Host Hostess Training Guide
Host Hostess Training Guide
Host Hostess Training Guide
Your hosts and hostesses are the first employees to engage with customers when they walk
through your door. We know first impressions are critical in foodservice, but host training is
often neglected to make time for training servers or kitchen staff. If you invest time into
developing your host staff, the far-reaching benefits will have a positive effect on your entire
restaurant staff.
What Is a Host at a Restaurant?
Hosts and hostesses greet customers and take them to their seats. It seems simple, but
hosting is more involved than you may realize. A good host has to be aware of the flow of
service in the dining room at all times. They must handle reservations, server seating
rotation, and customer wait times, all while welcoming each guest that walks through the
door. The host may also have to juggle answering phones, cashing out customers, and
packaging carryout orders.
Host vs Hostess
Which is the preferred title, host or hostess? If you want to use inclusive terminology in your
job postings or employee handbook, it's acceptable to say host and/or hostess. Host, or
host staff, is also considered gender neutral.
What Does a Restaurant Host Do?
From the guest’s perspective, the host welcomes them to the restaurant and leads them to
their seat in the dining room. But a restaurant host or hostess does more than just greet and
seat. A great restaurant host knows the dining room floor plan by heart, including table
numbers, covers per table, and server sections. They multitask behind the scenes to keep
the flow of service on track and maximize table turnover.
Host Training Guide
We’ll help you understand the intricate aspects of restaurant hosting and how you can train
your host staff to provide impeccable service.
1. Reservations
Taking reservations isn’t as easy as you think! If you take reservations by phone, your host
staff should be trained to ask for the following information:
Number of guests
Wheelchairs, walkers
Table or booth preference
Indoor or outdoor preference
Dietary restrictions
Birthdays or events
Time and date
Contact Information
Your host staff is responsible for many tasks and must learn to manage the floor, help
guests, and stay in sync with other staff members. It's not just a simple "greet and seat" job,
no matter how it appears to observers. The best hosts are detail-oriented, conscientious,
and supportive teammates.