7 Ways to Be a Superstar Restaurant Host

So you’ve managed to land the position of the host at one of the hottest eateries in town. Go you! We know you’re going to rock this position, but in case you could use some tips, we’ve got your back!

Whether this is your first hosting job, or you’ve been at this for years, it never hurts to review the basics and figure out where you might have room to improve. Here are the down and dirty details on what it takes to really shine as a host or hostess for a restaurant.

1. Look the part.

This one starts before you even show up for work. As a host or hostess, you’re often the first person guests see when they visit a restaurant for the first time. And you’ll never get a second chance to make a first impression. This means you should always arrive for your shift well groomed, clean, and ready to go. Hair should be neat, makeup should be tasteful, and clothing should look professional. It should go without saying, but a host should never be playing with their phone, chewing gum, or eating at the host stand. Remember, you are the face of the restaurant.

2. Greet everyone who walks in the door promptly.

This should be a no-brainer, but it’s easy to get distracted when things are slow, or overwhelmed during a rush. As a host one of your main tasks is to welcome guests to your restaurant. A smile and a friendly greeting goes a long way toward making people feel welcome. This means, no matter how important whatever else you might be doing is, you stop and greet everyone. No exceptions.

3. Be organized.

There’s a lot going on at the host stand – more than most guests realize. You have a thousand things to keep track of, and during a busy shift, it may be hours before you have a chance to breathe for a moment. Keep everything organized and orderly, and you’ll find the task much easier to manage. Make sure you have all the supplies you need before your shift starts, including extras of things like pens or highlighters if you use them. Better yet, a waitlist app like NextME can make it easy to stay on top of everything digitally.

4. Honesty really is the best policy.

Never tell a guest it will be just a few minutes for a table, unless that’s actually true. Never make up an answer to a question if you’re not sure. Be realistic when relaying any type of information, and you’ll head off the kind of problems that could blow up in your face later.

5. Know your restaurant.

If you’re interacting with customers, you’re going to get questions. Lots of them. Whether it’s the phone call about special dietary restrictions, or people who just came in the door asking about special menu items or gift cards, you’re sure to get stumped now and then. Take a proactive approach and learn as much as you can about the menu and restaurant policies, and be sure to familiarize yourself with any specials or promos that are currently ongoing before you start your shift. The more you know, the easier these interactions will be.

6. Know your coworkers.

In every restaurant there are some members of the wait staff who can handle more than others. Being aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the team can make things run that much smoother. At the same time, you need to be fair when seating guests so that everyone has a chance to make some good tips. Don’t overload the best servers just because you know they can handle it. Spread the workload around and you’ll find everyone is appreciative, especially the guests!

7. Keep a good sense of humor and maintain composure.

This is probably the most important part of the job. A good host has to grin and bear it no matter what comes your way. You’ll probably deal with rude guests from time to time, but that’s just part of working with the public. Don’t take anything personally, no matter what they may say. Just laugh it off and move on. Likewise, when everything seems to be chaotic and you’ve got a million and one things on your plate, you still need to exude a sense of calm or risk spreading the chaos further. Above all, relax and take the good with the bad. You’re sure to run into plenty of both!