Busser or Server Assistant Job Description

The busser or server assistant position changes from restaurant to restaurant as they expect different duties in establishments.

The main focus for a "job description" for a busser would be:

1. Clean off all plate and glassware from tables that have left.
2. Re-set the table in the restaurants style.
3. Make sure the table is set properly and clean.
4. Make sure the chairs and floor area around the table is clean.
5. Bring all dishware to the dish area for cleaning.

On occasion a guest may ask you for something that you feel is the waiter or waitresses job to get, if it does not involve a transaction or adding something to the bill like "Could you get me a knife?" that's your job too. Remember it is because of the guests that we all get paid so if its guest related its YOUR JOB DESCRIPTION!

In any job there are times where the guest may ask you a question about the restaurant so you should know the necessary information about where you work.

Taking Orders

As time has evolved and bussers thought that the title was poor or because restaurants wanted to get more out of them the term "Server Assistant" came into play. Some added duties put on the bussers include:

• Re-stocking service stands.
• Making sure the beverage station was full (coffee, tea etc.)
• Emptying trash
• Bringing clean glassware to the bar area.
• Getting ice
• Bringing out the linen.
• Folding napkins
• Polishing silver and glassware

The bottom line is this, regardless of what the stated duties of a busser or server assistant in your establishment the more you do the more you know, the more you know the more your worth. If you want to grow in the business or any business you will do so by putting forth a little extra each day. The first time I hear "that's not my job," you’re probably right, and it never will be!

Pay

Again this varies wildly from restaurant to restaurant. Usually it consists of an hourly wage at minimum wage or above and a percentage of server tips or sales. Most places today have it set to be a percentage of servers total sales or food sales. To give you a clear example in my restaurants I pay our server assistants $5.75 per hour and the servers tip out the server assistants 2% of total sales. Since an average server sells $800 and I have one SA per four servers the SA would get 1% of $3,200 or an additional $32 per night. That’s not too shabby when you look a six hour shift, over $10 per hour to learn what you will need to know to move into a server position! And you know what? If your good you will no doubt be tipped out better by the servers you are helping!