Host/Hostess - Yakiya

As a Host/Hostess, you play a critical role in the restaurant by creating the first and last impression for our guests. Your ability to run a smooth shift ensures the night’s effectiveness, making guests feel welcome and taken care of while delivering exceptional service. You’ll orchestrate table turnover, maximize seating efficiency, and ensure a seamless dining experience for both dine-in and takeout guests.

As an Associate, you’ll uphold high standards of integrity and ethics in compliance with Company Policies. You’ll maintain a safe and welcoming environment for guests and team members in an open-kitchen setting, interacting with individuals of all ages, including minors and seniors.

Responsibilities

• Greet and welcome guests promptly and warmly; provide menus and seat parties, ensuring tables are distributed evenly among service stations.
• Guide guests to their tables, assist with carrying drinks if needed, and seat them courteously.
• Answer immediate questions about the menu, beverages, and alert servers of any special needs.
• Demonstrate thorough menu knowledge, including taste profiling, ingredients, and sauces, to guide guests in creating balanced meals.
• Engage in suggestive selling to maximize sales opportunities.
• Accommodate special seating needs, such as extra chairs, booster seats, and high chairs for children.
• Answer telephones, take messages, confirm reservations, pre-plan seating for balanced stations, and handle "to go" orders.
• Ensure 100% accuracy in orders and special requests, and assist kitchen staff in assembling "to go" orders.
• Present orders to guests, process payments, and respond to requests or complaints, escalating to servers or managers as needed.
• Assist servers with serving beverages, wine, and cocktails.
• Perform opening or closing routines, including cleaning tasks in the front desk/lobby area.
• Assist with cleaning tasks to maintain a safe and welcoming dining room.
• Complete side jobs or miscellaneous administrative tasks as assigned by the General Manager or Assistant Manager.

Requirements

• High school graduate (restaurant experience a plus).
• Must be 18 years of age to carry alcoholic beverages.
• Clean, neat appearance and good personal hygiene at all times.
• Courteous, enthusiastic communication style with the ability to interact effectively with guests.

Work Environment

While performing duties, counter areas are often hot with steam from steam tables and food vapors. Workspace is restricted, and employees are generally expected to remain standing for long periods. Tasks include preparing hot and cold foods, using kitchen equipment, and working quickly without losing accuracy. Employees must be able to:

• Lift up to 50 lbs.
• Stand for up to four hours.
• Reach across countertops measured at 36 inches to serve customers.
• Work in a fast-paced, high-noise environment with limited storage space and high shelving.
• Adapt to a dynamic environment with changing priorities and manage conflicts or difficult situations effectively.

Benefits

• Progressive compensation package and bonus opportunities.
• Paid training to prepare you for success.
• Ongoing career and leadership development.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance for full-time associates.
• Voluntary short-term disability and cancer income protection insurance.
• Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts.
• 401K with company match.
• Paid time off, including vacation, sick leave, bereavement/funeral leave, and a Leave Share Program for eligible associates.
• Associate discounts for many brands and free meals while working.
• Referral bonus for eligible associates.
• Opportunities to give back to your community.
• Opportunities for growth into management positions.
• Pre-Tax Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account.

Pay

Pay Range: $17.81 per hour - $20.81 per hour. Within the range, individual pay is determined using factors such as work location and experience.