7+ Best Server Resume Skills That Get Hired: Do's & Don'ts

Find the most impactful skills for server resumes. Build a standout resume highlighting key abilities in customer service, multitasking, and hospitality roles.

Server Resume Skills Generator

Customize as per your role and industry

Generated Output

  • Excellent customer service
  • Clear communication
  • Multitasking in fast-paced environments
  • Problem-solving under pressure
  • Time management
  • Knowledge of food and beverage pairings
  • Team collaboration
  • Attention to detail
  • Conflict resolution
  • Adaptability to changing needs

Why Do We Need to Write The Best Server Skills for Resume 

The best server skills for a resume are important because they help in making your server resume stand out among numerous service staff. Building a well-structured resume that combines relevant job-based server skills can help you secure an interview.

Including both the hard skills and soft skills on your server resume proves your capability of providing excellent service and competence to face the heterogeneous challenges of a server job.

Important Hard Skills to Include on a Server Resume

  1. Basic Math Skills: The ability to perform arithmetic will enable accounting for checks, handling bills, and giving prompt calculations to customers.
  2. Knowledge of Point-of-Sale (POS) Systems: Comprehension of a point-of-sale system helps speed transactions, thus making order and payment processing faster and more efficient.
  3. Alcohol and Beverage Knowledge: Knowledge about alcoholic beverage pairing can make the service experience more satisfactory for restaurant patrons when alcohol is served.
  4. Food Safety and Sanitation: Hygiene awareness of food handling and avoiding possible contamination can be assured with an understanding of the health and safety standards.

Top Soft Skills to Highlight as a Server

  1. Customer Service Skills: Ability to predict and meet the needs of the customer, giving value to each guest makes them feel important and cared for.
  2. Communication: Effective, communicative, polite service ensures no mixing up of orders and rejection, and passes on orders promptly.
  3. Multitasking and Time Management: Handling multiple tables, taking orders, and delivering food efficiently needs amazing time management and multitasking skills
  4. Problem-Solving: Quickly resolving wrong orders, or negative comments by customers, so the flow of service is smooth and pleasant.

Server Skills by Role

Food Server Skills for Resume

Food servers work in virtually all dining locations and handle the responsibility of ordering food and delivering it while keeping customers satisfied.

Skills to Include:

1. Menu Awareness

Skilled in verbal delivery of information about menu items and daily specials to guests, improving dining experience and encouraging repeat orders.

2. Customer Service

Produced quality customer service in delivering the expected food items thus enhancing satisfiability.

3. Quick and Reliable

Delivered food orders to tables within the time frames expected, helping to reduce wait time and increase table turn by 15%.

4. Basic Mathematics Skills

Accurate calculation of bills and cleared payments without cash handling discrepancies and high-speed transaction processing.

5. Cleanliness and Sanitation

Dedicated to keeping the dining room clean by sanitizing the tables and utensils daily, thus ensuring health standards.

Banquet Server Skills

Banquet servers work typically during events like weddings or corporate events, often taking orders from numerous people and serving pre-set menus.

Skills to Include:

1. Adaptability

Adapted quickly to event-specific requirements such as changes in seating arrangements and serving styles with a view to smooth service.

2. Teamwork

Coordinated with a group of waiters to deliver a harmonious dining experience for events hosting over 200 guests.

3. Time Management

Served multi-course meals on time, based on very challenging event timely plans, without any compromises on service standards.

4. Familiarity with Event Etiquette

Conventionally set tables in keeping with formal dining etiquette, thus beautifying the entire ambiance of events.

5. Physical Endurance

Worked 8-hour shifts without interruptions, ensuring high energy and attentiveness throughout the event

Restaurant Server Skills

Restaurant servers work in a sit-down setting. There, they face the guests to take orders, serve them food, and collect payment.

1. Knowledge of Restaurant Operations

Coordinated with kitchen staff on-time delivery of orders to ensure no delay and efficient workflow.

2. Conflict Resolution

Solved guest complaints on slow service so 90% of guests leave the premises satisfied.

3. Multi-tasking

Managed up to 10 tables simultaneously ensuring service quality and guest satisfaction, in peak times.

4. Upselling Techniques

Exposed premium items and add-ons to customers, which led to a 20% increase in average check.

5. Attention to Detail

Ability to analyze and avoid mistakes which can ignite some complaints.

