What details should I include about pay in a Head Waiter job description?

Date modified: 22nd September 2025 | This FAQ page has been written by Pilla Founder, Liam Jones, click to email Liam directly, he reads every email.

Maitre d' Interview Template

This interview template provides a structured approach to interviewing maitre d' candidates. Use this guide to conduct consistent, fair interviews and objectively score responses. Use weighted scoring to get an accurate overall assessment - score each area 1-5, then calculate your final weighted score using the formula provided.

Review candidate's CV and fine dining experience thoroughly
Prepare interview room with professional, upscale atmosphere
Have scoring sheets, pen, water, and service standards documentation available
Ensure interview will not be interrupted for 50 minutes
Review current service protocols, wine list, and guest experience standards
Prepare scenarios for guest interaction and service assessment
Have reservation system and floor plan available for discussion
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5 - Excellent: Extensive fine dining experience with clear front-of-house leadership examples
4 - Good: Good fine dining background with relevant leadership experience
3 - Average: Some fine dining experience but limited leadership responsibility
2 - Below Average: Limited fine dining or leadership experience for maitre d' level
1 - Poor: Insufficient fine dining or leadership experience for this role
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5 - Excellent: Sophisticated service flow management with excellent reservation and seating strategies
4 - Good: Good service management with practical flow control experience
3 - Average: Basic service flow understanding with adequate management skills
2 - Below Average: Limited service flow management or poor organizational skills
1 - Poor: Cannot manage service flow at maitre d' level
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5 - Excellent: Comprehensive training approach with excellent service standard development
4 - Good: Good training skills with practical service standard implementation
3 - Average: Basic training abilities with some service standard awareness
2 - Below Average: Limited training experience or poor service standard understanding
1 - Poor: Cannot train staff or maintain service standards effectively
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5 - Excellent: Extensive wine knowledge with sophisticated wine service and sommelier collaboration
4 - Good: Good wine knowledge with practical wine service experience
3 - Average: Basic wine knowledge but adequate service capabilities
2 - Below Average: Limited wine knowledge or poor wine service skills
1 - Poor: No wine knowledge suitable for fine dining maitre d' role
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5 - Excellent: Excellent VIP service with sophisticated experience creation and personalization
4 - Good: Good VIP handling with practical special occasion experience
3 - Average: Basic VIP service with some special occasion awareness
2 - Below Average: Limited VIP experience or poor personalization skills
1 - Poor: Cannot provide VIP service at maitre d' level
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5 - Excellent: Excellent service recovery with sophisticated relationship management and guest retention
4 - Good: Good complaint handling with effective service recovery techniques
3 - Average: Basic complaint resolution with adequate recovery efforts
2 - Below Average: Limited service recovery or poor relationship management
1 - Poor: Cannot handle service recovery at maitre d' level
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5 - Excellent: Excellent departmental coordination with sophisticated communication and service integration
4 - Good: Good coordination skills with effective interdepartmental communication
3 - Average: Basic coordination abilities with adequate communication
2 - Below Average: Limited coordination or poor interdepartmental communication
1 - Poor: Cannot coordinate effectively with other departments
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5 - Excellent: Strong business understanding with proven revenue generation while maintaining service quality
4 - Good: Good business awareness with practical sales and service balance
3 - Average: Basic business understanding but limited revenue focus
2 - Below Average: Limited business acumen or poor sales/service balance
1 - Poor: No understanding of business contribution or revenue generation
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5 - Excellent: Sophisticated VIP handling with multiple creative solutions and relationship preservation
4 - Good: Good VIP service with practical solutions and professional approach
3 - Average: Basic VIP handling with adequate problem-solving
2 - Below Average: Poor VIP service or limited solution creativity
1 - Poor: Cannot handle VIP situations appropriately
Demonstrates exceptional professional presentation and gravitas
Shows sophisticated communication skills and cultural awareness
Exhibits leadership presence and ability to command respect from staff
Expresses passion for fine dining and creating exceptional guest experiences
Shows understanding of luxury service standards and attention to detail
Indicates availability for fine dining service hours including evenings and weekends
Asks sophisticated questions about service philosophy and guest experience standards

Weighted scoring: Rate each area 1-5, then multiply by the decimal shown (35% = 0.35). Example: If Guest Experience = 4, then 4 x 0.35 = 1.4. Add all results for your final score. Maximum possible score is 5.0.

