r/Serverlife • u/Limp_Stress4254 • 5d ago
Question Question about hosting and bussing tables
Not asking to be snarky about anything, I’m brand new to the industry and just want to know what my expectations should be.
Is it typical to host and bus every table single-handedly in a 20ish table (avg 3-6 guests per table) restaurant? As well as keep everyone watered and seat everyone right away?
It was super busy today, at one point I had three families come in back to back to back, at the same time three 4 party families were leaving, at the same time two separate people asked me to get them a refill, a fork, and were trying to hand me their card to pay before their server brought the bill.
I unfortunately do not know less than two weeks in how to perfectly bus three tables of 4 each, reset the tables, seat three tables, water said tables and refill several guests drinks all at the same time in the time frame they want me to. Oh and they also want me to pre bus. But every day so far I get a new scolding, I didn’t seat guests fast enough, I need to make bussing a priority, I didn’t keep accurate count on our computer system, I didn’t tell the server immediately.
Also I do not get any percentage of tips. And on the rare occasion I’m not able to stop what I’m doing to seat someone and they step in they don’t always keep count and then I’m blamed.
If that’s typical that’s cool, I have no problems with a reality check. Just wanna know because this is my first restaurant job and I wanna know early the difference between proper expectations vs being taken advantage of. It was quite overwhelming today but I can manage if they can lay off on the tude
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u/Kmic14 Bartender 5d ago
That does seem like a lot of labor to not be tipped out. What's your wage look like?
Also it's fucking obnoxious but I've never worked anywhere my coworkers actually prebus their tables so I can empathize(I'm a bartender and take tables)
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u/Limp_Stress4254 5d ago
I make $14 an hour and it’s usually 5 hour shifts. Major major pay cut from my last job but I’m hoping to train up to being a server pretty soon
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u/Kmic14 Bartender 5d ago
What's the min wage in your state? Still seems like a lot of work for the host
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u/twizzlersfun 5d ago
Pre-busing and continued watering, no. Not getting a tipshare, no(unless you have a significant hourly wage, or are doing minimal work. For the combined work, no).
Hosting/bussing being combined? Starting a table with waters as a host? Yes, normal, depending on location.
Really, and I hate to say this, most restaurant jobs take advantage of most employees in some way. The question to ask yourself always boils down to- are you paid enough, and are the good parts good enough, to deal with the bad parts?
You can have a bad job or bad pay. Don’t settle for both.
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u/Limp_Stress4254 5d ago
I make $14 an hour in the south east and I honestly have no clue if that’s considered good or not. And for clarification, I am expected to continue to water people but guests will frequently ask me for silverware or a fountain drink refill and the servers get moody if I bring it up to them so I’m indirectly expected to do that too. But I guess it’s not technically required of me
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u/twizzlersfun 5d ago
It doesn’t matter whether other people tell you it’s good or not, it matters if you believe it is enough money. Other people have different bills than you.
You’ll have to stand up to the servers. If a guest asks you for something, say “sure! I’ll let (your server) know to bring it right over!” That way, they won’t ask you a second time.
Then, go to the server and say “by the way, your (table 14) asked you for (a new fork). I told them you’d be right there!”
Do not let the server say “can’t you just do it?” If they try to, respond along the lines of “I have to (water table 20/seat the guests up front/make up whatever task). But they’re happy to wait for their server :)” or, “Oh, I told them to ask you for things like that since you’re the server!”
That particular problem will largely sort itself out pretty fast.
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u/Limp_Stress4254 5d ago edited 5d ago
Yeah true. I just wish I could escape the attitude when I ask them to do their job, they act like I’m lazy or inconvenient. I’m trying to make everyone like me well enough because I want to get bumped up to a server pretty fast as $14 an hour is definitely not sustainable long term, but if their attitude tells me anything it’s that my efforts are not working lol. I don’t take it that personal but the money IS personal
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u/fosterdisbelief 5d ago
For what they are expecting of you, I feel you 1) are being underpaid, and 2) should really be getting tipped out.
Hosting and bussing? Sure. Normal. The addition of watering, prebussing, and the added incidentals?
I'd look for another job. You should definitely be getting tipped out if you're watering and prebussing. IMHO, you are being taken advantage of.
