A waiter or waitress looks after guests from the moment they are seated to the moment they pay. The main waiter duties are greeting guests, presenting menus, taking food and drink orders, serving dishes, checking guests are happy, processing payments and clearing and resetting tables. Good waiting staff also know the menu well enough to explain dishes, flag allergens and suggest drinks, which makes a direct difference to both guest experience and average spend.
Below you will find a full waiter job description, the skills employers want, UK pay and tipping rules, and a template you can copy for your own vacancy.
What does a waiter do?
Waiters are the main point of contact between guests and the kitchen. In a restaurant they run a section of tables; in a hotel they may cover breakfast, room service and banqueting; at events and airports they may serve in lounges, hospitality suites or fast-paced food outlets. The National Careers Service lists greeting guests, presenting menus, taking orders, answering menu questions, serving food and drinks, processing payments, clearing tables and resolving complaints as the core daily tasks.
Waiter duties and responsibilities
- Welcoming guests, showing them to their table and presenting menus.
- Explaining dishes, specials and drinks, including ingredients and allergens.
- Taking accurate orders by hand or on a handheld EPOS device.
- Serving food and drinks promptly and in the right order.
- Checking back with guests and fixing problems quickly.
- Processing card and cash payments and splitting bills.
- Clearing, cleaning and resetting tables between sittings.
- Restocking service stations with cutlery, napkins and condiments.
- Following food safety, allergen and licensing procedures, including Challenge 25 for alcohol.
- Working closely with the kitchen and bar to keep service flowing.
Allergens: a non-negotiable part of the job
Under UK food information law, businesses must be able to tell customers whether a dish contains any of the 14 major allergens, including peanuts, milk, eggs, gluten, sesame and shellfish. Waiters are usually the people guests ask, so they must know where to find the allergen information and never guess. If in doubt, the right answer is to check with the chef and record the request clearly on the order.
Skills and qualities of a good waiter
- Customer service: friendly, attentive and calm, even when the restaurant is full.
- Memory and accuracy: remembering orders, table numbers and guest preferences.
- Communication: clear with guests and with the kitchen.
- Teamwork: helping colleagues run food and clear tables.
- Selling skills: recommending starters, sides, desserts and drinks naturally.
- Stamina: long periods on your feet carrying plates and trays.
- Basic numeracy and tech: using EPOS systems and handling payments.
Types of waiting roles
| Role | Typical setting | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant waiter | Casual and fine dining | Section of tables, menu knowledge, upselling |
| Banqueting / events waiter | Hotels, venues, weddings | Silver service, plated courses served together |
| Lounge or hospitality server | Airport lounges, corporate suites | Premium service, fast table turns, guest recognition |
| Head waiter / supervisor | Larger restaurants | Running the floor, allocating sections, handling complaints |
Waiter pay and tips in the UK
Waiters must be paid at least the National Minimum Wage for their age, before tips. From April 2026 that is £12.71 an hour for workers aged 21 and over, £10.85 for 18 to 20 year olds and £8.00 for under-18s and apprentices. From April 2027 the National Living Wage rises to £13.21. The National Careers Service puts typical salaries at around £17,000 for new starters up to £27,000 with experience, depending on hours.
Tips cannot be used to top up pay to the minimum wage. Since 1 October 2024, the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023 requires employers to pass on 100% of tips, gratuities and service charges to workers, to share them fairly, to have a written tipping policy and to keep records for three years.
Qualifications and training
No formal qualifications are needed. Employers usually train new waiters on the job. Helpful training includes Level 2 Food Hygiene, allergen awareness, and for venues serving alcohol, an understanding of licensing rules. Apprenticeships such as the Level 2 Hospitality Team Member route are available for those who want a structured start.
Waiter job description template
Job title: Waiter / Waitress
Reports to: Restaurant Manager / Head Waiter
Location: [Venue]
Hours: [Full-time / part-time], including evenings and weekends
Pay: £[rate] per hour plus fair share of tips
Purpose of the role: To give every guest friendly, efficient service and a reason to come back.
Key responsibilities:
- Greet and seat guests and present menus.
- Take accurate orders, including allergen requests.
- Serve food and drinks to the venue standard.
- Process payments accurately.
- Keep tables and service stations clean and stocked.
- Follow food safety, licensing and health and safety rules.
About you: Friendly, reliable and comfortable working at pace. Experience is welcome but not essential.
Running an event or a busy season?We supply trained waiting, bar and hospitality staff for venues, lounges and events.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the duties of a waiter?
Greeting guests, taking orders, serving food and drinks, answering menu and allergen questions, taking payment and clearing and resetting tables.
What skills does a waiter need?
Customer service, a good memory, clear communication, teamwork, stamina and basic numeracy for payments.
Can tips count towards the minimum wage?
No. Tips are on top of at least the National Minimum Wage, and employers must pass all tips on to workers fairly.
Do waiters need qualifications?
No, but food hygiene and allergen training are useful and many employers provide them.
What is the difference between a waiter and a server?
They mean the same job. “Server” is a gender-neutral term that is increasingly common in UK hospitality.
Find hospitality staff with WWSG
From single shifts to full event teams, WWSG supplies trained hospitality staff. Learn about our food and beverage services or get in touch.