Life As a Restaurant, Lounge, or Coffee Shop Host
Occupation Description Welcome patrons, seat them at tables or in lounge, and help ensure quality of facilities and service.
What Do Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop Hosts Do On a Daily Basis?
- Speak with patrons to ensure satisfaction with food and service, to respond to complaints, or to make conversation.
- Prepare staff work schedules.
- Maintain contact with kitchen staff, management, serving staff, and customers to ensure that dining details are handled properly and customers' concerns are addressed.
- Perform marketing and advertising services.
- Order or requisition supplies and equipment for tables and serving stations.
- Direct patrons to coatrooms and waiting areas such as lounges.
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What Every Restaurant, Lounge, or Coffee Shop Host Should Know
When polled, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop Hosts say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Related Job Titles
- Hospitality Coordinator
- Tearoom Hostess
- Seater
- Greeter
- Host Coordinator
What Kind of Restaurant, Lounge, or Coffee Shop Host Job Opportunities Are There?
There were about 409,200 jobs for Restaurant, Lounge, or Coffee Shop Host in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 6.9% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 28,300 new jobs for Restaurant, Lounge, or Coffee Shop Host by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 97,900 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Restaurant, Lounge, or Coffee Shop Host are Washington, Utah, and Arizona. Watch out if you plan on working in Ohio, West Virginia, or Maine. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
What is the Average Salary of a Restaurant, Lounge, or Coffee Shop Host
The typical yearly salary for Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop Hosts is somewhere between $17,410 and $30,590.

Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop Hosts who work in Hawaii, District of Columbia, or Massachusetts, make the highest salaries.
How much do Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop Hosts make in each U.S. state?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $19,180 |
Alaska | $24,780 |
Arizona | $24,870 |
Arkansas | $20,350 |
California | $26,850 |
Colorado | $25,450 |
Connecticut | $25,700 |
Delaware | $19,850 |
District of Columbia | $30,420 |
Florida | $24,110 |
Georgia | $19,800 |
Hawaii | $32,050 |
Idaho | $21,040 |
Illinois | $23,560 |
Indiana | $20,050 |
Iowa | $20,010 |
Kansas | $18,610 |
Kentucky | $19,610 |
Louisiana | $19,840 |
Maine | $23,700 |
Maryland | $24,050 |
Massachusetts | $28,440 |
Michigan | $21,460 |
Minnesota | $24,450 |
Mississippi | $19,010 |
Missouri | $19,980 |
Montana | $19,780 |
Nebraska | $22,760 |
Nevada | $27,120 |
New Hampshire | $22,800 |
New Jersey | $24,280 |
New Mexico | $21,070 |
New York | $28,400 |
North Carolina | $20,110 |
North Dakota | $21,860 |
Ohio | $20,390 |
Oklahoma | $19,890 |
Oregon | $25,130 |
Pennsylvania | $21,790 |
Rhode Island | $24,610 |
South Carolina | $20,460 |
South Dakota | $21,670 |
Tennessee | $19,580 |
Texas | $21,220 |
Utah | $21,680 |
Vermont | $25,960 |
Virginia | $21,180 |
Washington | $29,130 |
West Virginia | $20,630 |
Wisconsin | $20,250 |
Wyoming | $23,310 |
What Tools & Technology do Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop Hosts Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop Hosts may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office
- Data entry software
- Microsoft Windows
- Point of sale POS software
- iMagic Restaurant Reservation
- Hospitality Control Solutions Aloha Point-of-Sale
How do I Become a Restaurant, Lounge, or Coffee Shop Host?
What education or degrees do I need to become a Restaurant, Lounge, or Coffee Shop Host?

How many years of work experience do I need?

Where do Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop Hosts Work?

The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.

You May Also Be Interested In…
Are you already one of the many Restaurant, Lounge, or Coffee Shop Host in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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