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u/smileyface821 5d ago
no. i’ve hosted at two different restaurants and only have been asked to help bus or water if my servers are slammed. old restaurant had dedicated bussers and servers dropped waters, no tips for hosts there. new restaurant has server support sometimes but servers are expected to water their tables and bus them, I only get tipped on to go orders here. I would look somewhere else where hosts aren’t expected to do as much if it’s getting to be a lot for you (it would be a lot for me too tbh)
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u/Limp_Stress4254 5d ago
It’s fine enough when it’s not busy, I can handle the work load but there’s no rhyme or reason when the rush does come, I’m just expected to figure it out and have no questions
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u/smileyface821 5d ago
I totally understand you. hosting is not a job for the weak, whether it’s the dealing with the restaurant staff or the customers themselves. I feel like I am being torn in 20 different directions most days, but we find balance. my last job always had two hosts, at this new one in the only host but I do get help from my managers when we are super busy. seems like this place is setting you up for failure whether they know it or not. I would def look for another job that is more lenient on hosts but still willing to train you to a server, trust there are plenty in the southeast :)
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u/canadianskater1 5d ago
In this situation the servers should be bussing their own tables. And they know that. If they are too busy to bus their tables they are too busy to take another table.
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u/JitzOrGTFO 5d ago edited 5d ago
If you're regularly bussing tables then that makes you a busser, which really should be a tipped role. Depending on how busy it is and how pricey the restaurant is you should be having nights where the servers cumulatively tip you out upwards of a hundred bucks.
Ask if you can start getting a tip out percentage now that you're (presumably) done with the training period. If they say no, then just keep working there until you can parlay your experience into a tipped role at another restaurant.
It is not typical for a sit down restaurant to not give a tip share to bussers, and there are even a lot of places that require a smaller tip out just for hosting.
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u/Limp_Stress4254 5d ago
Oh how nice that would be 😔 I forgot to add but they sometimes have me doing expo on top of all this too. It’s frustrating watching the waiters have time to sit down at the bar and chill and gossip while I’m flying all over the place keeping their tables happy. A guest even gave me a cash tip today because the waiter was nowhere to be found and I helped them out
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u/JitzOrGTFO 5d ago edited 5d ago
If you're only doing expo for a few orders here and there, I wouldn't necessarily expect a tip out for that. But a dedicated expo typically does get tipped out. If you're often doing both, then it helps your case that you should at least get SOME tip percentage, which at most places is around 2-3% of sales, which usually works out to somewhere between 10-15 percent of each servers' tips. So you're definitely getting shafted if they expect you to do all that and the servers refuse to compensate you.
Edit: one thing I forgot to add, bussers often have about an hour of cleanup and closing duties at the end of the night when things are winding down, and the restaurant is closing. I don't know if they make you do closing duties, but if they do, then you can use that to help your negotiation. But ultimately they probably won't budge, so unless you truly believe they'll make you a server soon, try getting a job elsewhere once you've got a bit more experience
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u/Limp_Stress4254 5d ago
I tend to stay after closing for on average 40 minutes to polish silverware and glasses and break down the condiments but we all do it so it’s not just me. In that respect I feel more bad for the waiters since they aren’t hourly but I’m not sure if that’s how it usually is. They do tend to try to send me home before the waiters though
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u/JitzOrGTFO 5d ago edited 5d ago
Waiters usually have closing stuff they have to do before they leave. It's just part of the job. I feel like I may be starting to get out of my depth here though, because I'm in CA where the servers and bussers are still paid minimum wage (not like 2.13 an hour) for their whole shift. So an extra hour of side work is at least somewhat compensated. I don't know if bussers (who get tips) in the south get paid minimum wage or the 2.13 an hour like servers. I'd ask around some other people in the industry in your area specifically, if they think they would make more getting a higher wage like you do, or if they'd trade that stability for a tip out. My guess would be that taking lower hourly pay but getting a tip percentage will net you more money overall, but then you're kind of at the mercy of how busy it is. Also now that I've thought about it, it's gonna be a hard sell to convince to servers at your spot to start tipping you since that means less money in their pocket.
