Busser
Your complete busser job description
How much do bussers workers make?Take Note:No experience necessary
Great entry-level or teen job
$6.55 per hour – typically minimum wage – plus a percentage of tips (may vary by establishment)
Around $13,624 average annually for full-time positions, plus a percentage of tips
Busser job description: Job Summary
What do Jon Stewart, Martin Luther King Jr., Alec Baldwin, Langston Hughs and Johnny Depp have in common? Once upon a time, they were all bussers.
That’s right; all those famous folks have cleared dirty dishes and filled water glasses. Bussing tables isn’t glamorous and doesn’t pay much, so why is it a part of so many people’s job history? Busser is one of a handful of tried-and-true entry-level jobs (along with retail cashier, grocery bagger and quick food service positions) that makes it easy to get started building work experience. Once you have that first position on your resume, it’s much easier to get the next –assuming you do a great job and walk away with a reference and some fundamental job skills. So what does it take to be a great busser?
Busser job description: Job Skills & Requirements
Education: You need to communicate clearly and respectfully with patrons and staff. There are no formal educational requirements for this position.
Attention to detail: Is the water getting low in the glasses over on table six? Will the waiter need help carrying those eight plates of food to the table? Is the kitchen trash can getting ready to overflow? Noticing situations (and addressing) them before they become problems is a busser’s specialty.
Endurance: During busy shifts you’ll be on your feet and moving almost all the time. Lifting, cleaning, carrying and generally moving as fast as your feet can carry you to support wait staff and kitchen staff.
Expected Hours:
Hours vary by employer, widely. From establishments open only a few select hours a day or specific days a week, to restaurants open 24 hours every day, shifts are all over the map. That means there’s plenty of flexibility and you should be able to pick one that works pretty well for you. (If you’re a night owl, we don’t recommend you go out for a breakfast location, likewise to the early birds and all-night diners.)
Dress the Part:
Black dress pants and a white button down shirt are usually a safe bet, but specific employers may have alternative dress codes. If possible, check out the place before your interview and arrive dressed similarly to the wait staff.
Job Myth:
Bussing tables is a dead-end job
If the list of famous bussers wasn’t enough for you, then let us put it to you another way. Yes, bussing tables is an entry-level job. It’s hard work and doesn’t pay much. But if you do well you can be promoted to wait staff, host/hostess or prep cook – and that’s just inside the restaurant industry. The time management, attention to detail, endurance and people skills you can pick up bussing tables will serve you well in almost any industry. So work hard and you’ll walk away with experience that can help you land an even better position next time.
Career Paths:
Wait staff (Averages $22,000/year)
Line Cook (Averages $23,000/year)
Industries
Restaurant
Similar Positions
Host / Hostess, Wait Staff, Expo
Extra Perks
Flexible schedule
Percentage of tips