How to hire a Busser

How to hire a busser, step by step

Here's a step-by-step busser hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a busser job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new busser
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a Busser do?

Post A Busser Job For Free, Promote It For A Fee

Post Free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   The busser hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine Employee vs Contractor Status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A busser's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, bussers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of bussers.

   Type Of Busser	Description	Hourly Rate
   Busser	Food and beverage serving and related workers perform a variety of customer service, food preparation, and cleaning duties in restaurants, cafeterias, and other eating and drinking establishments.	$8-15
   Room Service Server	A room service server is an employee employed in a hotel or lodging to provide various services to the room occupants in the hotel. They often deliver ordered food, drinks, or movies to the occupants' rooms... Show More	$8-18
   Dining Room Server	A dining room server performs various tasks to give patrons a positive dining experience. Their job usually entails greeting customers and presenting the menu, taking their orders, answering inquiries, recommending products and other services, serving drinks and food, and handling concerns professionally and courteously... Show More	$11-17

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common Skills:

   • Cleanliness
   • Work Ethic
   • TIP
   • Food Handling
   • Dishwashers
   • Bus Tables
   • Wine
   • Customer Service
   • Clean Tables
   • Bus Tubs
   • Basic Math
   • Fine Dining
   • Excellent Guest
   • Exceptional Dining

   Check All Skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Cross-Train in all kitchen culinary positions including broiler, saut, banquets and room service food production.
   • Perform food preparation and serving duties, such as carving meat, preparing flambe dishes, or serving wine and liquor.
   • Schedule reservations and place and deliver room service orders.
   • Maintain both FOH and BOH duties in a fast-pace dining establishment.
   • Clean the dirty tables and make sure the restaurant are in tip top shape and look good.
   • Submit food and beverage orders to kitchen staff utilizing a POS register to tabulate and itemize orders.

   More Busser duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your busser job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A busser salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a busser in North Carolina may be lower than in Maine, and an entry-level busser usually earns less than a senior-level busser. Additionally, a busser with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average busser salary

   $11.59hourly

   $24,111 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level busser salary

   $17,000 yearly salary

   Updated March 30, 2025

   Average busser salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. Salary	Hourly Rate
   1	District of Columbia	$31,206	$15
   2	Washington	$29,194	$14
   3	California	$28,825	$14
   4	Massachusetts	$27,974	$13
   5	New York	$26,377	$13
   6	Colorado	$24,511	$12
   7	Georgia	$23,368	$11
   8	Michigan	$23,243	$11
   9	Arizona	$22,556	$11
   10	Texas	$21,762	$10
   11	New Mexico	$21,353	$10
   12	Florida	$21,123	$10
   13	Illinois	$21,028	$10
   14	Ohio	$21,020	$10
   15	Kansas	$21,006	$10
   16	Missouri	$20,937	$10
   17	Indiana	$20,899	$10
   18	Virginia	$20,555	$10
   19	Pennsylvania	$20,420	$10
   20	Nevada	$19,410	$9

   Average busser salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average Salary	Hourly Rate	Job Openings
   1	Dell	$49,322	$23.71
   2	University of California-Berkeley	$40,988	$19.71
   3	Lexington Country Club	$38,654	$18.58
   4	Hill International	$38,126	$18.33
   5	Anthony	$37,333	$17.95	1
   6	La Esperanza Clinic	$34,985	$16.82
   7	University of Southern California	$34,308	$16.49
   8	Vallarta Supermarkets	$34,217	$16.45
   9	MiPueblo Supermarket	$33,414	$16.06
   10	On The Border	$33,048	$15.89	4
   11	HEI Hotels & Resorts	$32,712	$15.73	8
   12	Aspen Snowmass	$32,246	$15.50	3
   13	Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants	$32,112	$15.44	13
   14	Maggiano's Little Italy	$31,967	$15.37	49
   15	Hacienda	$31,947	$15.36
   16	Il Fornaio	$31,941	$15.36
   17	Senior Resource Group	$31,708	$15.24
   18	H-E-B	$31,650	$15.22
   19	Kohler Co.	$31,639	$15.21	8
   20	Zoës Kitchen	$31,453	$15.12

4. Writing a Busser Job Description

   A busser job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a busser job description:

   Busser job description example

   Building on the culinary successes of RPM Italian and RPM Steak, RPM Seafood features the truest expression of the world's best fish and seafood paired alongside the brand's well-established steak program, award-winning wine lists and impeccable service. With panoramic views of the Chicago River, the restaurant includes floor-to-ceiling windows, a second-floor mezzanine with two private terraces and a spacious main floor patio, all providing a waterfront backdrop from practically every vantage point.
   EOE. We participate in E-Verify / Participamos en E-Verify
   
   Caring. Creative. Careers.
   
   Join the Lettuce Entertain You team! Our 100+ restaurants are nationally recognized for great food and service and as great places to work. We hire and care deeply for people with creativity, passion and the drive to be the best. And we reward our teams with top notch benefits, career-long training and development and opportunities for growth. If you want a career at a progressive company with a long-standing commitment to people, join our caring and creative team.
   
   EOE. We participate in E-Verify / Participamos en E-Verify
   
   BCBS health insurance & other options including dental
   Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Restaurant discounts Opportunities for career growth
   
   Bussers are responsible for assisting the service team in exceeding the guest’s expectations. Assists with Barista duties as directed. Teamwork, organization and good awareness are necessary for success in this position.
   Essential Functions Clean and reset tables and transport dirty dishes to bus tub, tray or dish room Available to work a variety of hours, days and shifts, including weekends Effectively service a minimum of an eight table section Safely and effectively move chairs, tables, highchairs and booster seats Clean and reset tables and transport dirty dishes to bus-tub, tray or dish room Safely and effectively use and operate all necessary tools and equipment Ability to effectively communicate in order to perform and follow job requirements in written and spoken direction Ability to multitask calmly and effectively in a busy, stressful environment Work in a confined, crowded space of variable noise and temperature levels Able to move and lift up to 10 pounds, frequently move and/or lift up to 25 pounds, and occasionally move and/or lift up to 50 pounds Ability to stand and walk for an entire shift and move safely through all areas of the restaurant, which may include stairs, uneven or slick surfaces Key Responsibilities and Duties Ensure the overall guest experience exceeds expectations and anticipate guests’ needs Greet guests with a warm, sincere smile Use tact and good judgement when dealing with guest challenges and respond to guest needs with patience and courtesy Assist service team with all food and beverage service Follow all steps of service Understand and follow the food allergy procedure and special orders/restrictions Comply with all safety and sanitation guidelines and procedures Follow all rules, policies, procedures and conditions of employment, including those outlined in the Employee Handbook Get along well with others and be a team player Other duties will be assigned as needed

   Copy This Example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right busser for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your busser job on Zippia to find and recruit busser candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting bussers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new busser

   Once you've decided on a perfect busser candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new busser. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

   Sign Up To Download Full List

   Sign Up

How much does it cost to hire a busser?