How to Use the Restaurant Host Onboarding Template

Why structured restaurant host onboarding matters

The host is the first person your guests meet and the last person they see before they leave. Those two moments — arrival and departure — shape the entire dining experience more than most restaurants realise. A warm, confident host who seats guests thoughtfully and manages the flow of the restaurant makes everyone else's job easier. A poorly trained one creates bottlenecks, frustrates servers, and sends guests to their table already feeling neglected.

Many restaurants treat hosting as a simple job that anyone can pick up in an afternoon. But the reality is different. A good host reads the room, balances server workloads, manages expectations during a wait, communicates with the kitchen about pacing, and handles complaints before they reach a manager. Those skills don't develop by accident.

This template gives your new host a structured five-day programme that builds from layout orientation through to leadership and innovation. Each day includes assessment questions so you can spot knowledge gaps early, and success indicators so both you and your new host know what "good" looks like at each stage.

Day 1: Foundation and Restaurant Orientation

The first day is about building the knowledge base your host needs to seat guests intelligently and answer questions confidently. Before they can manage the door, they need to understand the building, the systems, and the people they'll be working with.

Restaurant Layout and Systems Orientation

Why this matters: A host who hesitates over table numbers or can't find a section on the floor plan loses credibility with guests and slows down the entire operation. They need the layout in their head so completely that they can make seating decisions without thinking about where things are.

How to deliver this training:

• Walk the floor during a quiet period with a printed floor plan, marking table numbers, section boundaries, and seating capacities together
• Spend proper time on the reservation system — don't just show the basics. Cover booking modifications, waitlist management, and how to handle no-shows
• Introduce the POS system focusing on host-relevant features: table status tracking, guest notes, and how to communicate with the service team through the system
• Walk the full guest journey from the front door through seating to departure, explaining how the host's actions at each point affect the rest of the experience

Customisation tips:

• Restaurants with outdoor seating should treat it as a separate zone with its own capacity rules and weather considerations
• Multi-room operations should explain how different dining areas serve different purposes (private dining, bar dining, main floor) and when to use each

Team Integration and Role Clarification

Why this matters: The host sits at the intersection of every department. They need to know who the servers are, how the bar operates, and what the kitchen's capacity looks like at any given moment. Building these relationships on Day 1 means the host can communicate effectively from their very first shift.

How to deliver this training:

• Introduce them to every server, bartender, and manager by name and explain each person's section or area of responsibility
• Have them shadow an experienced host for at least one full service period, taking notes on how seating decisions are made and how communication flows
• Walk through restaurant policies together, focusing on the ones the host needs to apply directly: booking cancellation rules, dress code, and no-show procedures
• Set up all communication tools before they arrive — headsets, messaging apps, or whatever your team uses during service

Customisation tips:

• In restaurants where the host also manages coat check or valet coordination, add these responsibilities to the introductions
• If your operation runs different team structures at lunch versus dinner, explain both and how the host's role changes between them

Guest Interaction Fundamentals

Why this matters: First impressions are formed in seconds. The way your host greets a guest, makes eye contact, and reads the situation sets the emotional tone for the entire meal. Getting this right from the start is what separates a professional host from someone who just shows people to a table.

How to deliver this training:

• Practise greetings together — demonstrate the difference between a genuine welcome and a scripted one, and let the new host find their natural style
• Discuss how to read guests quickly: a couple on a date wants a different approach from a family with young children or a business group
• Talk about the psychology of first impressions — body language, eye contact, pace of speech, and how these change depending on the guest
• Walk through timing and pacing: when to seat immediately, when to offer a drink at the bar first, and how to gauge whether a guest is in a rush or wants to linger

Customisation tips:

• Fine dining restaurants should spend more time on formal greeting protocols and escort procedures
• Casual restaurants can focus on warmth, speed, and managing high volumes of arrivals simultaneously

Assessment Questions

Use these questions to check understanding at the end of Day 1. Have a quick conversation with your new starter — this isn't a formal exam, but a chance to identify gaps and reinforce key learning.

