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Waiters and Waitresses

Take orders and serve food and beverages to patrons at tables in dining establishment.

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    Work Activities

    Work Activities

    • Garnish and decorate dishes in preparation for serving.
    • Explain how various menu items are prepared, describing ingredients and cooking methods.
    • Perform food preparation duties, such as preparing salads, appetizers, and cold dishes, portioning desserts, and brewing coffee.
    • Assist host or hostess by answering phones to take reservations or to-go orders, and by greeting, seating, and thanking guests.
    • Prepare tables for meals, including setting up items such as linens, silverware, and glassware.
    • Escort customers to their tables.
    • Write patrons' food orders on order slips, memorize orders, or enter orders into computers for transmittal to kitchen staff.
    • Perform food preparation duties, such as preparing salads, appetizers, and cold dishes, portioning desserts, and brewing coffee.
    • Check patrons' identification to ensure that they meet minimum age requirements for consumption of alcoholic beverages.
    • Fill salt, pepper, sugar, cream, condiment, and napkin containers.
    • Serve food or beverages to patrons, and prepare or serve specialty dishes at tables as required.
    • Roll silverware, set up food stations, or set up dining areas to prepare for the next shift or for large parties.
    • Collect payments from customers.
    • Remove dishes and glasses from tables or counters, and take them to kitchen for cleaning.
    • Write patrons' food orders on order slips, memorize orders, or enter orders into computers for transmittal to kitchen staff.
    • Present menus to patrons and answer questions about menu items, making recommendations upon request.
    • Assist host or hostess by answering phones to take reservations or to-go orders, and by greeting, seating, and thanking guests.
    • Prepare checks that itemize and total meal costs and sales taxes.
    • Clean tables or counters after patrons have finished dining.
    • Describe and recommend wines to customers.
    • Inform customers of daily specials.
    • Serve food or beverages to patrons, and prepare or serve specialty dishes at tables as required.
    • Perform cleaning duties, such as sweeping and mopping floors, vacuuming carpet, tidying up server station, taking out trash, or checking and cleaning bathroom.
    • Bring wine selections to tables with appropriate glasses, and pour the wines for customers.
    • Take orders from patrons for food or beverages.
    • Provide guests with information about local areas, including directions.
    • Prepare hot, cold, and mixed drinks for patrons, and chill bottles of wine.
    • Check with customers to ensure that they are enjoying their meals, and take action to correct any problems.
    • Stock service areas with supplies such as coffee, food, tableware, and linens.

    Skills

    • Learning Strategies

      Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.

    • Operations Monitoring

      Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.

    • Programming

      Writing computer programs.

    • Management of Personnel Resources

      Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.

    • Writing

      Writing things for co-workers or customers.

    • Mathematics

      Using math to solve problems.

    • Systems Evaluation

      Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.

    • Operation and Control

      Using equipment or systems.

    • Monitoring

      Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.

    • Repairing

      Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.

    • Judgment and Decision Making

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.

    • Systems Analysis

      Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.

    • Active Learning

      Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.

    • Active Listening

      Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

    • Time Management

      Managing your time and the time of other people.

    • Quality Control Analysis

      Testing how well a product or service works.

    • Complex Problem Solving

      Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

    • Technology Design

      Making equipment and technology useful for customers.

    • Persuasion

      Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.

    • Instructing

      Teaching people how to do something.

    • Reading Comprehension

      Reading work-related information.

    • Speaking

      Talking to others.

    • Science

      Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.

    • Equipment Maintenance

      Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.

    • Installation

      Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.

    • Management of Financial Resources

      Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.

    • Management of Material Resources

      Managing equipment and materials.

    • Negotiation

      Bringing people together to solve differences.

    • Critical Thinking

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

    • Coordination

      Changing what is done based on other people's actions.

    • Social Perceptiveness

      Understanding people's reactions.

    • Service Orientation

      Looking for ways to help people.

    • Troubleshooting

      Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.

    • Equipment Selection

      Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.

    • Operations Analysis

      Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.

    WorkKeys®

    Applied Math
    3
    Workplace Documents
    3
    Graphic Literacy
    4

    Abilities

    • Oral Comprehension

      Listening and understanding what people say.

    • Number Facility

      Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.

    • Arm-Hand Steadiness

      Keeping your arm or hand steady.

    • Multilimb Coordination

      Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.

