Guide to a Food Runner Career

Food Runners share overlapping duties with other roles. This is why they’re often confused with Waiters, Bussers and Servers in a busy and large restaurant setup. They may not be as well recognized as other restaurant positions, but they play an equally important role in ensuring customers have a great dining experience.

To guide you through this career, we listed the day-to-day tasks of a Food Runner, the skills essential to be successful in this position and potential earnings.

What’s a Food Runner?

A Food Runner is also known as a Server Assistant. Food Runners deliver meals and beverages from the kitchen to the dining area. They’re also responsible for the following duties:

• Ensuring quality and accuracy of orders before delivering them to customers
• Serving as the bridge between front-of-house and back-of-house teams to relay customer requests
• Attending to minor customer requests, such as bringing condiments, napkins and silverware
• Assisting Bussers in clearing tables
• Helping set up kitchen stations

Skills You Need To Have as a Food Runner

Food Runners need to have organizational and customer service skills, as well as physical strength and endurance to handle the demands of working in a fast-paced restaurant establishment.

Organizational skills

Food Runners need to juggle several tasks during a shift. Aside from delivering food and drinks to customers, they also need to go around each table ensuring every customer has what they need. Therefore, they need organizational skills to manage their time, prioritize tasks and help the restaurant maintain an efficient workflow.

Customer service skills

Even though it’s the Waiter’s responsibility to welcome customers, present the menu and take orders, Food Runners still need to have excellent customer service skills to handle requests professionally and resolve conflicts. When guests are unsatisfied with their orders, Food Runners need to show sympathy and communicate effectively to make sure guests don’t leave unhappy.

Physical strength and endurance

Food Runners are on their feet the whole day. They walk from the kitchen to the dining area carrying heavy trays of food for hours. Therefore, they need to have physical strength and endurance to move and carry heavy items for extended periods.

How To Start Working as a Food Runner

Following these steps can help you prepare for a career as a Food Runner.

Study the role

If you’re planning to start your career as a Food Runner, it’s crucial to understand the role thoroughly. Start by researching the typical responsibilities and familiarizing yourself with restaurant terminology.

Aside from knowing the duties and responsibilities of Food Runners, you can observe experienced Food Runners in action to gain practical insights into the role. Pay attention to how they manage their tasks, interact with kitchen and service staff, and handle various situations.

Build physical endurance

If you live a sedentary lifestyle, taking on a Food Runner role without proper physical preparation might leave you tired and exhausted. Try to squeeze in a lot of walks throughout your day or take the stairs instead of using elevators to condition your body for the physical demands of the job.

Improve your soft skills

Soft skills Food Runners typically have include attention to detail and organizational and communication skills. These are essential for avoiding mistakes when delivering food to customers’ tables.

Improving your soft skills can significantly enhance your efficiency and effectiveness in this role, leading to better service and smoother operations.

Tips for Working as a Food Runner

Starting a new job as a Food Runner can be both exciting and a bit overwhelming. To help you navigate your first days and set yourself up for success, here are some essential tips.

1. Get to know the restaurant layout

Before your first shift, take some time to walk through the restaurant and learn where everything is. Know where the kitchen is, where the tables are located and where you can find essentials like utensils and condiments. This will make your job much smoother.

2. Understand the menu

Familiarize yourself with the dishes and any specials so you can answer basic questions from guests. If you don’t know something, it’s okay to admit it — just make sure you know who to ask or where to find the answer.

3. Communicate clearly and politely

When delivering food, be clear and polite. Phrases like “Here’s your meal, enjoy!” or “I hope you have a great dinner!” can make a big difference.

If guests try to give their order directly to you (which isn’t part of your job), redirect them kindly. You can say something like, “My colleague is taking care of your table today. I’ll tell him/her to come by and help you out.”

4. Handle food properly

Make sure to handle food carefully. Use trays or utensils to avoid touching the food directly. This maintains hygiene and keeps things looking professional.

5. Stay aware of your surroundings

Keep an eye on what’s going on around you. Know when the kitchen is busy, when new orders are coming up and if you need to restock any supplies. Being proactive helps keep things running smoothly and avoids unnecessary delays.

6. Be prepared for busy times

Things can get hectic during peak hours. Try to stay calm and focused, and don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it. It’s important to keep a steady pace and avoid rushing, as this can lead to mistakes.

7. Keep a positive attitude

A positive attitude can make a big difference. Even during busy times, try to stay cheerful and approachable. It makes the job more enjoyable and creates a better experience for both guests and your team.

8. Be open to learning

Every restaurant has its own way of doing things. Be open to feedback and willing to adapt. Learning and growing in your role will help you become a valuable part of the team.

For more advice on how to thrive in a Food Runner role, play the video below.

Food Runner Wage and Earning Potential

The average Food Runner salary in the United States is $29,691 per year. This translates into an hourly wage of $14.

Still, Food Runners employed in upscale restaurants and luxury hotels often earn more. Looking at our list of top Food Runner jobs in the U.S., we found that fine dining restaurants can offer salaries as high as $41,600 per year, which is 40% higher than the national average.

Career Advancement Opportunities for Food Runners

Quiz: Are You Ready To Be a Food Runner?

Take our short quiz to find out.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Being a Food Runner?

The Food Runner career, like all careers, comes with its advantages and disadvantages. Let’s look at the advantages first.

Food Runner Career Pros

Some common advantages of being a Food Runner include the fact that formal education isn’t required. This makes it an accessible entry-level position for people in various age groups.

Moreover, the fast-paced nature of the job can also help develop strong time management and multitasking skills, which are valuable in any career.

Food Runner experience, which involves efficiently handling orders and coordinating between the kitchen and the dining area, can also pave the way to higher-paying roles with more responsibility, such as Server or Waiter.

Food Runner Career Cons

One notable drawback of working as a Food Runner is the physical demands of the job, which involve long hours of standing, walking and carrying heavy trays.

On top of that, the starting salary is generally on the lower side, which might not meet the needs of someone with significant financial obligations.

Additionally, the role can be stressful because of the fast-paced environment and the constant need to juggle multiple tasks while keeping up a high level of service.