How to use these questions effectively:

• Ask them to walk you through the floor plan from memory, naming tables and sections
• Test reservation system knowledge by having them look up a booking and make a modification
• Note areas where additional support is needed and plan to revisit them on Day 2

Success Indicators

By the end of Day 1, your new host should be demonstrating these behaviours. If any are missing, revisit the relevant training section before moving to Day 2.

Day 1 Notes

Record observations about how Day 1 went — what the new starter picked up quickly, areas needing extra support, and any adjustments to the remaining training days.

Day 2: Seating Management and Communication

Day 2 is where hosting becomes strategic. Knowing the floor plan is one thing; using it intelligently to balance server workloads, manage kitchen capacity, and keep guests happy is another skill entirely. This is the day your host learns to think operationally.

Table Management and Section Balancing

Why this matters: Seating guests isn't random. Every decision the host makes affects how busy each server is, how fast the kitchen has to work, and whether guests wait too long or get rushed. Strategic seating is the difference between a smooth service and a chaotic one.

How to deliver this training:

• Review each server's section together and explain the logic behind the layout — why certain tables are grouped, and which sections are heavier than others
• Practise table turnover tracking: show how to estimate when a table will be available based on where they are in their meal
• Run through seating scenarios: a two-top arriving when all two-tops are occupied, a walk-in party of six on a busy Saturday, a guest requesting a specific table that's in an overloaded section
• Cover special seating requirements in detail: wheelchair access, high chairs, quiet tables for business meetings, and how VIP preferences override normal rotation

Customisation tips:

• Restaurants with a mix of booth and open seating should explain when each is appropriate and how guest preferences should be balanced against operational needs
• If your operation uses a digital table management system, spend extra time on the technology — but always emphasise that the system supports decisions, it doesn't make them

Internal Communication Systems

Why this matters: The host is the communication hub of the restaurant. They connect guests with servers, servers with the kitchen, and everyone with management. When communication breaks down at the host stand, it breaks down everywhere.

How to deliver this training:

• Practise server notification protocols: how to alert a server that a new table is seated, pass on special requests, and communicate timing needs
• Walk through kitchen communication — how the host helps pace the restaurant by controlling when tables are sat, and how to communicate with the kitchen about large parties or special dietary needs
• Establish clear procedures for management updates: when to flag long wait times, VIP arrivals, or developing problems
• Practise coordinating with bussers and food runners — show how a quick word from the host about a table nearly finished can speed up the reset

Customisation tips:

• Restaurants using headset systems should dedicate practice time to clear, concise radio communication
• Operations without technology-based communication need to focus on physical communication — hand signals, floor presence, and strategic positioning

Wait Time Management and Guest Communication

Why this matters: How a host handles the wait is often what determines whether a guest stays or walks out. Over-promising leads to frustrated guests, and under-promising means empty tables. Getting this right is part maths, part people skills.

How to deliver this training:

• Teach a systematic approach to estimating wait times: current table status, average turn time for the period, and known variables (large parties, slow kitchen)
• Practise the conversation: how to quote a wait time, what to offer while guests wait (bar seating, menus to browse), and how to update if the wait extends
• Discuss fairness and transparency — guests who can see empty tables while they wait need a clear explanation of why they can't sit yet
• Walk through your waitlist system and how to manage it during high-volume periods without losing track

Customisation tips:

• Restaurants with a bar area should train the host to actively sell the bar wait as a positive part of the experience, not just a holding pen
• Walk-in heavy operations should focus on quick, accurate assessment techniques, while reservation-heavy restaurants should focus on managing overbooking and late arrivals

Assessment Questions

Check these at the end of Day 2. By now your host should be making thoughtful seating decisions and communicating clearly with the service team.

How to use these questions effectively:

• Present a seating scenario and ask them to talk through their decision-making process
• Have them demonstrate how they'd communicate a new table to a server and relay a special request
• Note any areas of hesitation for follow-up during Day 3

Success Indicators

By the end of Day 2, your host should be demonstrating strategic thinking about seating decisions rather than just filling the next available table. If they're still seating reactively, spend more time on section balancing before moving to Day 3.

Day 2 Notes

Record how your host handled the table management and communication training — decision-making quality, communication style, and confidence level during practice scenarios.

