Ensure your CV format is structured to best highlight your unique experience and life situation.
Waiter/waitress CV example template (text format)
PERSONAL STATEMENT
Customer-focused professional with 2+ years of experience delivering exceptional service in the hospitality industry. Offer expertise in preparing and serving food and beverages, analysing customer needs, and responding quickly to customer requests. Well-spoken and excited to provide exceptional customer satisfaction and increase retention as a Waiting Staff Member at [Restaurant Name].
WORK EXPERIENCE
Cafe Emmeline, Soho, London
Waitress, December 2021–Present
- Top performer on performance reviews for service excellence, team player mindset, and proactive approach to increasing revenue and resolving customer issues
- Efficiently operate POS terminals to input customer orders, swipe credit cards, and enter cash received in the system
- Obtained Waitress of the Month Award 10 times
- Managed the register during busy weekend night shifts for 9 months, taking 285+ orders per night with 99.5% accuracy
- Delivered training to 10+ new waiters on proper food handling techniques, including proper freezer placement, appropriate soup temperatures, and equipment cleaning processes
La Maison Blanche, Leeds
Waitress, May 2020–November 2021
- Greeted customers as they arrived, showed them the menu, and announced daily or seasonal menu specials in a 150+ seat restaurant
- Ensured positive customer experience by maintaining consistent contact and resolving issues and complaints promptly
- Recognised as an expert in handling hard-to-please guests by turning unhappy patrons into repeat customers
- Maintained dining areas by rolling silverware to prepare for upcoming shifts and large parties
- Received consistent 97% positive ratings for courteous service and 5-star ratings from customers
- Increased sales by 20% using effective upselling techniques
EDUCATION
University of Leeds (2017–2020)
BA (Hons) Food Service Management, upper second class honours (2:1)
Relevant Modules
Culinary Nutrition, Culinary Arts, Restaurant Management and Operations, Hospitality Management, International Cuisines, Advanced Food Service Operations, Food and Beverage Strategies, Culinary Fundamentals
Lichton Road Comprehensive School, Sheffield (2010–2017)
- 3 A-levels: Maths (A), French (A), and English Literature (A)
- GCSEs: 10 A-C including Maths, English, Combined Science, and IT
KEY SKILLS
- Knowledge of POS operations
- Menu development and memorisation
- Upselling techniques
- Ordering
- procedures
- Bar terminology expertise
- High-volume dining
- Food preparation and safety
- Excellent interpersonal skills
- Conflict resolution
HOBBIES & INTERESTS
- Avid swimmer, regularly participating in competitions
- Amateur clarinet player
- Travelling
- Volunteer for multiple charities in the local community
- Enjoy cooking and researching traditional French cooking techniques
A day in the life of a waiter
If you’re not sure whether you’d enjoy being a waiter (it is an entry-level job so there’s a chance you’ve never done it before), learn what’s it like before you start applying for waiting staff jobs:
Skills-based waiter/waitress CV example
Here’s another waitress CV sample you can look at to get more ideas. It’s a skills-based CV, which is a great CV layout if you’re new to the job market or have worked in many industries.
How to write a waiter/waitress CV
As reported by the Guardian, UK restaurants and pubs are facing economic challenges in recent years. These conditions have resulted in high competition for open positions.
Therefore, writing a high-quality CV to go with your job application is essential for securing a waiting staff position.
Skip the writer’s block and make a CV in minutes with our AI software.
Ensure you stand out from the crowded field of applicants by creating an impressive CV. Here are four tips for writing a waiter or waitress CV that gets you hired at your target restaurant:
1. Emphasise your interpersonal skills on your waiting staff CV
Restaurant employers are more likely to interview you if you show exceptional interpersonal skills on your CV. Employers seek waiters or waitresses who can make a good impression on new and regular customers by making them feel at ease — an important set of skills related to your work ethic and personality.
An eatery’s waiting staff is the face of the company, so showing your ability to create positive interactions with all types of customers is key.
Here are top-shelf skills to include on your waiter or waitress CV:
- Communication skills
- Friendliness
- Enthusiasm
- Public speaking
- Empathy
- Active listening
- Positivity
- People skills
- Leadership
- Reliability
- Teamwork
- A good sense of humour
But you’ll need more than interpersonal abilities to succeed as a waiter or waitress. Consider including the following skills on your CV:
- Quick memorising skills: You must remember menu items, prices, and specials
- Physical fitness: Waiting tables requires carrying heavy platters and being on your feet for long shifts
- Multitasking: You must be comfortable managing multiple tables at once
- Computer skills: Employers need waiters and waitresses who can quickly learn new point-of-sale systems
- Time management skills: You’ll likely need to keep track of your schedule on a staff scheduling system or a program like Google Calendar
Don’t merely list skills on your CV. Instead, describe them with data (like percentages and number of people you managed) and specific examples.
2. Write an attention-grabbing personal statement
A properly formatted CV features a 2–3 sentence or bulleted introduction at the top called a personal statement. Your CV’s personal statement should include:
- your professional title with a strong adjective (for example, ‘Enthusiastic waitress’ or ‘Hard-working waiter’)
- your most relevant skill or accomplishment
- a statement about how you can benefit the restaurant
Here’s an example of a well-written personal statement for your CV:
3. Add a hobbies and interests section to your waiter or waitress CV
One way to show employers you’re good at interacting with restaurant customers is by including a hobbies and interests section on your CV.
When you write your hobbies and interests section, only include information relevant to waiting tables. Here are some examples of hobbies to include:
- Joining a club or social group: Shows your interpersonal skills
- Sports activities: Highlights your physical fitness
- Playing a musical instrument: Indicates you can quickly learn new concepts and retain information well
- Debate clubs: Showcases your presentation skills
- Cooking: Tells employers you enjoy participating in the food-service process
- Volunteer work: Shows your empathy
Here’s an example of a good CV hobbies and interests section:
If you’re writing a CV with no waiting experience, a descriptive hobbies and interests section shows employers that you’ve got the skills required to be a great waiter or waitress.
4. Fill one or two pages of your waiting staff CV with information
If you’re a budding waiter or waitress with minimal experience, your CV should be one or two full pages — no more, no less. Here’s why:
If employers see excessive blank space on your CV, they’ll immediately assume you’re inexperienced. They may even put it to one side to review only if other full CVs don’t yield qualified candidates.
However, if your CV is three or four pages long, employers will probably miss important details.
Here’s how to ensure your waiter or waitress CV is properly filled with information:
Still worried you didn’t fit all your relevant details in your CV? Don’t fret. You’ll have more space to explain why you’re qualified for the waiting staff role you want when you write your waitress cover letter.
Waiting staff jobs outlook for 2025 — things to know
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), waiters and waitresses in the UK earn an average annual salary of £18,426
Additionally, there are similar pay levels for both men and women in this type of role.
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