Tourism, Food / Beverage
Service Captain
Overview
A service captain is responsible for managing the dining experience in a restaurant. They greet customers, take orders, and ensure food is delivered on time. They also train and supervise servers, handle customer complaints, and oversee restaurant operations.
Service captains may have a variety of duties, including overseeing the work of servers, bussers, and other restaurant staff, greeting guests and seating them, taking orders, making recommendations, and ensuring that all guest requests are handled promptly and efficiently. They may also be responsible for training and mentoring new staff members, as well as for managing the inventory of food, beverages, and supplies.
Additionally, service captains must have excellent communication and customer service skills, as well as the ability to remain calm and professional in high-pressure situations. They must also be knowledgeable about the restaurant’s menu and offerings, and be able to answer any questions that guests may have.
Common tasks
| Task | Related trait(s) |
|---|---|
| Managing waitstaff | Amiability Extroversion – Handling social situations Emotional intelligence – Understanding customers Teamwork Equality and fairness in leadership Leadership – Take Charge |
| Taking part in the hiring process of waitstaff and train waitstaff | Amiability Extroversion – Handling social situations Equality and fairness in leadership Leadership – Take Charge |
| Greeting and seating guests | Amiability Extroversion – Handling social situations Emotional intelligence – Understanding customers |
| Taking orders | Amiability Extroversion – Handling social situations Emotional intelligence – Understanding customers |
| Monitoring the quality of menu items | Conscientiousness |
| Ensuring adherence to health and safety | Dutifulness |
| Ensuring that the dining area is clean and organized | Conscientiousness |
| Processing payments | Conscientiousness |
| Ensuring the service is pleasant | Dutifulness |
| Handling customer complaints | Amiability Extroversion – Handling social situations Optimism – Positive expressiveness Emotional intelligence – Understanding customers |
| Maintaining inventory and supplies | Conscientiousness |
Soft skills measured by TraitForward
| Trait | No of Questions | Cronbach’s alpha (α) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conscientiousness | 9 | 0.78 | |
| Do they have a desirable work ethic? | |||
| Amiability | 7 | 0.85 | |
| Are they calm? Do they respect others? | |||
| Extroversion – Handling social situations | 9 | 0.85 | |
| Are they skilled in handling social situations? | |||
| Multitasking and working fast | 5 | 0.67 | |
| Can they multitask? Can they handle demanding workloads? | |||
| Optimism – Positive expressiveness | 7 | 0.78 | |
| Are they joyful? | |||
| Emotional intelligence – Understanding customers | 5 | 0.77 | |
| Do they understand the emotions of others? | |||
| Dutifulness | 6 | 0.71 | |
| Can they follow orders? | |||
| Teamwork | 9 | 0.73 | |
| Are they good team members? | |||
| Equality and fairness in leadership | 11 | 0.73 | |
| Are they biased? | |||
| Leadership – Take Charge | 6 | 0.87 | |
| Can they take charge? | |||
Did you Know?
Source: US Department of Labor – Bureau of Labor Statistics
Median wage:
$43,980 / per year
$21 / hour
The median annual wage for this profession is $43,980. Nonetheless several professionals may not be paid in that rate. A relatively low salary the 10th percentile of the annual wage is $30,970 whilst a relatively high salary, the 90th percentile of the annual wage is $60,000.
Entry Education level:
To become a service captain, one typically needs a high school diploma or equivalent, as well as several years of experience working in the restaurant or food service industry. Many employers prefer candidates who have completed some training or education in hospitality management, and some may require certification or licensure depending on the state or country where they work. Additionally, service captains must be able to work well as part of a team, and be able to motivate and inspire their staff to provide the best possible service to guests.
Find out the psychometric properties for the Service Captain Traitforward questionnaire