Top Restaurant Server sections that make the best resume
- Header
- Professional summary
- Experience (with numbers & results)
- Relevant skills
- Education
- Certifications
Writing a memorable experience section: Restaurant Server resume edition
Restaurant Server Resume Experience Section Checklist:
- Use at least 3 and no more than 7 bullet points per position;
- Make your experience sound relevant to what you’re applying for;
- Combine responsibilities, results, and critical situations that you’ve handled well;
- Show that you’re willing to take up on challenges;
- Include numbers in any form you like.
We’ve selected some of the top Restaurant Server resumes made using the Enhancv platform to illustrate what a great experience section looks like. Use them as inspiration when building your own resume:
- Improved guest satisfaction scores by 25% through exceptional service and attention to detail
- Consistently exceeded sales goals by 15% through suggestive selling techniques
- Trained new team members on menu items, restaurant policies, and customer service standards
- Collaborated with team members to maintain a clean and organized dining room and kitchen
- Resolved guest complaints quickly and effectively, resulting in a 40% decrease in negative reviews
- Managed a team of 15 servers, ensuring timely and efficient service during busy periods
- Increased profitability by 20% through effective cost management and menu optimization
- Collaborated with kitchen staff to ensure consistent and high-quality food preparation
- Conducted weekly inventory checks and ordered supplies as needed to minimize waste
- Assisted in the development and implementation of new marketing strategies to increase sales
- Ensured timely delivery of food and drinks to customers by prioritizing and coordinating with kitchen staff resulting in a 10% increase in customer satisfaction ratings.
- Demonstrated excellent communication skills by patiently answering menu questions, providing recommendations, and upselling resulting in a 15% increase in revenue.
- Assisted in maintaining a clean and organized dining area, including restocking supplies, cleaning spills, and setting up tables, resulting in a 20% reduction in wait times.
- Provided exceptional customer service, resulting in an average of $200 in tips per week.
- Collaborated with team members to resolve any customer complaints in a timely and professional manner, resulting in a 95% customer satisfaction rate.
- Greeted guests, escorted them to their tables, and provided menus with an average wait time of 5 minutes, resulting in a 15% reduction in wait times.
- Managed reservations and seating arrangements for large groups and VIP guests, resulting in a 10% increase in repeat business.
- Demonstrated excellent communication skills by coordinating with kitchen staff and servers to ensure timely delivery of food and drinks, resulting in a 10% increase in customer satisfaction ratings.
- Maintained a clean and organized dining area, including restocking supplies, cleaning spills, and setting up tables, resulting in a 15% reduction in wait times.
- Collaborated with team members to resolve any customer complaints in a timely and professional manner, resulting in a 95% customer satisfaction rate.
- Demonstrated extensive knowledge of menu items and provided recommendations to guests resulting in a 15% increase in overall check averages.
- Managed large parties of up to 15 guests, ensuring accurate orders and timely service resulting in a 95% satisfaction rate on guest surveys.
- Maintained a clean and organized dining area, completing side work efficiently and contributing to a positive team environment.
- Developed strong relationships with regular guests resulting in a 20% increase in repeat business.
- Prepared and served cocktails, beers, and wines with speed and accuracy, maintaining a 97% accuracy rate on drink orders.
- Maintained a clean and organized bar area, completing side work efficiently and contributing to a positive team environment.
- Demonstrated extensive knowledge of the wine list and provided recommendations to guests resulting in a 10% increase in wine sales.
- Assisted with large parties of up to 10 guests, ensuring accurate orders and timely service resulting in a 95% satisfaction rate on guest surveys.
- Maintained a clean and organized dining area, completing side work efficiently and contributing to a positive team environment.
PRO TIP
Don't make the same mistake everyone else does. What we mean is, don't list your Restaurant Server job responsibilities instead of your achievements. Recruiters know what you do. They want to know what kind of difference you can bring to their company. Focus on what you've accomplished.
Action Verbs for your Restaurant Server Resume
Recommended reads:
The Best Way to Write Your Restaurant Server Resume’s Skills Section
Restaurant Server resume: skills section checklist
- Scan the job advert for keywords worth including in your resume;
- List both hard and transferable skills;
- Leave room for discussion: include some of your skills in other sections of your resume;
- Focus on skills that prove your expertise and leave the irrelevant ones behind.
Top skills for your restaurant server resume
Menu knowledge
Food and beverage service
Order taking
Table setting
Payment processing
Cash handling
Wine service
Upselling
POS system
Safety and sanitation
Effective communication
Active listening
Customer service
Teamwork
Problem solving
Attention to detail
Time management
Stress management
Adaptability
Positive attitude
PRO TIP
Add a Talent Section to your resume, where you can pick your top 3 soft skills and describe how you used them to complete a project or balance departmental communication.
Recommended reads:
Restaurant Server resume header: tips, red flags, and best practices
Checklist: a strong Restaurant Server resume summary:
- Use adjectives that highlight the character traits you’re most proud of;
- Mention 1-2 of your biggest achievements;
- Add keywords from the job advert to increase your chances of passing ATS;
- Keep the recruiter’s attention by going for short sentences.
Resume summary formula:
PRO TIP
Include a link to your portfolio in your resume header. Most companies will require that you include one in your resume, and even if they don’t, it’s an excellent opportunity to directly show them your proudest projects.
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Choosing the Best Format for Your Restaurant Server Resume
The content of your Restaurant Server resume is what will get you hired, right?
But even when your content’s amazing and you’re a true over-achiever, recruiters might not think you’re a good fit if your resume looks messy or is not formatted the right way.
In general, there are three basic resume formats we advise you to stick with:
- Reverse-chronological resume format;
- Functional skills-based resume format;
- Combination (or Hybrid) resume format.
Deciding which one to use depends on your experience, the industry, and the company. In short — you need to know what your applicant profile is.
For instance, reverse-chronological resumes are great for people with over 10 years of experience and no employment gaps. Here, you need to list all your relevant experience in a reverse-chronological format, starting from the most recent and going back to less recent positions.
Functional skills-based resumes, on the other hand, are great for entry-level applicants, graduate students, or people who have different kinds of experience. It focuses on skills, education, and character traits, rather than experience.
If none of these work for you, and you dream of adopting a more creative approach that makes a difference, the combination (or hybrid) resume format is exactly what you’re looking for. It allows you to focus on both your experience and your skills, making it a ‘best of both worlds’ format. It’s also suitable for those who want to spice things up by adding different creative sections (e.g. ‘life philosophy’ or ‘what my day looks like’).
Here are some additional tips on perfecting your resume layout and style:
- Go for a traditional resume font sized 12p;
- Use standard 1-inch resume margins for increased readability;
- Make sure your resume fits on a one-page template. In case you’ve got 10 years of experience or more, your resume’s length can reach two pages;
- Avoid unwanted editing and plagiarism – save your resume as PDF before sending it to the recruiters.
Want to take it a step further? Learn how to make your resume stand out without relying too much on creativity.
