Job Description of a Maître d'
A maitre d' is the first point of contact when you visit a restaurant. Sometimes known as a host or hostess, the maitre d' will escort you to your seat in a restaurant. Maitre d's provide a personalized dining experience; their job is to ensure that your entire dining experience is pleasant and positive.
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Responsibilities
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A maitre d' greets and escorts customers to their seats. He must know the layout of the restaurant because he must place customers in areas where the waiters and waitresses have an equal amount of customers to serve. A maitre d' resolves any complaints or conflicts that occur during a dining experience. He may take reservations over the phone and organize designated areas for groups and special events. He may also act as a cashier, depending on the restaurant.
Environment
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Depending on the establishment, a maitre d' may find herself on her feet for long periods of time. She will have to greet each customer with a smile and be able to resolve issues during a customers' dining experience. She may work a regular full-time schedule or part-time. A maitre d's is usually paid hourly and rarely receives tips from patrons. She is usually stationed near the front door of the restaurant or before entering the dining section.
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Skills
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A maitre d' must be a "people person" with great customer service skills. He must be able to problem-solve and negotiate, have good communication skills and be an effective listeners. A maitre d' must also have mathematical skills in the event he must operate the cash register. A maitre d' is highly organized when dealing with reservations and knowing where to place customers in the dining area.
Education
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According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there isn't a specific or formal education necessary to be a maitre d'. Employers may require maitre d's to be high school graduates. Restaurants can hire maitre d's while they are still pursuing their high school education or equivalent. Employers may also train maitre d's in-house on the restaurant's policies and procedures.
Salary
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According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, maitre d's can earn hourly wages of approximately $8.52. The type of restaurant, location and years of experience may result in a higher hourly rate for maitre d's.
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References
- Photo Credit restaurant image by Svetlana Kashkina from Fotolia.com