    • Control Precision

      Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.

    • Memorization

      Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.

    • Depth Perception

      Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.

    • Written Comprehension

      Reading and understanding what is written.

    • Gross Body Coordination

      Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.

    • Reaction Time

      Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.

    • Mathematical Reasoning

      Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.

    • Night Vision

      Seeing at night or under low light.

    • Hearing Sensitivity

      Telling the difference between sounds.

    • Speed of Closure

      Quickly knowing what you are looking at.

    • Wrist-Finger Speed

      Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.

    • Auditory Attention

      Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.

    • Time Sharing

      Doing two or more things at the same time.

    • Extent Flexibility

      Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Explosive Strength

      Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.

    • Category Flexibility

      Grouping things in different ways.

    • Visual Color Discrimination

      Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.

    • Flexibility of Closure

      Seeing hidden patterns.

    • Glare Sensitivity

      Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.

    • Oral Expression

      Communicating by speaking.

    • Written Expression

      Communicating by writing.

    • Static Strength

      Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.

    • Inductive Reasoning

      Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.

    • Trunk Strength

      Using your lower back and stomach.

    • Response Orientation

      Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.

    • Visualization

      Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.

    • Speech Recognition

      Recognizing spoken words.

    • Problem Sensitivity

      Noticing when problems happen.

    • Finger Dexterity

      Putting together small parts with your fingers.

    • Near Vision

      Seeing details up close.

    • Spatial Orientation

      Knowing where things are around you.

    • Sound Localization

      Noticing the direction that a sound came from.

    • Information Ordering

      Ordering or arranging things.

    • Originality

      Creating new and original ideas.

    • Speed of Limb Movement

      Quickly moving your arms and legs.

    • Dynamic Strength

      Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.

    • Dynamic Flexibility

      Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Peripheral Vision

      Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.

    • Deductive Reasoning

      Using rules to solve problems.

    • Stamina

      Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.

    • Selective Attention

      Paying attention to something without being distracted.

    • Rate Control

      Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.

    • Far Vision

      Seeing details that are far away.

    • Speech Clarity

      Speaking clearly.

    • Perceptual Speed

      Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.

    • Gross Body Equilibrium

      Keeping your balance or staying upright.

    • Manual Dexterity

      Holding or moving items with your hands.

    • Fluency of Ideas

      Coming up with lots of ideas.

    Knowledge

    • Economics and Accounting

      Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

    • Administrative

      Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

    • Telecommunications

      Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

    • Communications and Media

      Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

    • Mechanical

      Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

    • Food Production

      Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.

    • History and Archeology

      Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.

    • Law and Government

      Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

    • Chemistry

      Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

    • Psychology

      Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

    • Transportation

      Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

    • Administration and Management

      Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

    • Customer and Personal Service

      Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

    • English Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

    • Foreign Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.

    • Personnel and Human Resources

      Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

    • Physics

      Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.

    • Mathematics

      Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

    • Therapy and Counseling

      Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.

    • Education and Training

      Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

    • Engineering and Technology

      Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

    • Biology

      Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

    • Geography

      Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.

    • Medicine and Dentistry

      Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

    • Fine Arts

      Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.

    • Philosophy and Theology

      Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.

    • Public Safety and Security

      Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

    • Building and Construction

      Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

    • Production and Processing

      Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

    • Computers and Electronics

      Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

    • Sales and Marketing

      Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

    • Sociology and Anthropology

      Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.

    • Design

      Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

    Career Video

    Additional videos and more information available on CareerOneStop

    Pay

    • Ohio Annual Salary 28950/yr
    • Typical Salary
    • Ohio Hourly Wage 13.92/hr
    • Typical Hourly Wage

    Ohio Employment Trends

    • Currently Employed 68,440
    • Yearly Projected Openings 14170

    Typical Education

    Personality

    Social: People interested in this work like activities that include helping people, teaching, and talking.They do well at jobs that need:
    • Dependability
    • Attention to Detail
    • Self Control
    • Cooperation
    • Stress Tolerance
    • Social Orientation

    Tools

    • Bar code reader equipment
    • Cash registers
    • Commercial use cutlery
    • Magnetic stripe readers and encoders
    • Paging controllers
    • Personal digital assistant PDAs or organizers
    • Point of sale POS receipt printers
    • Point of sale POS terminal
    • Touch screen monitors

    Technology

    • Instant messaging software
    • Point of sale POS software
    • Web page creation and editing software

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