The restaurant hostess is the first employee to interact with arriving guests as they enter the restaurant. It is the job of the hostess to greet arriving guests, welcome them into the establishment and seat them. The guests receive their first impression of the service of the restaurant by their exchange with the hostess. The hostess is a personal representation of the service and overall hospitality of the staff of the restaurant. While guests are waiting to be seated or waiting for take-out orders to be ready, it is the job of the hostess to ensure that the guests are made comfortable and kept informed of the status of their orders or wait times.
Learn the floor plan and table layout; remember to mark all tables that have been seated. Review all reservations for your shift, and assign suitable tables for each. Keep note of how many people are in a party, what time they arrived, and what table they are at. Also keep note of who is still seated in each section so that servers do not become overwhelmed when you add a large group to their section. Keep track of each server. Be aware as guests approach the restaurant. Open the door for a guest as they approach, if you are busy with another guest, acknowledge the guest by saying, "I will be right with you," make eye contact, or a simple hand gesture also works.
Greet each guest with a smile. Remember, you are the first and last chance for the restaurant to make a good impression, and set them at ease. The greeting should be simple ( hello my name is Sarah how may I help you ). Find out how many people are dining. If there is a wait make sure to record their name on the waitlist. Guests will normally ask for a time frame; provide them with an 'estimated' time. The manager on duty will provide you with the estimated wait times based on the flow of the restaurant.
When figuring out where to seat a table when not on a wait, rotate the sections. Distribute the tables evenly amongst the servers. Also keep in mind how many large parties they have or have had. Try not to seat any two parties close together when it is not necessary. When the guest sits down, place a menu for each of them by the place setting, or hand the menu to the guest. Don't just throw menus on the table and leave without saying anything. Provide the name of their server and any daily features or specials that are running at that time.
Make sure that there are complete place settings for each guest and that the table is clean. If not, seat them somewhere else and make sure the mess is taken care of. If the guest is not happy with the table you have selected please seat them in another section. Maintain supplies. If we are running low on any forms, highlighters, etc. ask the manager for the supplies you will need. This should be done before the lunch or dinner rush. Be prepared to get some things for guests, water refills, utensils, napkins, etc. If a guest does ask for something else, inform the guest that you will let their server know right away. Help to clear and set tables when necessary. If there are customers waiting for tables, the more hands helping to make that happen, the better.
When seating guests who have waited, thank them for their patience. If you're having a bad day, don't let that reflect in your service. Leave all emotions and your ego at home. Be aware of what is going on in the kitchen, in each of your servers' sections, and at the bar. As the shift progresses be aware how your actions impact the servers, bar and kitchen. Do not text. Do not swear. Do not chew gum. Do not groom or apply makeup in front of guests. When your guests leave, thank them sincerely, and genuinely tell them that you would like to see them return. Open the door for them as they leave the building.