Waiter / Waitress CV Keywords: Skills & ATS Terms to Include

Hospitality recruiters look for the type of venue you have worked in, the size of your section and food safety training. Hotels and restaurant groups also search for the point-of-sale system they use.

Not sure which of these your CV is missing? Upload it with a waiter / waitress job description and get your ATS score and missing keywords free.

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Waiter / Waitress hard skills

Core competencies recruiters and ATS filters search for.

Table serviceOrder takingMenu knowledgeUpsellingPOS operationFood safety and hygieneCash handlingFine dining serviceBanquet serviceBeverage serviceGuest relationsComplaint handlingTable setup

Waiter / Waitress tools & software

Use the exact product names from the job ad.

Oracle MICROS SimphonyPOS systemsReservation systemsCard payment terminals

Waiter / Waitress certifications & qualifications

Write the full name and the acronym, with the year.

Basic Food Hygiene certificateHACCP awarenessWSET Level 1 or 2

Waiter / Waitress soft skills

Show these through achievements rather than listing them alone.

Customer serviceTeamworkStaminaCommunicationWorking under pressure

Waiter / Waitress action verbs

Start each bullet with one of these instead of "Responsible for".

ServedRecommendedUpsoldHandledResolvedTrainedMaintainedSet upProcessedWelcomed

Weak vs strong waiter / waitress CV bullets

Served customers.

Served a 10-table section in a 120-cover hotel restaurant and was named in 40 guest reviews in one year.

Took orders and payments.

Raised average spend per table by 15% through wine and dessert recommendations.

Examples are illustrative. Only use figures you can back up in an interview. Improve your own bullets free →

ATS tip for waiter / waitress CVs

Say what kind of venue each job was (five-star hotel, fine dining, casual, banqueting) and how many covers you served.

How to use these keywords

  1. Start from the job description, not this list. Keywords that appear in the ad matter most — paste it into the job description keyword extractor to pull them out.
  2. Only include skills you genuinely have. You will be asked about them.
  3. Put the most important keywords in both your Skills section and your experience bullets.
  4. Use the employer's exact wording (e.g. "Oracle MICROS Simphony", not a synonym).
  5. Keep formatting simple: single column, standard headings, no text inside images.

See exactly which keywords your CV is missing

Paste a real waiter / waitress job ad and upload your CV. You get an ATS score, your missing keywords and your top issues in under a minute — free, no sign-up.

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