the host at all. It changes a lot from one place to the next, so ask about it in the interview. The pay figure on this page is a good starting point, and a tip-out on top can make a real difference at a busy spot.
What software will I use as a host?
The big ones are OpenTable, Resy, Yelp Guest Manager and SevenRooms for reservations and wait lists, plus whatever point-of-sale system the restaurant runs, often Toast or Square. You don't need to know any of them going in. A trainer will show you on your first shift, and they all work in roughly the same way: a floor map, a list of guests, and a button to seat them.
Is hosting a good way to become a server?
Yes, and a lot of managers hire hosts with that in mind. You learn the menu, the sections, the regulars and how the kitchen paces a night. When a server spot opens, a host who's already proven reliable is usually first in line. Tell your manager early that you want to move up, and pick up a few training shifts on the floor when they're offered.
1,170 Host jobs are open today
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