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Skilled Trades & Service

Restaurant Server resume example & template

A server resume for someone with seven years on restaurant floors, from host stand to a full section at a busy bar and grill. It shows section size, covers, check average and certifications the way a general manager expects to see them.

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  • Section size and covers per night tell a manager how much volume you can carry.
  • Toast, ServSafe Food Handler and Kentucky STAR are named exactly as postings list them.
  • Allergy handling and training new servers show judgment without any inflated titles.
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Brianna Sutton
Restaurant Server · Full Service & Bar Menu
Louisville, KY(502) 555-0153brianna.sutton@email.com

Summary

Restaurant server with 5 years of full-service experience plus 2 years hosting and bussing. Carries a 5-table section through Friday and Saturday doubles, sells wine and chef's features, and runs every allergy through expo. ServSafe Food Handler and Kentucky STAR certified.

Experience

Server · Crosstown Kitchen & BarMar 2023 – Present
Louisville, KY
  • Worked a 5-table section (about 20 seats) on weekend doubles, serving 90 to 110 covers on a Saturday night.
  • Entered orders, split checks and manager comps on a Toast handheld and closed out my own checkout at the end of each shift.
  • Sold the weekly chef's feature and by-the-glass wine pairings; my check average ran about $11 above the floor average in Q2 2026.
  • Marked every allergy on the Toast ticket and confirmed it with expo at the pass before the plate goes out.
  • Trained 6 new servers on the menu, steps of service and the handheld over two-shift shadowing.
Server · Olive GardenMay 2021 – Feb 2023
Louisville, KY
  • Carried 4 to 5 tables at lunch and dinner and split large parties of up to 20 with a second server.
  • Ran the curbside to-go station on weeknights, checking every bag against the ticket before it left.
Host and Busser · Texas RoadhouseAug 2019 – Apr 2021
Louisville, KY
  • Seated guests on a 38-table floor, quoting waits and rotating sections so servers got even turns.

Education

High School Diploma · Ballard High SchoolMay 2019

Skills

Service: Steps of service, Wine and feature upselling, Allergy handling, Large parties, Bar menu
POS & cash: Toast (handheld and terminal), Split checks, Cash handling, End-of-shift checkout

Certifications

ServSafe Food Handler, National Restaurant Association · STAR Server Training in Alcohol Regulations, Kentucky ABC

How to write a restaurant server resume

What hiring teams in this field actually screen for, and the terms that get matched.

What restaurant managers screen for

A general manager reading a server resume wants to know how much you can carry and whether you will show up for the busy shifts. Give your section size, covers on a busy night, and the kind of restaurant: casual chain, bar and grill, fine dining. Say which shifts you work, especially doubles and weekends. If you know your check average compared with the floor, or you trained new servers, include it, because those are the details managers ask about in interviews.

Certifications and systems that get matched

Server postings often ask for a food handler card and alcohol training. The most common are ServSafe Food Handler from the National Restaurant Association and TIPS or ServSafe Alcohol for serving drinks. Some states and cities require their own program, such as Kentucky's STAR training, so list the exact one you hold. Name the POS you have used: Toast, Aloha, Micros, Square, Clover or SpotOn. Menu knowledge, allergy procedures, upselling and cash handling are the other terms that match.

Common mistakes on server resumes

Many server resumes list the same duties every server does: took orders, delivered food, processed payments. That gives a manager nothing to compare. Swap them for details like covers per night, section size and restaurant type. Don't inflate a server job into 'hospitality operations,' and don't leave off host or busser work; it shows how long you have been on a floor. Keep it to one page.

Restaurant Server resume FAQ

Quick answers before you start writing.

What should a restaurant server resume include?

A strong restaurant server resume opens with a concise professional summary, then work experience written as quantified, results-first bullets, followed by education, a skills section, and any certifications. The example above shows each section in order.

What skills should a restaurant server resume highlight?

Lead with the skills the job posting asks for. For a restaurant server, recruiters and ATS filters commonly look for Steps of service, Wine and feature upselling, Allergy handling, Large parties, Bar menu, and Toast (handheld and terminal). Group them so they are easy to scan.

Is this restaurant server resume template ATS-friendly?

Yes. It uses a single-column structure, standard section headings, real text (no text trapped in images), and no tables or graphics that confuse applicant-tracking systems, so it parses cleanly while still looking polished.

How long should a restaurant server resume be?

One page is ideal for most restaurant servers. Use two pages only if you have ten or more years of directly relevant experience, then tune the text size and margins so it stays clean.

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