Hiring a server: job description template and interview questions
Everything you need to post a server job and interview candidates: a template you can copy and edit, interview questions with what a good answer shows, and pay benchmarks from federal data.
Pay data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Job content: O*NET 31.0. Updated 2026-10-26.
Server job description template
Copy this template and replace the parts in [brackets]. Keep only the responsibilities and requirements that are true for your job.
Server
Location: [City, State or remote] · Schedule: [Full-time, part-time, shifts] · Pay: [$X to $Y per hour]
We are looking for a server to welcome guests, guide them through our menu, take accurate orders and deliver attentive service throughout the meal. Experience is preferred but not required; we train new servers on our menu and service standards.
Responsibilities
- Collect payments from customers.
- Check patrons' identification to ensure that they meet minimum age requirements for consumption of alcoholic beverages.
- Write patrons' food orders on order slips, memorize orders, or enter orders into computers for transmittal to kitchen staff.
- Check with customers to ensure that they are enjoying their meals, and take action to correct any problems.
- Take orders from patrons for food or beverages.
- Prepare checks that itemize and total meal costs and sales taxes.
- Remove dishes and glasses from tables or counters, and take them to kitchen for cleaning.
Requirements
- High School Diploma or the equivalent or equivalent experience
- Active Listening skills
- Speaking skills
- Monitoring skills
- Service Orientation
- Social Perceptiveness
- Coordination
- Reliable attendance and availability for the scheduled shifts
What we offer
- [Pay range and how often you pay]
- [Benefits, such as health insurance, paid time off or an employee discount]
- [Training and growth, such as promotion paths]
How much to pay a server
The U.S. median annual wage for waiters and waitresses was $35,230 in May 2025 ($16.94 an hour). Pay differs a lot from state to state.
| Percentile | Hourly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $8.70 | $18,100 |
| 25th | $13.34 | $27,750 |
| Median (50th) | $16.94 | $35,230 |
| 75th | $22.65 | $47,110 |
| 90th | $31.12 | $64,720 |
| Mean | $19.26 | $40,060 |
Server interview questions
- You have five tables and two of them want something at the same moment. What do you do?
What to listen for: Acknowledging both, prioritizing quickly and asking teammates for help. - A guest says their food is cold. How do you handle it?
What to listen for: Apologizing, taking it back right away and telling a manager if needed. - How do you remember orders and guest requests?
What to listen for: A system: writing it down, repeating it back, entering it right away. - How would you recommend a dish to a guest who cannot decide?
What to listen for: Asking what they like, then suggesting with real enthusiasm. - Tell me about a time you turned a bad experience around for someone.
What to listen for: Empathy and a concrete action. - A guest who has had too much to drink asks for another round. What do you do?
What to listen for: Following the law and house policy, involving a manager, staying polite. - How do you work with the kitchen when it is busy?
What to listen for: Respect for the cooks and clear communication. - Which shifts can you work, including weekends and holidays?
What to listen for: Availability for the busy shifts.
Skills to look for
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Monitoring
- Critical Thinking
- Service Orientation
- Social Perceptiveness
- Coordination
- Persuasion
Source: O*NET importance ratings for this occupation.
Hiring servers?
Post the job on Jobder, add an optional video of up to 45 seconds, and review applications one at a time with a yes or a pass. Free signup is open for job seekers and employers.
Hiring kits for related roles
- Fast Food and Counter Worker hiring kit
- Bartender hiring kit
- Line Cook hiring kit
- Hotel Front Desk Clerk hiring kit
- Retail Sales Associate hiring kit
- Cashier hiring kit
Server career guide · Server salary by state
Sources and methodology
Wage and employment estimates: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, cross-industry estimates for all ownerships. Figures are as published; BLS does not publish some estimates for some states. As defined by BLS, wages include tips, commissions and production bonuses, and exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and other premium pay. BLS OEWS
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Jobder has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET Database
Written and maintained by the Jobder team. Last updated 2026-10-26. Questions or corrections: support@jobder.pro.
Frequently asked questions
What should a server job description include?
A short summary of the role, the main responsibilities, the qualifications you actually require, the schedule, the location and the pay range. Listing pay helps candidates decide quickly, and some states and cities require pay ranges in job postings.
How much should I pay a server?
The U.S. median annual wage for waiters and waitresses was $35,230 in May 2025 ($16.94 an hour), and the middle half of workers earned between $27,750 and $47,110. Pay varies a lot by state, so check the state table before you set a range.
What are good interview questions for a server?
Ask about real situations the person will face on the job, and listen for how they think, not only for the right answer. The questions on this page each come with what a strong answer shows.