Waitresses and waiters provide service to customers in restautrants.
Jobs in the food and service industry continue to provide people with opportunities to earn extra money or even pursue full-time careers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), jobs in the food and service industry should continue to grow slowly but steadily from 2008 to 2018. Several different job options are available for those wanting to work in this industry.
Servers
Food and beverage servers are the front-line customer service professionals in restaurants, bars and other venues where food or drinks are ordered. Food and beverage servers can go by a variety of titles such as waiters and waitresses, bartenders, and dining and cafeteria attendants. The primary job function of all these jobs is to provide service to paying customers who order food or drinks. Some waitstaff work in settings like banquets where menus are predetermined. Food and beverage servers usually work long hours and most of them are spent on their feet serving customers. No formal education is required to work these types of jobs, but excellent customer service skills can make a difference in the amount of tip money servers make. As of May 2008, BLS noted that the median hourly wage for waiters and waitresses was $8.01 per hour, including tips. Bartenders made about $8.54 per hour.
Food Service Managers
Food service managers oversee the service activities of waiters and waitresses, but they may also be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the entire restaurant or establishment. Food service managers coordinate activities between different departments to ensure that customer service goals are regularly met. Food service managers hire and fire wait staff and may provide training as well. When customer complaints arise, food service managers typically ensure that these are dealt with appropriately and in a timely fashion. Some managers also take care of administrative tasks such as keeping track of money exchanged during each day's business and handling company payroll. Requirements to be a manager in this industry can vary. The BLS notes that experience in the industry is the most common path to management. Some managers also have two- or four-year degrees in hospitality management. The median annual salary of food service managers was $46,320 in May 2008, according to the BLS.
Chefs
Chefs, cooks and other food preparation professionals work behind the scenes getting the food ready on behalf of customers. The reputation of a restaurant can depend heavily upon the ability of the food preparation staff to meet customer expectations. Chefs and head cooks usually direct the activities of other staff that work in the kitchen. In addition to directing others, they play a hands on role in preparing food. Chefs usually have some type of post-secondary formalized training from a culinary program at a college, culinary school or community college. Some may have hospitality degrees also. According to the BLS, chefs and head cooks made a median annual salary of $38,770 in May 2008.
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