Skills
Server Skills & Tools
The technical skills, people skills and tools employers look for in servers, and how to build and show them.
What skills do servers need?
Servers need technical skills such as menu knowledge, order taking, and pos systems, plus people skills like friendliness and multitasking. They also use tools such as POS systems and handheld tablets and Trays and tray stands.
Technical (hard) skills
- Menu knowledge
- Order taking
- POS systems
- Tray carrying
- Allergen communication
- Payment handling
People (soft) skills
- Friendliness
- Multitasking
- Memory
- Composure
Tools, equipment and technology
- POS systems and handheld tablets
- Trays and tray stands
- Wine keys
- Payment terminals
- Order pads
- Menus
Skills in action: common tasks
These step-by-step guides show how servers put their skills to work:
How to show these skills on a resume
- Lead your skills section with the technical skills from the job posting, for example, “Menu knowledge” and “Order taking.”
- Prove soft skills with results: instead of listing “friendliness,” describe a situation where you used it.
- List credentials such as Food handler card near the top, with the issuing organization and date.
- Use the employer’s vocabulary. Our server glossary covers the terms hiring managers expect.
How to build these skills
Formal training, supervised practice and certification are the most direct routes. Our Server training introduces each of these skills with plain-language lessons, procedures and a final knowledge check: a strong foundation before hands-on training or your first day.