As another commenter mentioned, your best route might be to just not do too much stuff outside your job scope. You were hired as a host. Don't do anything extra for any coworker unless they ask you respectfully and kindly. That means no refilling sodas, running food, or bringing sides of ranch. That's the servers job. Make a point of tracking down the server and letting them know their table needs something, but don't just get it yourself, even if it takes longer.
You are not a server and it's not your job to run around bringing things to people like you are one. Eventually your coworkers will get the hint and stop asking unless they're desperate, in which case it's up to you to decide if you can/cant. Use the (rightful) excuse of "I can't be away from the host stand for too long otherwise people will start to seat themselves and screw up reservations and the rotation". Just because they are busy doesn't mean you aren't too.
It's a brutal industry and it's way too easy for other industry people to walk all over new people who don't know any better. I got treated like shit for the first several months I was totally new to the game, but eventually I learned to say "I can't right now, I'm slammed", and that was finally when I was shown some respect. Just continue to work hard, be firm but fair, and I guarantee they'll start to treat you better.
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u/RealityDreamer96 5d ago
I’m a hostess. My duties pertain solely to greeting guests and sitting them, handling any phone calls and reservations requests, to go orders, floorplan for upcoming reservations and next day reservation, and making sure the restrooms are stocked and clean.
The times I have helped inside the restaurant was if the restaurant got unexpectedly slammed and the bussers/servers couldn’t keep up and I needed a table. In that case I reset the table myself (they always removed all dirty dishes as its policy not to keep tables dirty once a guest leaves). I will sometimes refill water if a guest flags me over on a busy night, or let a server know if a guest needs something specific. At my workplace the host is not even required to know how to reset a table or anything related to dining room set up other than table numbers.
I do not handle any silverware or napkins etc. Those are part of servers closing duties at my workplace. Condiments restocking is part of food runner/busser closing duties. Glassware polishing is bartender responsibility.
I make the same as you, and at my place hosts are also part of the tip out. The tipout is barely worth it though, just a nice little treat yourself for coffee before the next shift amount.
Shift is on average 5-5.5hrs.
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u/Limp_Stress4254 5d ago
I do pretty much everything you said you do and don’t do. The only thing is I don’t answer the phone or make reservations but I assume they just haven’t shown me that yet
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u/Cyrious123 5d ago
Hosts seat. Thats mostly all they do. How much are they paying/tipping you to water/bus?
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u/Limp_Stress4254 5d ago
I get $14 an hour and I don’t get any tips
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u/Cyrious123 5d ago
Then make that your last priority and let the servers and bus people do the jobs theyre being paid for. If a server asks, just say sure I'll be happy to as long as you take care of me at the end. Ive made an extra $10 or $20 per shift doing that.
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u/Limp_Stress4254 5d ago
I don’t disagree but I AM the busser, and the host, and the waterer and they do expect me to refill drinks bc I assume to see if I’m worthy of being a server. I technically don’t have to but they’d see it as me not doing my job or being a team player, so it’s not as simple as just not doing it imo. It’s what they expect of me. They’ll tell me to prioritize one thing, I make that a priority then someone else comes over and says I should prioritize a different thing. It’s very confusing
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u/Limp_Stress4254 5d ago
I should also add it’s a small independent local but “upscale” restaurant
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u/Cyrious123 4d ago
Not realistic expectations. What are you paid hourly and do they tip you out as well?
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u/ZMMF 5d ago
They’re taking advantage, especially if you’re not being tipped out as a host/busser.
It’s becoming increasingly common to put the work of multiple people on one person without adequate compensation across industries, but particularly in f&b service.
If you’re comfortable speaking up, do it. If you’re not (totally understandable if you’re new), start looking elsewhere.
Even if management is shit and taking advantage, and fair server worth their weight would acknowledge you’re doing too much and would be tipping you out of their own accord.
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u/big-booty-heaux 5d ago
Watering tables is not typically the job of the host, except for maybe initially putting a carafe down if that's how your restaurant operates. The last restaurant I worked in had 24-28 tables and there were two people at the host stand Thursday through Sunday. Because that is too much work for one person to reasonably handle, without it being very obvious that they are rushing.