Free resume exampleUpdated September 2026

🍽️ Waiter / Server resume example

A waiter resume example built to pass restaurant applicant tracking systems and read well to a hiring manager. It names the exact POS system, food safety certifications, and service metrics that restaurants filter for, and every bullet pairs a task with a guest count or dollar result.

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This example contains 33 of 60 ATS keywords employers use for Waiter / Server roles.

Keywords come from the same dictionary the 22skills ATS checker scores against. Matched terms are shown in green.

Example resume

Fictional example. Name, employers and numbers are invented; the structure and keywords are real.

Maya Thompson

Server / Waiter, Fine Dining & High-Volume Restaurants

Charlotte, United States

About

Server with 6 years of experience across fine dining and high-volume restaurants, delivering attentive Table Service and Guest Relations to parties from two-tops to twenty-person groups. Skilled in Menu Knowledge, Wine List Knowledge, and Upselling, and certified through ServSafe Certification and TIPS Certification. Comfortable running an 8 to 10 table section during peak weekend volume.

Experience

Harborview Grill· ServerCharlotte, NC2022-03 – Present
- Deliver Table Service and Guest Relations for a 90-seat dining room, running an 8 to 10 table rotation under Section Management during peak Friday and Saturday shifts.
- Use Menu Knowledge and Customer Service to guide guests toward pairings, increasing average check 18 percent over the past year.
- Process payments on Toast POS and reconcile Cash Handling and Tip Pooling totals at the end of each shift.
- Coordinate with the kitchen to keep Course Timing accurate for tables of up to twenty guests, handling Allergen Awareness requests without slowing the pass.
- Train new servers on Wine List Knowledge, Special Dietary Requests, and Positive Attitude service standards.
Riverside Bistro· ServerCharlotte, NC2020-06 – 2022-02
- Handled Order Taking on Square POS for a 60-seat casual restaurant serving 150 plus covers per shift.
- Managed Reservation Management and Waitlist Management on OpenTable during weekend waits of up to 45 minutes.
- Completed Bussing Tables and Team Collaboration duties with kitchen and bar staff to prep the dining room before open.
Sunnyside Diner· Host / ServerCharlotte, NC2018-05 – 2020-05
- Greeted guests and cross-trained into serving over a summer season, building Multitasking and Communication Skills in a fast-paced 120-seat restaurant.
- Earned a Food Handler Card and completed initial training before advancing to full serving shifts.

Education

Charlotte Central High School· High School Diploma2014-08 – 2018-05

Certifications

ServSafe Certification · National Restaurant Association (2023)
TIPS Certification (Training for Intervention ProcedureS) · Health Communications Inc. (2022)
Food Handler Card · Mecklenburg County Health Department (2021)

Why this example passes the ATS

The skills section groups POS systems, food and beverage knowledge, and certifications the way restaurant hiring software scans for them, including exact names like Toast POS and ServSafe Certification.
Bullets follow action plus result, such as guiding guests toward pairings to increase average check 18 percent, so the resume reads as impact rather than a task list.
Certifications list the full name of the TIPS Certification alongside the acronym, matching both the spelled out and abbreviated forms an ATS might search for.
The summary states section size and party range in the first two lines, which is exactly what a floor manager scans a stack of resumes for first.
Dates and headings follow one consistent format with no tables or graphics, so parsing software reads every section correctly.

Waiter / Server ATS keywords in this example

Grouped the way the checker groups them. Green terms appear in the example above; grey ones are in the dictionary but not used here.

Service Skills

9/12

Table Service
Fine Dining Service
Order Taking
Menu Knowledge
Guest Relations
Table Turnover
Upselling
Multitasking
Section Management
Wine Pairing
Food Pairing Recommendations
Suggestive Selling

POS & Restaurant Systems

6/10

Toast POS
Square POS
OpenTable
Resy
Tip Pooling
Cash Handling
Aloha POS
Micros POS
NCR Aloha
Order Entry Systems

Food & Beverage Knowledge

5/10

Allergen Awareness
Wine List Knowledge
Craft Cocktails
Special Dietary Requests
Course Timing
Food Safety Handling
Beer Menu Knowledge
Food Presentation
Menu Substitutions
Banquet Service

Certifications & Compliance

4/8

ServSafe Certification
TIPS Certification (Training for Intervention ProcedureS)
Food Handler Card
HACCP
Responsible Beverage Service
OSHA Safety Standards
Alcohol Awareness Certification
Age Verification

Operations & Teamwork

4/10

Team Collaboration
Reservation Management
Waitlist Management
Bussing Tables
Opening and Closing Duties
Side Work
Inventory Restocking
Kitchen Communication
Expo Coordination
Shift Scheduling

Soft Skills

5/10

Customer Service
Communication Skills
Time Management
Positive Attitude
Problem Solving
Conflict Resolution
Adaptability
Attention to Detail
Patience Under Pressure
Multilingual Communication

How to adapt this example to your own experience

1Swap in the POS system and reservation platform your target restaurant actually uses instead of Toast POS and OpenTable.
2Keep the most recent job longest, four to five bullets, and shrink older serving jobs to two or three.
3Turn every duty into a number: covers per shift, section size, average check increase, or wait time reduced.
4List whichever food safety and alcohol service certifications you hold, such as ServSafe Certification or your state's version, even if they differ from this example.
5If you are newer to serving, expand the host or busser role into two solid bullets instead of leaving it as one line.

Questions about the Waiter / Server resume

How long should a waiter resume be?

One page is standard for serving roles, even with several years of experience. Restaurant hiring managers scan quickly between shifts, so keep the current job and certifications visible without scrolling.

Do I need to list every restaurant POS system I have used?

List the ones you are proficient with by name, such as Toast POS or Square POS, since hiring managers and scheduling software often search for a specific system. Two or three is enough; you do not need every system you have ever touched.

Should I include sales numbers on a server resume?

Yes, if you can state them honestly. Average check increases, covers served per shift, and section size all show scope and are easy for a hiring manager to picture, which a plain list of duties cannot.

What certifications matter most for a serving job?

Food safety and alcohol service certifications carry the most weight, including ServSafe Certification, TIPS Certification, and your local food handler card. List the issuing body and year if you have it, since many employers require current certification before your first shift.

Make this Waiter / Server resume yours

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