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Strong Hire - Offer position immediately
Hire - Good candidate, offer position
Maybe - Conduct service observation or final interview with ownership
Probably Not - Significant concerns, unlikely to hire
Do Not Hire - Not suitable for this role

When writing a job description for a Head Waiter, it's important to clearly state the salary range. Include any bonuses or benefits that are part of the compensation package. This helps potential candidates understand their earnings and assess if the job meets their financial needs.

Common misunderstanding: Job descriptions only need base salary mentions.

Just listing the base salary isn't enough. Include all forms of compensation, such as bonuses, health benefits, or meal allowances, to give a complete picture of what the job offers. This transparency helps attract candidates who are looking for both financial and job satisfaction.

Let's say you are a maitre d' candidate comparing job offers. One position shows £35,000 base salary, whilst another shows £30,000 plus bonuses, health insurance, and meal allowances. The second offer might actually be more valuable despite the lower base salary.

Common misunderstanding: Exact figures are necessary in job postings.

While it's helpful to provide a specific salary range, you can also state that the salary is 'competitive' or 'negotiable' based on experience and qualifications. This allows some flexibility in negotiating salaries with candidates who have exceptional skills or experience.

Let's say you are a maitre d' with exceptional wine knowledge and VIP service experience. A posting stating "£28,000-£35,000 based on experience" gives room for negotiation, whereas a fixed "£30,000" leaves no flexibility for recognising your premium skills.

How do I communicate additional earnings such as tips in the job description?

Clearly mention any potential earnings from tips in the job description for a Head Waiter. Specify whether tips are pooled or individual, and if there are any general expectations or averages that candidates might expect. This clarity can be a significant factor in attracting the right candidates.

Common misunderstanding: Tips are automatically understood in hospitality compensation.

Never assume candidates know that tips are included or how they are handled. Explicitly stating how tips are managed removes any ambiguity and helps candidates understand their potential total earnings.

Let's say you are a maitre d' candidate considering a position. Without clear information about tip arrangements, you can't determine if tips are pooled among all staff, kept individually, or shared only with servers, significantly affecting your potential earnings.

Common misunderstanding: Exact tip amounts can be estimated.

Avoid promising specific amounts in tips as earnings can vary widely. Instead, provide a realistic range or average based on past data, which gives candidates a good idea without setting fixed expectations.

Let's say you are a maitre d' reading a job description promising "£200 weekly in tips." This figure might be accurate during busy summer months but unrealistic during quiet winter periods. A range like "£100-£300 weekly depending on season" is more honest.

What are some best practices for being transparent about salary and compensation?

Transparency in salary and compensation starts with clear, honest communication. List all components of the compensation package, including base salary, bonuses, tips, and any benefits like health insurance or pension contributions. Also, explain any conditions or performance metrics that affect these earnings.

Common misunderstanding: Transparency means disclosing maximum salary only.

Transparency involves providing a range that reflects both the starting and potential growth in salary based on performance and tenure. This shows candidates the growth potential within the role and the company.

Let's say you are a maitre d' candidate seeing a salary range of "£25,000-£40,000." This shows you could start at the lower end but have clear progression potential, unlike a posting showing only "up to £40,000" which doesn't indicate starting expectations.

Common misunderstanding: Benefits aren't part of compensation discussions.

Benefits are a crucial part of the compensation package. Clearly outline what is offered beyond the salary, such as training opportunities, staff meals, or family discounts. These details can significantly enhance the attractiveness of the job offer.

Let's say you are a maitre d' comparing two £30,000 positions. One includes free meals, health insurance, and training courses whilst the other offers salary only. The total value of the first position is significantly higher despite identical base pay.