Busser Job Description
A Busser assists with various tasks to help ensure smooth front-of-house operations and an exceptional dining experience for customers. They play a crucial role in your success, so you’ll want to hire efficient and dedicated people for the job.
Attract top talent for your Busser positions with our Busser Job Description Template below. This easy-to-use template provides a professional framework to showcase your restaurant and highlight the role’s responsibilities.
Busser Job Description Template
Download this template in PDF or Word format and customize it to your specific needs.
Busser Job Overview
[Company Name] is a growing chain of restaurants offering healthy and delicious [type of cuisine] to diners across [Name of State]. We’re looking for a friendly and hardworking Busser to join our dedicated team at our [Location] branch.
As a Busser, you will maintain cleanliness and organization in the dining area to help ensure the restaurant’s smooth operations. Your responsibilities will include clearing tables, resetting them for the next guests and assisting our Servers in providing exceptional customer service.
If you have a strong work ethic and a passion for delivering outstanding customer service, [Restaurant Name] offers a great opportunity for you to gain valuable experience and polish your skills.
Schedule: Full-time (40 hours per week)
Salary: $14–$18 per hour + tips
Benefits include:
- Paid time off
- Employee discount
- Free meal per shift
- Medical, visual and dental insurance
- Opportunity to learn and grow within the restaurant industry
- Potential for career advancement
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Clear tables after guests’ departure, ensuring all used dishes, utensils and glasses are removed
- Thoroughly wipe down and sanitize tables, chairs and condiment holders
- Reset tables with clean plates, silverware, napkins and condiments
- Refill the guests’ water glasses and assist with beverage service throughout their meal
- Replenish service stations and server trays with supplies (plates, cups, napkins, etc.)
- Assist Servers with carrying food trays and bringing orders to the diners
- Assist with general cleaning tasks such as sweeping, mopping and taking out trash
- Provide exceptional customer service by being friendly, courteous and attentive to the guests’ needs
- Follow all safety and sanitation protocols
Skills and Qualifications:
- Ability to work efficiently in a fast-paced environment, prioritizing tasks as needed
- Detail-oriented with a keen eye for cleanliness and organization
- Excellent teamwork and communication skills
- Physically fit to stand, walk and lift trays or bus tubs for extended periods
- Positive attitude and willingness to provide exceptional customer service
- Adaptability to handle changing priorities and customer needs during busy shifts
- Must be available to work weekends, evenings and holidays with flexible scheduling
- Previous experience in a similar restaurant role is preferred.
Education and Certifications:
- At least a high school diploma or GED
- ServSafe certification a plus but not required
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What To Write Under Busser Duties and Responsibilities
Bussers’ duties and responsibilities are mostly the same in every establishment, but you can go beyond just listing their tasks. Lay down specific expectations instead of just giving job applicants generic descriptions.
You can highlight how the role contributes to a smooth-running restaurant and a positive dining experience.
Here are some more tips for writing duties and responsibilities in job postings:
- Make it easy to read: Use bullet points for the tasks and add a brief description for each.
- Use action verbs: Use a strong verb to start each responsibility, which describes the action the employee will take, like “Clear tables,” and “Assist the waitstaff.”
- Focus on important tasks: Don’t overwhelm applicants with every single detail of their duties and just highlight the most crucial aspects of the role.
- Don’t just list the chores: Explain how the duties contribute to the restaurant’s success. For example, instead of “Refill drinks,” say “Refill the guests’ water and drinks throughout their meal.”
What To Put Under Busser Skills and Qualifications
Your goal is to attract qualified candidates, so you must be clear about what you’re looking for. Focus on essential skills like cleanliness and organization, physical stamina and food handling knowledge.
You can also be specific by including items like “Physically fit to carry trays and loads weighing up to 50 pounds.”
For soft skills, you might want to emphasize communication skills, time management, customer service and teamwork.
Also, list skills that are valuable but not really essential for the role, or what we call nice-to-haves.
One example would be the “Ability to operate POS systems.” Although it is not a skill required for bussing tables, it can attract a wider pool of candidates who have the potential to professionally grow within your company.
Are There Busser Education and Certification Requirements?
There are generally no strict education and certification requirements for bussing jobs. Since it’s an entry-level restaurant position, it’s often accessible to job seekers with minimal educational attainment.
But hiring someone with a basic education or prior training and certification will be an asset to the restaurant.
A high school diploma or GED is usually preferred, but some restaurants can hire Bussers who are still in high school, mostly as part-timers. It’s up to the owners if they want to do this.
Meanwhile, Busser candidates don’t always need to have a food handler certificate but it’s definitely a plus if they do. Once hired, employers can encourage or help the employee to take a certification course.
In some states, employers are required to shoulder the cost. For instance, a law recently passed in California requiring restaurant owners to pay for workers’ mandatory food safety training certifications.
Busser Wage Expectations
It’s recommended to include a pay range in your Busser job description. Also, mention if the applicants can expect additional earnings, like tips and bonuses.
It’s up to you if you want to indicate the pay range as a monthly or weekly salary if you think it would be more attractive to job seekers. However, hourly wage is the standard for most Busser positions.
Putting a pay range (instead of just a fixed estimate) could widen the pool; you can attract both highly experienced applicants seeking higher wages and those with less experience but might be a great fit for your team culture and eager to learn.
Here are a couple of examples:
- Pay range: $12–$15 per hour, depending on experience
- Salary: $2,500–$3,000/month + tips and bonuses
Check out our Busser Salary Guide to get a better idea of the current market average in your state or city so you can offer an attractive range.
Busser Job Description FAQs
Yes, you can definitely consider hiring a Busboy/Busgirl applicant with no previous experience. Industry newcomers usually bring a willingness to learn and may have fresh ideas for improving efficiency. Plus, you can train them to meet your specific requirements and protocols.
There are generally no laws against setting age requirements for most jobs in the United States. It’s up to you to decide on this requirement for Bussers in your establishment, as long as it’s at least 14 (the general minimum age for employment). However, some states have stricter laws regarding hiring candidates under 18 for certain jobs. Check with your local Department of Labor or similar agency for the specific regulations in your area.
To assess an applicant’s suitability, focus your questions around their skills and experience, how they manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment and how they would handle difficult situations involving a customer. We’ve created a comprehensive list of Busser Interview Questions to help you.