Waiter
What the work is
Serves food and beverages in a hotel, restaurant, club or dining establishment.
Would you enjoy the work?
These are the main tasks in the official description. Mark how each one sounds to you.
- Sets up tables and arranges seating for customers
- Takes orders from customers for food and beverages
- Provides recommendations and suggestions to customers regarding menu items
- Clears tables and ensures the dining area is clean and presentable
- Handles customer enquiries and resolves issues or complaints
- Takes payment from customers
- Stocks and replenishes supplies and inventory as needed
- Follows health and safety regulations and maintains a clean and hygienic work environment
Try it
A simulation and a case study from this kind of work, set in a small, busy restaurant with a short, well-chosen wine list. They are fictional.
The kind of days you could have
Good days
- A guest tries a wine you suggested and says that is exactly what they wanted
- A table you looked after all night leaves a note for the whole team
- The dining room hums, plates land in the right places and nobody notices how hard you worked
Hard days
- A table has a complaint and you only have one minute to turn it around
- A guest wants something you do not have and is not happy about it
- A double shift on your feet, with a tray on one hand and a smile on your face
Written by Career Calling as a general guide. Real roles vary by employer and place.
Work a mission
Step into a simulated workplace in this field, with a brief from your manager.
Description and tasks: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Occupation Standard Classification for Australia, 2024, Version 1.0 (opens another site), occupation 471632, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. The skill guide above is our plain English summary.