About server jobs:

A server is a person who is usually employed by the restaurant or any food court to serve the customers. They take order from the customers and supply the necessary items according to the order made by the patron. After the patron completes his dining, the server makes the bill and collects the amount on the bill by providing necessary change to the customers. The responsibility of the server is to wipe the table after the patron has finished his meal. They gather feedback from the customers and handle the complaints and concerns of the customers and make him feel comfortable. They need to open and close the restaurant on time by placing all things at their respective places before closing the restaurant. They need to fill the bowl with starters like soups and salads. The servers are usually hired by the restaurants, hotels, nightclubs, dining rooms, fast food outlets, delis and private clubs etc. The role of the server varies with skill level and his job profile. They even perform some other day to day tasks in the kitchen like chopping of vegetables and washing dishes. The servers in the hotels or restaurants even perform tasks like preparing cold foods, cracking eggs, trimming, slicing meat and brewing of coffee and assist the kitchen staff when there is no work in the dining hall.

The servers need to maintain the dining area cleanly and maintain the tables ready for dining by refilling the water cups and placing the cloth on the table. They make sure that all the orders taken are in written form and read it back to the customer before forwarding the order slip to the kitchen. A server offering good services can end the day with good amount of bucks that arrive in the form of tips. It is the prime task of the server to clean the table and make it ready for the next customer.

Educational requirements for a server

• There is no minimum educational qualification required for the server to get a job in restaurants, hotels, cafeterias and delis.
• Experience is the key part of the server to get recruited in big or reputed restaurants.
• The candidate must have completed 21 years of age before joining the restaurant.
• In some restaurants, they demand that candidate need to complete high school diploma.
• Interested candidates can even take some additional vocational training programs offered by the vocational schools and associations.
• They can even pursue some formal educational programs offered by the hotel management institutes.
• The National Restaurant Association offers some excellent courses in restaurant operations and bartending.

How is a server certified?

• There is no specific license need to be acquired by the servers.
• The candidate can take some certification course offered by the International Food Service Executive Association (IFSEA).
• The certified food manger and certified food executive credentials are other certification courses that are usually chosen the candidates with few years of experience to get recruited on the big restaurants.

Salary and remuneration:

The salary of the server alters with restaurant type. The other factors that alter the server’s salary is industry type, type of employer, location etc. the average salary of the server is $24,000 per annum.

• Years of Experience

• The Server with less than one year of experience can make salary between   $ 12,000 and $ 26,510 per annum and the hourly salary range of the Server is $ 5.33 and $ 9.88.
• The candidate with one to four years of experience can make annual salary range in between $ 12,203 and $ 32,129 per annum and the hourly wage range is between $ 6.28 and $ 10.10.
• For the Server with experience between five to nine years, the annual salary range is between $ 14,152 and $ 36,215 and the hourly wage range is between $ 5.52 and $ 11.40.
• For the Server with experience between ten to nineteen years, the annual salary range is between $ 11,101 and $ 42,742 and the hourly wage range is between $ 6.90 and $ 13.10.
• The Server with experience of twenty years or more, the salary range is between $ 14,701 and $ 44,152 per annum and the hourly wage range is between $ 9.51 and $ 14.50.

• Industry

• The annual salary of the Server working in restaurant is between $ 8,273 and $ 40,160.
• The Server working for a bar or restaurant or night club can earn salary range in between $ 10,626 and $ 38,427 per annum.
• The Server working in a hotel earns a salary range between $ 9,331 and $ 39,737 per annum.
• The Server working for a fast food restaurant can earn an annual salary in the range between $ 14,637 and $ 36,327.
• Server working for a cafe or deli typically earns an annual salary range between $ 16,394 and $ 42,323.
• The annual salary range of the Server working in food and beverage service is $ 18,025 and $ 38,920.

