Front of house

The staff in the restaurant's front of house perform the daily activities, such as waiting tables, serving beverages and managing patrons. A high-quality restaurant often helps its employees assist customers, communicate efficiently and create a positive and comfortable eating environment. By learning more about a restaurant's front of house, you can help create a positive experience for people that encourages them to return as repeat customers and see if it's the right position for you.Career Guide

Career Development

Roles and duties of the front of house in a restaurant

Roles and duties of the front of house in a restaurant

Indeed Editorial Team

Updated 8 February 2023

The Indeed Editorial Team comprises a diverse and talented team of writers, researchers and subject matter experts equipped with Indeed's data and insights to deliver useful tips to help guide your career journey.

The staff in the restaurant's front of house perform the daily activities, such as waiting tables, serving beverages and managing patrons. A high-quality restaurant often helps its employees assist customers, communicate efficiently and create a positive and comfortable eating environment. By learning more about a restaurant's front of house, you can help create a positive experience for people that encourages them to return as repeat customers and see if it's the right position for you. In this article, we discuss what a front of house staff is, its responsibilities, different roles and salaries and why it's important for a restaurant.

Explore jobs on Indeed

Part-time jobs

Full-time jobs

Remote jobs

Urgently needed jobs

View more jobs on Indeed

What is the front of house in a restaurant?

In the hospitality industry, the term ‘front of house' in a restaurant refers to the area where customers sit, eat and drink rather than its literal meaning. There are a few elements that can make up a front of house, such as a reception, a bar, a workstation for the waiting staff and a seating plan in the dining area. Most businesses in the hospitality industry pride themselves on providing the best customer service possible by agreeing with the customers as much as possible. As a result, everyone on the front of house staff collaborates to ensure everyone feels comfortable.

Related: What is front of house vs. back of house?

Why is a good front of house important?

A good front of house staff operates effectively and communicates well with each other to make sure people feel appreciated. The main aim for these employees is to provide the best possible experience to customers as they can and entice them to return to eat at the restaurant again through charisma and professionalism. The front of house also acts as a link between the ‘back of house' (kitchen staff) and the customers to communicate any special dietary concerns, sold out menu options and other special requests.

Front of house staff responsibilities

There are a few distinct roles amongst the front of house staff that can drastically change your responsibilities. Here are a few general duties you may have:

• greet guests at the door and seat them
• supervise the waiting staff and help with lunch or dinner services
• nurture frequent diners to boost customer retention
• serve guests to the restaurant's standards and maintain a comfortable dining environment
• inform the kitchen and waiting staff of any allergies, food requirements, complaints or changes to orders
• maintain stock of necessary beverages and condiments at the bar
• ensure guests stay safe and orderly within the restaurant
• clean tables and other surfaces
• set tables and ensure they're ready for the next guest.

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time
Part-time hours: 40 per week

Benefits:

• Language training provided

Schedule:

• Day shift
• Monday to Friday

Ability to commute/relocate:

• chaigreen Birmingham: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)

Experience:

• Barista experience: 1 year (preferred)
• Hospitality: 1 year (preferred)
• customer service: 1 year (preferred)

Work Location: One location