Olive Garden Server Job Description, Key Duties and Responsibilities

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

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

What Does an Olive Garden Server Do?

An Olive Garden server is a front-of-house restaurant professional responsible for delivering attentive, friendly table service to guests.

The role focuses on taking orders, serving food and beverages, ensuring guest satisfaction, and creating a welcoming dining experience at Olive Garden.

The Olive Garden server job description involves welcoming guests promptly and introducing menu specials, taking food and beverage orders accurately, ensuring guests feel comfortable and attended to throughout their meal, and responding quickly to guest requests or concerns.

It also entails serving appetizers, entrées, desserts, and beverages efficiently, ensuring food is delivered accurately and at the correct temperature; refilling drinks, breadsticks, and soups as needed, and coordinating with kitchen staff to ensure timely service.

They enter orders into the POS system correctly; communicate special requests or dietary needs to the kitchen, and process checks, payments, and transactions accurately.

It is also their responsibility to explain menu items, ingredients, and preparation methods, suggest add-ons, beverages, desserts, and specials, and promote limited-time offers or featured items.

Resetting and cleaning tables between guests, maintaining cleanliness of assigned service areas, and following food safety and sanitation standards are also important duties that Olive Garden servers commonly perform.

They work closely with hosts, bussers, and kitchen staff, and assist teammates during busy shifts, as well as follow Olive Garden service standards and policies

Olive Garden Server Job Description Example/Sample

The Olive Garden server job description typically consists of the following duties, tasks, and responsibilities:

• Greet guests warmly and provide friendly, attentive service
• Provide menus to guests and explain daily specials or promotions
• Take food and beverage orders accurately
• Enter orders into the POS system correctly
• Serve appetizers, entrées, desserts, and beverages
• Refill drinks, soups, breadsticks, and salads as required
• Ensure food is delivered correctly and at proper temperatures
• Check on guests regularly to ensure satisfaction
• Address guest questions, requests, or concerns promptly
• Suggest add-ons, beverages, desserts, and specials
• Process guest checks and payments accurately
• Clear, clean, and reset tables between guests
• Maintain cleanliness of assigned tables and service areas
• Follow service guidelines for food safety, sanitation, and alcohol
• Communicate effectively with hosts, kitchen staff, and bussers
• Assist teammates during busy shifts
• Support opening, closing, and side-work duties
• Follow Olive Garden service standards and company policies.

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

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

• Strong customer service skills — Essential for creating a welcoming, enjoyable dining experience and ensuring guest satisfaction
• Clear communication skills — Important for accurately taking orders, explaining menu items, and coordinating with kitchen staff
• Friendly and professional attitude — Helps build rapport with guests and encourages repeat visits
• Ability to multitask — Servers must manage multiple tables, orders, and guest needs simultaneously
• Attention to detail — Ensures order accuracy, correct billing, and proper handling of special requests
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment — Olive Garden can be busy, especially during peak meal times
• Basic math and POS system skills — Needed to enter orders correctly and process payments accurately
• Teamwork and cooperation — Servers work closely with hosts, bussers, and kitchen staff to ensure smooth service
• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods — Required for serving, carrying trays, and moving throughout the dining area
• Food safety and sanitation awareness — Critical for maintaining health standards and guest safety
• Responsible alcohol service knowledge (where applicable) — Required to serve alcoholic beverages legally and responsibly
• Reliable attendance and punctuality — Important for maintaining proper staffing and service flow
• Flexible availability — Evenings, weekends, and holidays are common in restaurant operations
• Professional appearance and grooming standards compliance — Reflects Olive Garden’s brand and hospitality image
• Legal eligibility to work in the United States — Required to comply with federal employment laws.

Olive Garden Server Job Description Templates

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

Olive Garden Server Job Description for Resume

If you have worked before as an Olive Garden server 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 server job description sample above.

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

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

Conclusion

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

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

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

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