• Employer Type

• A Server working for a company can earn an annual salary in the range between $ 11,686 and $ 24,997.
• A Server working for a private or practice firm can earn a salary in the range between $ 15,322 and $ 36,825 per annum.
• A Server when recruited by the non-profit organization gets a salary package between $ 17,573 and $ 39,479 per annum.
• A Server when signs contract with a hotel can earn an annual salary in the range between $ 18,423 and $ 38,030.
• A Server working for other organizations can typically earn an annual salary in the range between $ 26,222 and $ 39,514.
• The salary range of those servers working for hotel governed by the state government or federal government is between $ 26,222 and $ 39,514 per annum.
• Location:

• The Server working for a restaurant established in the Florida state can earn salary in the range between $ 12,530 and $ 32,890 per annum.
• The Server working for a restaurant fixed in the New York state can typically earn an annual salary in the range between $ 12,239 and$ 32,820.
• In Georgia, the Server working for a restaurant can earn annual salary in the range between $ 14,190 and $ 32,410.
• The Server working for a restaurant established in the California state can earn an annual salary in the range between $ 16,532 and $ 38,820.
• The Server working for restaurant in the Texas state can earn annual salary in the range between $ 12,290 and $ 36,812.
• The Server working for restaurant in the Illinois state can earn annual salary in the range between $ 13,120 and $ 42,110.
• The Server working for restaurant in the Michigan state earn salary in the range between $ 16,510 and $ 37,810 per annum.

Skill/Specialization:

• Server when he gets specialized in the dish washing along with the other qualifications can earn salary range between $ 7,230 and $ 23,810 per annum.
• Server when he gets specialized in the napkin folding or arranging table cloth along with the other qualifications can earn salary range between $ 10,210 and $ 23,290 per annum.
• A Server when he gets specialized in the cash counting or bill processing along with the other qualifications earns salary range between $ 11,210 and $ 17,810 per annum.
• Server when he gets specialized in the making salads, deserts or coffee etc along with the other qualifications can earns salary range between $ 13,210 and $ 33,810 per annum.

Apart from the salary, they can even get some additional bucks in the form of tips for offering good services to the customer and they can even have some paid sick leaves and paid vacations.

Skills required for the server:

• The server requires excellent skill set to provide efficient services to the patron visiting the restaurant and play active role in enhancing the reputation of the restaurant.
• The server should be capable to do multiple tasks at same time by serving patrons at one or more tables.
• The server requires high level people skills to confer with the patrons and get the order from them.
• The server must be flexible to work in rotational shifts.
• The server must be physically strong and maintain good health as their work involves standing on feet for the whole day.
• They should have good memory to memorize all the items that are offered by the restaurant and items in the menu card.
• They must be able to fold the napkins and table cloths.
• They need to have knowledge about the food preparing method and ingredient used in the dish.
• Possess good verbal and written skills to write down the order given by the customers read it in front of him and enquire about any changes that are to be made in the order.
• They must be able to clean the dishes properly and make them ready for the next table.

Duties and responsibilities of a server

• The server has a set of roles and responsibilities to be performed when hired by restaurant and they are enumerated below.
• The server is assigned with some tables and it’s his duty to show the way and make the patrons to sit in the assigned tables.
• It is the duty of the server to talk to the customer and note down the type of food that he likes to have.
• They need to readout the order before submitting it to the kitchen staff.
• The server must check between the meal to know about any additional drinks or food that the patron whishes to order.
• Once the food is prepared by the chef or kitchen staff, the server must serve the dishes to the customer.
• They must check the table several time and place napkins, tissues on the table.
• They need to remove the table cloth and place new cloth after customers finishes dining.
• They need to handle the bill amount carefully and submit to the cashier at the end of the day.
• They need to assist the kitchen staff in chopping vegetables and meat when there is no work in the dining area.
• Answer to the queries placed by the customers regarding the making of dishes or type of dishes available in the restaurant.
• If the customer has any complaint regarding the services, then immediately report to the supervisor or restaurant head.
• Assist the staff in refilling the water cups or sugar, salt/pepper in the containers.
• Check the identification proof of the customer to ensure that patron age is above 21 years and eligible to consume alcohol.
• Give the present list of wines available in the restaurant.
• They need to perform the additional tasks assigned by the restaurant manager or food and beverage manger in the restaurant.
• They need to train the newly appointed severs and brief them about the restaurant policies and food safety tips.
• They should offer salad or deserts after the customer finishes with eating food.