Host - Hotel Cleveland, Autograph Collection

Coury Hospitality•Cleveland, OH

8d•Onsite

About The Position

The Host is an essential member of the restaurant team and often the guest’s first impression. The role welcomes guests graciously and promptly, accommodates their needs, manages reservations and the waitlist, calculates table-turn times, communicates guest requests and preferences to service staff and management, answers the phone, and anticipates seating delays. The Host helps oversee dining-room flow and atmosphere, responds to guest service issues, and supports servers and bus persons as customer traffic allows. The position requires professional conduct, teamwork, adherence to company policies and quality standards, and maintaining a clean workstation and a staffed host stand.

Requirements

Fluency in reading, writing, and spoken English.
Excellent personal presentation and interpersonal skills.
Ability to communicate effectively with guests, co-workers, and supervisors.
Ability to think and communicate clearly and organize and prioritize in high-pressure situations.
Basic knowledge of restaurant menus, ingredients, and cooking techniques; knowledge of property details and upcoming events.
Knowledge of basic sanitation.
Knowledge of computer operations and ordering procedures.
Ability to quickly absorb information about service procedures, menus, the dining-room floor plan, and register operation.
Ability to multitask successfully.
Ability to maintain excellent attendance and punctuality.
Ability to work all shifts, weekends, and holidays.
At least 16 years old; at least 21 years old to serve alcoholic beverages.
At least 1 year of restaurant or customer-service experience.
Ability to walk and stand throughout an eight-hour shift.
Ability to lift, balance, and carry large oval dining-room service trays and lift trays or soiled-dish bins weighing up to 40 pounds.
Wear closed-toe, non-canvas shoes with non-skid soles.

Nice To Haves

Previous experience as a server.
High school diploma or GED, or currently enrolled in secondary education completion.

Responsibilities

Monitor guests entering and exiting the dining area and greet arriving guests graciously.
Maintain an accurate, fair, and current waitlist and seating chart; notify guests when tables are ready and escort them to their seats.
Provide menus and tell guests the name of their server.
Use OpenTable to take reservations, review the daily reservation book, and seat guests without reservations.
Maintain working knowledge of menus, unavailable items, frequent guests, and their preferences.
Direct seating rotation and balance customer flow among service stations, accounting for guest requests and server capacity.
Oversee dining-room functioning during meal service, relay information to service personnel, check guest satisfaction, and make adjustments as needed.
Maintain a congenial dining-room atmosphere and ensure someone is always present at the host stand.
Answer the dining-room telephone, take reservations by phone, and take messages for staff.
Handle guest service issues immediately and graciously; report situations to the Restaurant Manager on Duty.
Complete table checks when assigned and operate the cash register.
Reconcile the cash till at the start and close of shifts and follow company accounting and cash-handling policies.
Maintain cleanliness of the workstation and surrounding areas.
Communicate guest preferences to the service team verbally and through printed chits; proactively notify management of possible seating delays.
Assist servers and bus persons as customer traffic allows, including obtaining food or beverages and resetting tables.
Complete side duties during each shift and wear the required uniform in accordance with company grooming and dress policies.
Act professionally in view of guests and maintain communication and teamwork with co-workers and supervisors.
Follow company and department procedures, policies, expectations, and quality standards.