Olive Garden Host Job Description, Key Duties and Responsibilities

This post provides detailed information on the Olive Garden host job description, including the key duties, tasks, and responsibilities they commonly perform.

It also highlights the major requirements you may be asked to fulfill to be hired for the host role at Olive Garden.

What Does an Olive Garden Host Do?

An Olive Garden host is a front-of-house team member responsible for welcoming guests, managing the seating flow, and creating a positive first impression.

The role focuses on guest service, organization, and communication to ensure a smooth dining experience from arrival to seating at Olive Garden.

The Olive Garden host job description entails greeting guests warmly as they arrive, providing wait-time estimates and answering basic questions, maintaining a friendly, professional demeanor at all times, and thanking guests as they leave and inviting them to come again.

It also involves escorting guests to tables promptly and courteously, managing waitlists during busy periods, balancing seating across servers’ sections, and accommodating special requests when possible.

They communicate wait times and table availability to guests, coordinate with servers, bussers, and managers, notify servers when tables are seated, and assist with crowd control during peak hours.

Keeping the host stand, lobby, and entry area clean and organized, arranging menus and ensuring supplies are stocked, and monitoring guest flow to maintain safety and comfort are a major part of the Olive Garden host duties.

It is also their responsibility to support restaurant operations by assisting with takeout order coordination when needed, supporting opening and closing duties, and following company policies, service standards, and safety procedures.

Olive Garden Host Job Description Example/Sample

The Olive Garden host job description usually consists of the following duties, tasks, and responsibilities:

• Greet guests warmly and respectfully as they arrive at the restaurant
• Manage the waitlist and provide correct estimates of wait-time
• Escort guests to tables promptly and courteously
• Balance seating across server sections to ensure smooth service
• Communicate table availability to servers and management
• Answer basic guest questions about wait times, seating, and menus
• Accommodate special seating requests when possible
• Ensure  host stand and lobby are clean and organized
• Ensure menus and supplies are stocked and ready
• Monitor guest flow to maintain safety and comfort
• Assist with takeout order coordination when needed
• Support opening and closing duties
• Follow Olive Garden service standards and company policies
• Maintain a professional appearance and friendly attitude.

Olive Garden Host Requirements: Skills, Knowledge, Abilities for Hiring and Career Success

Here are important requirements you may be expected to meet to be hired for the host role at Olive Garden, which are also vital for success on the job and career:

• Customer service skills — Essential for greeting guests warmly and creating a positive first impression
• Clear communication skills — Important for explaining wait times, seating arrangements, and coordinating with servers
• Friendly and professional attitude — Helps make guests feel welcome and comfortable from arrival to seating
• Ability to multitask — Needed to manage waitlists, seat guests, and answer questions during busy periods
• Organization and attention to detail — Ensures accurate waitlists, balanced seating, and smooth table flow
• Ability to remain calm under pressure — Important during peak dining hours and long wait times
• Teamwork and cooperation — Hosts work closely with servers, bussers, and managers to support operations
• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods — Required for greeting and escorting guests throughout the restaurant
• Punctuality and reliability — Critical for maintaining front-of-house coverage and smooth shift transitions
• Flexible availability — Restaurants often require evenings, weekends, and holiday shifts
• Professional appearance — Reflects Olive Garden’s brand image and hospitality standards
• Willingness to follow company policies and procedures — Ensures consistent service and compliance
• Eligible to work legally in the United States — Required to comply with federal employment laws.

Olive Garden Host Job Description Templates

Here are Olive Garden host job description templates employers can simply edit and use in their job postings to attract the best talents to their companies:

Olive Garden Host Job Description for Resume

If you have worked before as an Olive Garden host or presently working in that role and are making a new resume or CV, then you can craft a compelling Professional Experience section by utilizing the Olive Garden host  job description sample above.

You can highlight the duties you have performed or currently performing as an Olive Garden host  in your resume’s Professional Experience by applying the ones in the sample Olive Garden host  job description above.

This will show to the employer that you have been successful in the role of a Olive Garden host, which can greatly enhance your chances of being hired for the new position that you are seeking, especially if it requires someone with some host work experience at Olive Garden or similar company.

Conclusion

This post has provided exhaustive information on the Olive Garden host job description, highlighting the important duties, tasks, and responsibilities they usually perform.

It is helpful to individuals seeking to become an Olive Garden host, to learn all they need to know about what the role does.

Employers and hiring managers needing to make a job description for the host position will also find this article useful.

They can simply edit and apply the Olive Garden host job description templates provided on this page in making an effective one for their organizations.