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Server Resume Example

A strong server resume quantifies the floor: covers or tables handled per shift, average check size, and sales per shift, plus the POS you ran such as Toast or Aloha. Show upselling results, wine or menu knowledge, and a steady tip or guest-satisfaction signal. A food-handler card and alcohol-service certification belong here when you hold them.

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Server resume example

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Server

(555) 010-0000 · you@example.com · City, ST · linkedin.com/in/your-name

Professional Summary

Attentive restaurant server with four years in full-service and fine-dining rooms, fast on Toast and Aloha POS, with a steady record of large sections, high average checks, and strong upselling on wine and specials.

Experience

Server — Downtown Bistro

2023 – Present

City, ST

  • Handled a 6-table section turning 45 to 60 covers per dinner shift while averaging a $58 check.
  • Drove $1,400 to $1,800 in food and beverage sales per shift, ranking top-three among 18 servers.
  • Lifted dessert and after-dinner-drink attach rate to 35% by suggestive selling each table.
  • Ran the Toast POS for ordering, course firing, and split checks with no comp errors over 12 months.
  • Memorized a rotating menu of 40 dishes plus allergens, fielding dietary questions tableside.
  • Trained five new servers on steps of service, table numbering, and the wine-by-the-glass list.
  • Maintained a 4.8-star average across guest surveys mentioning attentiveness and pacing.

Server — Lakeside Grill

2021 – 2023

City, ST

  • Served high-volume weekend brunches of 70+ covers per shift on the Aloha POS without ticket backups.
  • Coordinated with the kitchen on fire times to keep food-running delays under four minutes.
  • Upsold craft cocktails and appetizers, raising average per-guest spend by $9.
  • Handled cash and card tip-outs and reconciled the server bank accurately each close.
  • Covered host and busser duties during short-staffed shifts to keep the room turning.
  • Resolved guest complaints tableside, retaining diners and limiting comped checks to under 1% of sales.

Education

Associate of Arts in Hospitality — Community College

2019 – 2021

Skills

Steps of service · POS operation · Upselling · Menu and allergen knowledge · Section management · Wine service · Guest recovery · Cash and tip reconciliation · Kitchen coordination · Team service · Suggestive selling · Reservation and section setup

What to put on a server resume

Core skills

SkillWhy it belongs on the resume
Steps of serviceGreet, take orders, fire courses, and close checks on a consistent sequence.
POS operationRun Toast and Aloha for ordering, course timing, and split checks.
UpsellingSuggest specials, wine, and desserts to raise average check size.
Menu and allergen knowledgeDescribe dishes and flag allergens accurately tableside.
Section managementPace a multi-table section to keep covers turning without rushing guests.
Wine serviceRecommend and pour by-the-glass and bottle selections appropriately.
Guest recoveryResolve complaints at the table to retain diners and limit comps.
Cash and tip reconciliationBalance the server bank and process tip-outs at close.
Kitchen coordinationTime fires with the line to control food-running delays.
Team serviceCover host, bus, and food-running roles during short-staffed shifts.
Suggestive sellingLift attach rates on appetizers, cocktails, and after-dinner items.
Reservation and section setupSet tables and stations for the expected cover count each service.
What recruiters and ATS filters expect on a server resume.

ATS keywords

ATS keywordATS keyword
serverwaiter
POSToast
Alohacovers per shift
average checkupselling
steps of servicefine dining
guest servicetip-out
menu knowledgefood and beverage
Terms an applicant-tracking system scans for — work them in naturally where they are true of your experience.

Three bullets that work — and why

  1. Drove $1,400 to $1,800 in food and beverage sales per shift, ranking top-three among 18 servers.

    Why it works: Frames a server as a revenue producer and adds a peer-ranking that proves it relative to the team.

  2. Lifted dessert and after-dinner-drink attach rate to 35% by suggestive selling each table.

    Why it works: Names a specific attach metric managers track and the behavior that moved it.

  3. Handled a 6-table section turning 45 to 60 covers per dinner shift while averaging a $58 check.

    Why it works: Combines section size, throughput, and check size in one line, the core scope a restaurant screens for.

Tailoring it in three steps

  1. State your covers and check size

    Lead with covers per shift and average check for the restaurant's service style, since that is how a floor manager gauges your speed and your selling.

  2. Mirror the POS and service style

    Name the exact POS in the ad and frame your experience as fine dining, casual, or high-volume to match how the room actually runs.

  3. Add alcohol-service proof when relevant

    If the role serves alcohol, list a genuine certification such as ServSafe Alcohol or TIPS and your wine or cocktail knowledge near the top.

FAQ

How do I quantify server experience on a resume?

Use covers per shift, average check size, sales per shift, and attach rates on upsells. These show both your speed on the floor and your ability to grow a check.

Should a server resume list the POS system?

Yes. Name Toast, Aloha, Square, or whichever system you ran. POS fluency means less training time, and recruiters often filter resumes for the system the restaurant uses.

Do I need certifications to be a server?

Many states require a food-handler card, and alcohol service often requires ServSafe Alcohol or TIPS. List only the ones you actually hold, named exactly.

How do I show upselling on a server resume?

Quantify it: report the attach rate on desserts or drinks, or the dollar lift in average per-guest spend, rather than just writing that you upsold items.

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