Head waiter/head waitress
Also known as: head waiter, table service manager, waiter service manager, chief waitress, head waitress, chief waiter
About this occupation
Head waiters/waitresses manage the food and beverage service in a hospitality outlet or unit. They are responsible for the customer's experience. Head waiters/waitresses coordinate all actions involving customers such as welcoming guests, ordering, delivering the food & beverages and supervise financial transactions.
A specialisation of waiter/waitress.
Essential skills and knowledge
- monitor work for special events
- recruit employees
- monitor customer service
- manage health and safety standards
- assist clients with special needs
- supervise the work of staff on different shifts
- supervise food quality
- train employees
- process payments
- maintain relationship with customers
- measure customer feedback
- brief staff on daily menu
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Food Servers, Nonrestaurant (O*NET 35-3041.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- Place food servings on plates or trays according to orders or instructions.
- Clean or sterilize dishes, kitchen utensils, equipment, or facilities.
- Monitor food distribution, ensuring that meals are delivered to the correct recipients and that guidelines, such as those for special diets, are followed.
- Examine trays to ensure that they contain required items.
- Load trays with accessories, such as eating utensils, napkins, or condiments.
- Take food orders and relay orders to kitchens or serving counters so they can be filled.
- Typical education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Preparation
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Interests
- Realistic, Social, Conventional
Top skills: Active Listening, Speaking, Service Orientation, Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, Social Perceptiveness
US median pay: US$35,360 a year (2025), 293,900 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Subjects this work relies on
How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).
- English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageVery important (3.6)
- Agriculture or Foods and NutritionO*NET: Food ProductionImportant (3.0)
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Preparation needed
Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Most common education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Related occupations
Occupations O*NET links to this one by similar work, skills and knowledge.
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers
- Fast Food and Counter Workers
- Waiters and Waitresses
- Food Preparation Workers
- Dishwashers
- Cooks, Restaurant
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
- Cooks, Short Order
- Food Service Managers
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.