Restaurant host/restaurant hostess
Also known as: front of house hostess, restaurant host, maître d'hôtel, meeter and greeter, restaurant hostess, front of house host
About this occupation
Restaurant hosts/hostesses welcome customers to a hospitality service unit and provide initial services.
Essential skills and knowledge
- seat customers according to the waiting list
- process reservations
- arrange tables
- accommodate special seating
- assist VIP guests
- welcome restaurant guests
- assist customers
- maintain customer service
- present menus
- assist guest departure
- check dining room cleanliness
- comply with food safety and hygiene
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop (O*NET 35-9031.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- Provide guests with menus.
- Greet guests and seat them at tables or in waiting areas.
- Maintain contact with kitchen staff, management, serving staff, and customers to ensure that dining details are handled properly and customers' concerns are addressed.
- Assign patrons to tables suitable for their needs and according to rotation so that servers receive an appropriate number of seatings.
- Speak with patrons to ensure satisfaction with food and service, to respond to complaints, or to make conversation.
- Inspect dining and serving areas to ensure cleanliness and proper setup.
- Typical education (US)
- Less than a High School Diploma
- Preparation
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Interests
- Social, Enterprising, Conventional
Top skills: Active Listening, Speaking, Service Orientation, Social Perceptiveness, Reading Comprehension, Monitoring
US median pay: US$31,200 a year (2025), 432,690 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Subjects this work relies on
How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).
- English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageVery important (3.7)
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Preparation needed
Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Most common education (US)
- Less than a High School Diploma
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Related occupations
Occupations O*NET links to this one by similar work, skills and knowledge.
- Waiters and Waitresses
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant
- Fast Food and Counter Workers
- Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks
- Bartenders
- Locker Room, Coatroom, and Dressing Room Attendants
- Passenger Attendants
- Baristas
- Demonstrators and Product Promoters
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.