Serveersters

Serveersters are women employed in the hospitality industry who perform front-of-house duties in restaurants, cafés, hotels, and catering operations. The role focuses on customer service and the presentation and delivery of food and beverages.

Typical duties include greeting guests, seating them, presenting menus, taking orders, serving dishes and drinks, refilling, clearing tables, processing payments, and ensuring a clean and welcoming dining area. They coordinate with kitchen staff and bar staff and may upsell specials.

Training and qualifications are often gained on the job, though vocational programs in hospitality or food and beverage service are common in many countries. Knowledge of food safety, allergen information, and basic arithmetic is valuable. The job typically involves part-time or flexible hours, including evenings and weekends, and wages are governed by national minimum wage rules and sector agreements in the hospitality industry; tips may be customary in some countries.

The term serveerster is gender-specific, referring to female staff, with the plural form serveersters. Some workplaces use gender-neutral terms such as bedieningsmedewerker or horecamedewerker to describe front-of-house staff. The profession often serves as an entry point into the hospitality sector and can be a common first job for younger workers, while it also presents challenges such as a fast-paced environment, physical demands, and handling diverse customer expectations.