Waiter/Waitress Resume – Templates & Writing Guide 2024

Writing a good Waiter/Waitress resume is arguably the most important aspect to landing a job in the role. Do it right, and not only will you get more interviews, but you’ll also be more likely to get hired. To help you accomplish this, we’ve provided several templates in this article and we’ll also show you what to include in your Waiter/Waitress resume.

Waiter/Waitress Resume Examples

The first step towards landing one of the top Waiter/Waitress jobs in the industry is to look at the best resume examples and find one that’s suitable for your use case scenario.

Of course, besides finding the right design, you always want to consider what you’ll put on your resume. With that said, we’ve provided different examples based on the type of Waiter/Waitress position you’re interested in.

Fast-Food Waiter/Waitress Resume Template

You can apply for jobs as a Waiter/Waitress without experience, as the position is typically an entry-level one. When starting out, you’ll probably consider working in a fast-food or another casual restaurant. While you don’t need experience for the role, you can use your resume to highlight that you have all the important skills for it. For this, you can use the resume example below.

Use our free entry-level waitress resume template

Bar and Café Waiter/Waitress Resume Template

Working as a Waiter/Waitress in a bar or a café is similar to working in fast-food and other casual restaurants. Your resume should point out the important skills for the role you have and any other accomplishments which could help you land the job. The resume example below can be helpful when applying for this position.

Use our free bar waitress resume template

Room Service Waiter/Waitress Resume Template

You can also work as a Waiter/Waitress in a hotel setting where you’ll deliver orders directly to guests’ rooms. Here, any previous experience in the hospitality industry can help you land the job, even if it was in another role. Check out how we included this info in the resume example below.

Use our free room service waitress resume template

Fine Dining Waiter/Waitress Resume Template

Working as a Waiter/Waitress in a fine dining restaurant means you should be able to offer a more formal and sophisticated service. This can include carefully arranging the tables or Mise en Place, presenting the menu with poise and more. Upscale establishments are more likely to value previous experience in the role when considering applicants. You can use the resume example below to see how to include it when crafting your own.

Use our free fine dining waitress resume template

French-Service Waiter/Waitress Resume Template

When applying for a French-service Waiter/Waitress role, your resume should point out your ability to deliver the most refined service. Focus on your skills to present and deliver food to create a more sophisticated dining experience for the patrons. You can use the Waiter/Waitress resume example below.

Use our free french service waitress resume template

Waiter/Waitress Skills to Add to Your Resume

As you’ve seen in all of the examples provided above, listing the key Waiter/Waitress resume skills will help you land a job in the role. Let’s look more closely at what these skills are and why they’re important.

Customer service

Being a Waiter/Waitress is all about interacting with customers and addressing their needs. Only if you’re good at working with people will you be able to ensure they have a positive dining experience at the establishment. If your previous roles involved customer service, even if they’re unrelated to hospitality, listing excellent customer service skills in your resume can increase your chances of getting hired.

Multitasking

Waiters/Waitresses often find themselves taking care of five to six tables at once. This includes taking and delivering orders, addressing special requests, preparing bills and processing payments. To show you can focus on all these tasks at once, consider listing multitasking as one of your key skills in the resume.

Problem-solving

Working in a busy restaurant means you’ll often experience problems such as delayed dishes or unsatisfied customers. Restaurant Owners and Hiring Managers want to bring in individuals who can identify problems and implement solutions fast. Therefore, consider listing problem-solving as one of your key skills to show you can be a good Waiter/Waitress.

Physical stamina

As you can see in our list of pros and cons of being a Waiter/Waitress, one of the toughest parts of working in this role is that the job can be physically demanding. You’ll often find yourself working long shifts and spending a lot of time on your feet. To prove you can withstand the physical demands of the job, list physical stamina in your resume.

Cash handling

Including cash handling in your resume shows that you can perform simple math calculations when receiving payments and giving back change to customers. Again, if you have experience in cash handling, even in an unrelated field, make sure to include it when putting your resume together.

How To Write a Bartender Resume

Now that you know what skills hiring managers value the most when evaluating candidates, let’s look at the sections you should include in your Waiter/Waitress resume.

Contact information

As you’ve seen in all of our Waiter/Waitress resume samples, it’s important to give hiring managers all the information they need to find and contact you. Therefore, make sure you include your name, phone number and email address at the top of your resume when writing it.

Short summary

A good resume should summarize your professional background in terms of experience and abilities. Use this section to briefly highlight what you bring to the table to make it easy for a hiring manager to see that you’re a good candidate for the role.

Education

Every professional Waiter/Waitress resume should include your education history in reverse chronological order. Include the degrees you’ve obtained, as well as the starting and finishing dates of each.

Work experience

Every resume should include previous work experience in both related and unrelated roles. This section should take up the most space in the resume and it should showcase your professional journey so far. To list your experience in detail, include:

1. Job title
2. Company name
3. Location
4. Dates of employment
5. Key responsibilities
6. Notable contributions and achievements

Languages spoken

The nature of the hospitality industry is such that you’ll often interact with people from around the world. If you can speak multiple languages, listing them in your resume can help you land the job. Before applying for a job, check if there’s a specific language the establishment is looking for listed in the Waiter/Waitress job description.

Importance of Waiter/Waitress Cover Letter

Every good resume for the role is complemented by a Waiter/Waitress cover letter. In it, you can explain why you’re interested in the job and why you believe you’d be a good fit. It’s also a great opportunity to express your passion for working in the hospitality sector and with people in general.