Hostess

Georgia Blue•Brookhaven, MS

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The hostess is the first employee to interact with arriving guests as they enter the restaurant. It is the job of the hostess to greet arriving guests, welcome them to Georgia Blue, seat them in an efficient and timely manner, answer the phone, take to-go orders, and assist with cleaning and bussing tables. The guests receive their first impression of the service of the restaurant by their exchange with the hostess. The hostess is a personal representation of the service and overall hospitality of the staff of the restaurant. While guests are waiting to be seated or waiting for to-go orders to be ready, it is the job of the hostess to ensure that the guests are made comfortable and kept informed of the status of their order or wait times. At Georgia Blue, the hostess is also responsible for cleaning and bussing tables in the dining room and letting the other hostesses know when a table is clean, re-set, and ready to be seated.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent preferred (or in progress)
Must be at least 16 years of age
No previous restaurant experience or training required. On-the-job training will be provided. Experience is a plus.
Must be a team player and demonstrate organizational skills.
Outgoing personality, positive attitude. Strong oral communication and telephone skills.
Must have excellent interpersonal skills and confidence
Must have exceptional grooming habits.
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
Must speak English fluently and be able to write in Basic English.
Be flexible and willing to assist as needed to ensure all restaurant standards are met
Black blouse with sleeves, black non-denim pants/slacks (without holes or frayed edges) black socks, and closed-toed black slip-resistant shoes.
Any undershirt must be short-sleeved and white
No facial piercings
Men must keep facial hair well groomed
Fingernails are to be clean, less than ¼" with no nail polish
Close and distance vision
Must be able to speak and hear
Identify and distinguish colors
Be able to stand and walk for long periods of time (up to 8 hours)
Continual use of manual dexterity and gross motor skills with frequent use of bi-manual dexterity and fine motor skills
Able to reach hands and arms in any direction and kneel and stoop repeatedly

Responsibilities

Make sure all menus are wiped down and clean
Make sure entry doors and parking lot are clean, free of debris, and inviting
Ensure that the hostess stand is clean and stocked with mints, toothpicks, to-go menus, kids menus, and crayons
Greet each guest that comes through the door with a warm greeting and a smile
Open the front door for the guests entering or leaving the restaurant
When immediate seating is limited, maintain an accurate waitlist by recording the guests' name, number in party, and the number on the pager.
Provide guests' with accurate wait times while maintaining a professional, courteous attitude when confronted with hostile, impatient, or irate guests.
Monitor and clean all tables in the restaurant. Let the coordinating hostess know which tables are up, clean, and ready to be seated.
When seating a guest make friendly conversation on the way to the table. This is an opportunity to let them know about specials and/or promotions we are offering that day. If possible, pull the chair out for the ladies, place the menus on the table once they are seated, and let them know who their server is going to be (by name)! Always make sure we are friendly and welcoming to every guest.
Smile when answering the phone. The guest can tell.
Take accurate to-go orders. Make sure to always write the order down, take the guests name and phone number, repeat and clarify the order and quote accurate times for pick up.
Know all of Georgia Blue's policies and procedures (how we handle large parties, reservation requests, the no-cake policy, etc.) and know when to get a manager.
Perform all opening duties, closing duties, side work during the shift, and any other duties assigned by the manager on duty
Thank every guest as they leave and invite them to return. Relay guest comments or suggestions to the manager on duty
Be able to answer questions about the restaurant and/or the menu when the guest inquires
Must take and pass the menu test by the end of training. Employees have two opportunities to take and pass the test. (Hostess will not receive tip out until the test is passed) Failure to do so may result in termination.