Server Resume Example

Also called Waiter, Waitress, Restaurant Server.

Restaurant managers hire servers who can carry a full section on a busy night and make guests want to come back. Show the pace you are used to, your sales and the systems you know.

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Opens in the builder with this text in place, ready for you to replace with your own.

What this example does well

  • Section size and covers show the pace she can handle.
  • The average check result is explained by how she earned it.
  • The alcohol permit and food handler card are listed with their issuers, which managers must check.

Updated

Ashley Reed

Restaurant Server

Summary

Server with five years of experience in full-service and fine dining restaurants. Handles a section of six to eight tables on nights of 250 covers, has the highest average check on the team and is asked for by name by regular guests. Knows wine and cocktails well enough to recommend with confidence.

Experience

Server, Magnolia Table & Bar

Apr 2022 – Present · New Orleans, Louisiana

  • Serve a section of six to eight tables on nights of up to 250 covers.
  • Have the highest average check among 18 servers, mostly from wine pairings and dessert suggestions.
  • Train new servers on the menu, the point-of-sale system and table maintenance.
  • Handle large parties and private events of up to 40 guests.

Server, Bayou Kitchen

Jun 2020 – Mar 2022 · Metairie, Louisiana

  • Served breakfast and lunch in a busy family restaurant, up to 60 guests a shift.
  • Took orders accurately and kept tickets moving with the kitchen during rushes.
  • Closed out checks and balanced cash and card payments at the end of each shift.

Education

High School Diploma, Warren Easton High School

2019 · New Orleans, Louisiana

Skills

Table service, Wine and cocktail knowledge, Upselling, Toast POS, Large parties and events, Allergy awareness, Cash handling, Training new staff

Certifications

  • Responsible Vendor Server Permit — Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control, 2025
  • ServSafe Food Handler — National Restaurant Association, 2024
An example: Ashley Reed is not a real person, and the details show the kind of thing to write rather than a real career. Shown in the Quill template. Words that postings for this job often use are marked in yellow.

How do you write a summary for a server resume?

Two to four lines at the top that say what you do, for how long, and what you are best at. Here is one for each stage of a career.

  • Entry level

    Friendly, quick learner looking for a first server job. Worked a year as a host and busser at a busy diner, seating up to 300 guests on weekends and clearing tables fast enough to keep the wait list moving. Holds a food handler card and can work nights and weekends.

  • Experienced

    Server with four years of experience in busy full-service restaurants. Handles large sections, knows the menu and drinks well, and keeps guests happy on the busiest nights.

  • Senior

    Head server and floor supervisor with ten years in fine dining. Leads a team of 12 servers, trains staff on wine service and runs the floor on nights of 300 covers.

How to write a resume summary, with more examples

What are good bullet points for a server resume?

Each starts with a verb and says what was done. Change the details and numbers to your own; a number you cannot explain in an interview is worse than none.

  1. Served a section of seven tables on nights of 200 to 300 covers.

  2. Suggested wine, cocktails and desserts, raising my average check above the team average.

  3. Took orders accurately, including allergies and special requests.

  4. Worked with the kitchen and bar to time courses correctly.

  5. Handled private parties and events of up to 50 guests.

  6. Processed payments and closed out checks in the point-of-sale system.

  7. Resolved guest complaints quickly and involved the manager when needed.

  8. Kept the section, service station and menus clean and stocked.

  9. Trained new servers on the menu and service steps.

  10. Earned regular guests who asked to sit in my section.

Which skills should a server put on a resume?

Pick the ones the job posting asks for and that you can back up with an example from your work.

Hard skills

  • Table service
  • Menu and wine knowledge
  • Point-of-sale systems (Toast, Square, Aloha)
  • Upselling
  • Food safety
  • Responsible alcohol service
  • Cash and card handling

Soft skills

  • Friendliness
  • Multitasking
  • Memory
  • Calm under pressure
  • Teamwork

Licenses and certifications

  • Food handler card (ServSafe or state equivalent)
  • Responsible alcohol service (TIPS, ServSafe Alcohol or state permit)

Which keywords belong on a server resume?

The words recruiters and applicant tracking systems search for.

  • tables
  • covers
  • average check
  • point-of-sale
  • wine
  • guests
  • private events
  • large parties

Use the ones that are true for you, written the way the posting writes them, and put each where it shows something you did. A list of keywords with nothing behind it helps nobody. To keep them readable by software, choose an ATS-friendly template, and read how applicant tracking systems read a resume.

What should a server put on a resume?

The kind of restaurant, the size of your section and the number of covers on a busy night. A manager can then picture you on their floor.

Add your sales results, the point-of-sale systems you know and your food and alcohol certificates with dates.

How do you show sales skills as a server?

Average check, add-on sales such as desserts or wine, and any contests you won. Many restaurants track these for each server.

Regular guests who ask for you are worth a line too. They show you build relationships that bring people back.

What do hospitality employers look for in a resume?

  • Give the pace and size of the place: covers on a busy night, rooms in the hotel, passengers on the aircraft.
  • List the certificates the job legally needs where you live, such as food safety or responsible alcohol service, with the date.
  • Mention the systems you know, for example the point-of-sale or booking software. It shortens training and managers notice.

All hospitality and travel resume examples

Questions about a server resume

Do servers need a resume?

For better restaurants and hotels, yes. A short one-page resume helps you stand out from those who only fill in a form.

Should I list my tips?

No. Talk about sales and service instead.

Which certificates matter?

A food handler card and any alcohol service permit your state requires.

How long should a server resume be?

One page.

Make this server resume yours.

Start from the example, swap in your own jobs and numbers, and switch to any template without retyping a word.

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