Gourmet Food Server Skills

Gourmet food servers serve in high-end, fine-dining restaurants where quality of service and knowledge of etiquette for finer dining are greatly rated.

Skills to Include:

1. Advanced Food and Beverage Knowledge

Recommended wine pairings with meals, enhancing fine dining experiences by higher guest satisfaction.

2. Fine Dining Etiquette

Served dishes following fine dining protocols of maintaining premium service standards of the restaurant.

3. Professional standard service

Devoted quality one-on-one attention to the VIP clientele, thereby creating a private and unforgettable dining experience.

4. Presentation Skills

Good at presenting seasonal menus and other gourmet food details, ensuring 15% growth in upsell revenue.

5. Problem-Solving Under Pressure

Solved problems discreetly, such as misorderings while keeping the mood and the customers' satisfaction.

How to Put Server Skills in Different Sections of Your Resume

Skills Section

You can highlight the best server skills in your resume under the skills section as follows:

  • Exceptional customer service and conflict resolution
  • Proficient in POS systems and cash handling
  • Strong multitasking and time management skills
  • Knowledge of food safety and sanitation standards

Work Experience Section

Highlight key skills like customer service, multitasking, and problem-solving which are demanded in the job description to show their practical application in your previous workplaces. Tailor each description to the role, focusing on skills that align with the job requirements.

For instance, “Delivered exceptional customer service by managing up to 15 tables simultaneously, maintaining a 95% positive feedback rating.”

Summary Section

Following is an example of a summary that you can include in your server resume:

Dedicated server with 4+ years of experience in fast-paced restaurant environments. Skilled in multitasking, POS systems, and creating memorable dining experiences. Adept at handling high-pressure situations while ensuring guest satisfaction.

Certifications and Training

Include any relevant certifications or training to enhance your credibility and showcase your commitment to excellence in the food service industry. 

For example,

  • “Certified in Food Safety and Sanitation”
  • “Customer Service Excellence Certificate”
  • “POS System Training Certification”

Tips for Listing Server Skills on Your Resume

  • Prioritize Relevant Skills: Tailoring your skills to match the specific requirements of the job you’re applying for is crucial.
  • Use Action Verbs and Quantify Achievements: Use strong action verbs to describe your accomplishments and include measurable results when possible—for example, Assisted 100+ guests daily, ensuring a seamless dining experience.
  • Break Skills Into Categories: Group your skills into Hard Skills (e.g., POS system proficiency, food safety knowledge) and Soft Skills (e.g., communication, problem-solving).

Check icon Tips to List Server Resume Skills

  • Prioritize Relevant Skills
  • Use Action Verbs and Quantify Achievements
  • Break Skills Into Categories

Best Ways to Improve Your Server Skills

  1. Boost Your Memory: Practice memorizing menu items, daily specials, and simple calculations for handling bills to improve efficiency.
  2. Strengthen Communication: Work on friendly communication with both customers and coworkers.
  3. Learn the Menu Thoroughly: Knowing the menu inside out allows you to answer customer questions with confidence.
  4. Improve Stamina and Composure: Practice endurance and staying calm under pressure to handle long shifts effectively.

Conclusion

  • A well-crafted server resume highlights both hard and soft skills to stand out in the food service industry.
  • Emphasizing skills like customer service, multitasking, and food safety showcases your capabilities.
  • Tailoring each resume section from summary to work experience helps present a clear, cohesive picture of your qualifications.
  • Including certifications and specific achievements adds credibility to your application.
  • A structured, skill-focused resume increases your chances of making a strong impression and landing the job.

Frequently asked questions

What Skills Should I Include in a Server Resume?

You should include both hard skills like POS systems, menu knowledge, and food safety & sanitation and soft skills like communication, problem-solving, and multitasking in a server resume.

How Do I Improve My Skills as a Server?

To improve your skills as a server, focus on memory, communication, learning the menu thoroughly, and other relevant server skills tailored to the job.

What Are the Most Valued Server Skills by Employers?

The most valued server skills are customer service, multitasking, and problem-solving skills.

How Do I Highlight Server Skills if I Have No Experience?

Highlight server skills like POS proficiency system, adaptability, and willingness to learn if you have no experience.

What Are the Most Important Skills for a Waiter?

The most important skills for a waiter include customer service, time management, and knowledge of food and beverage.

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