Restaurant Jobs

Part time is common in restaurants, because they need extra staff at lunch, dinner and weekends. Weekend restaurant jobs suit students and people with a weekday job, and many restaurants build schedules around availability.

See part time jobs near me for part time work in other fields.

Full time restaurant jobs include cooks, kitchen managers, assistant managers and general managers, as well as servers and bartenders with steady shifts. For restaurant jobs with benefits near me, check each posting's benefits section, since benefits vary by employer and by full time or part time status.

Restaurants that need staff now often say so in the posting, with phrases such as hiring immediately, open interviews or start this week. Applying in person during a quiet time, such as mid-afternoon, can also lead to a same-day interview.

How do I apply for a job at a restaurant? These steps work for most restaurants.

1. Search the role and your city, and apply online on the posting.
2. Visit in person between meal rushes and ask for the manager.
3. Bring a short resume and know which days and hours you can work.
4. Follow up by phone or in person within a few days.

For other jobs that start soon, see jobs hiring immediately near me.

Under federal law, 16 and 17 year olds may work any hours in a restaurant, but not in jobs declared hazardous. In restaurants that means they may not operate, set up or clean power-driven meat slicers, grinders and similar meat processing machines, or most power-driven bakery machines.

Younger teens can work too, with limits: 14 and 15 year olds may work as cashiers, servers and bussers and do limited cooking, within federal limits on hours. State law can be stricter, and some states require work permits for minors, so check your state's labor department. See jobs for teens near me for more.

Servers take orders, explain the menu, serve food and drinks and process payments. Pay usually combines an hourly wage and tips, and fine dining restaurant jobs may ask for wine knowledge and previous serving experience.

Under federal law, an employer may pay a tipped employee a lower cash wage and count tips toward the minimum wage, but must make up any shortfall if tips do not reach it. Some states set a higher cash wage, so the posting and your state's labor department are the best guide.

Hosts and hostesses greet guests, quote wait times, seat tables and answer the phone. It is a common first restaurant job and a path to serving.

Dishwashers clean dishes and kitchen equipment, take out trash and often help with prep. The job rarely needs experience, and many cooks start their kitchen careers at the dish station.

Restaurant management jobs include shift leader, assistant manager, kitchen manager and general manager. Managers hire and schedule staff, control food and labor costs, handle guests' complaints and make sure the restaurant follows health rules.

Postings usually ask for restaurant experience, and many managers were promoted from server or cook roles. Some employers ask for a food safety manager certification, which the posting will state.

Fast food crew members take orders at the counter or drive-thru, prepare food, keep the dining room clean and work the register. Schedules are flexible and training is on the job, which makes fast food a common first job for teens and a good option for part time work.

Management and senior kitchen roles are often salaried, while tipped jobs at busy or upscale restaurants add tips to the hourly wage, so the highest paying restaurant jobs differ by place. These are current restaurant postings sorted by advertised salary.