Day 3: Customer Service Excellence and Problem Resolution

Day 3 elevates your host from operational coordinator to guest experience specialist. The skills covered today — personalised service, complaint handling, and managing special requests — are what turn first-time visitors into regulars.

Guest Experience Enhancement

Why this matters: A host who remembers a regular's name, knows how to make a birthday feel special, and sends guests off with a genuine farewell creates loyalty that no marketing campaign can match. These personal touches are what guests talk about and what brings them back.

How to deliver this training:

• Practise recognition techniques: how to check the reservation system for returning guests, note preferences, and use this information naturally during the greeting
• Walk through your special occasion procedures step by step — who gets informed, what preparation is needed, and how to coordinate timing with the service team
• Build restaurant knowledge by quizzing on menu highlights, chef specialties, and the story behind the restaurant — guests ask the host these questions constantly
• Practise farewell interactions: how to ask about the meal, respond to feedback on the spot, and encourage return visits without sounding scripted

Customisation tips:

• Restaurants with a strong regular guest base should invest more time in recognition systems and building a personal database of preferences
• New or recently opened restaurants should focus on building initial guest relationships and creating reasons for return visits

Complaint Handling and Problem Resolution

Why this matters: The host often hears complaints first — about the wait, the table, or the reservation that went wrong. How they handle that initial moment determines whether the situation gets resolved quietly or escalates into something that affects the whole dining room.

How to deliver this training:

• Role-play the most common host-specific complaints: "We've been waiting longer than you said", "We don't like this table", "Our reservation isn't in the system"
• Teach the escalation ladder: what the host can resolve independently (table change, apology), what needs a manager (compensation, serious complaint), and how to hand off smoothly
• Practise service recovery techniques — the goal is to turn a frustrated guest into someone who leaves impressed by how well the problem was handled
• Discuss documentation: when to record an incident, what to note, and how this information helps the restaurant improve

Customisation tips:

• High-volume restaurants should focus on efficiency in complaint handling — resolving issues quickly without creating a queue at the host stand
• Restaurants where the host manages phone bookings as well should practise handling complaints that come in by phone, where body language isn't available

Special Requests and Accommodation Management

Why this matters: Every guest thinks their request is reasonable, and most of the time they're right. A host who can accommodate dietary needs, seat a last-minute large party, and manage VIP expectations without disrupting the operation is genuinely valuable.

How to deliver this training:

• Walk through common dietary restriction scenarios and explain the host's role: capturing information accurately at booking, confirming on arrival, and communicating to the server and kitchen
• Practise managing large group arrivals — how to handle a party of 12 when only 8 have arrived, where to seat them, and how to communicate timing to the kitchen
• Discuss VIP and regular guest management: how to balance their preferences with operational reality, and when to say "let me see what I can do" versus "I'm afraid that's not possible tonight"
• Talk about the skill of saying no gracefully — not every request can be accommodated, and the host needs to decline without making the guest feel unvalued

Customisation tips:

• Restaurants with allergen-intensive menus should spend extra time on allergen communication protocols between host, server, and kitchen
• If your operation handles private dining or semi-private spaces, train the host on the booking and setup process for these areas

Assessment Questions

Day 3 covers the most guest-facing skills. Use these questions to check that your host is developing genuine confidence in handling people, not just following scripts.

How to use these questions effectively:

• Role-play a complaint scenario and observe their response — look for empathy, ownership, and practical resolution
• Ask them to describe three menu highlights without looking at the menu
• Present a special request that requires balancing guest desire with operational reality and see how they handle it

Success Indicators

By end of Day 3, your host should be handling guest interactions with warmth and confidence. If they're still relying heavily on scripted responses or freezing during complaint scenarios, schedule extra role-play practice before Day 4.

Day 3 Notes

Note which guest interaction skills came naturally and which need more development. Pay particular attention to their complaint handling approach and how authentic they are in guest conversations.

Day 4: Advanced Operations and Rush Management

Day 4 tests everything your host has learned under pressure. Peak periods are where good hosts prove themselves — maintaining calm, making fast decisions, and keeping every department coordinated when the restaurant is at full capacity.

Peak Period Management

Why this matters: A busy Friday night is when your host earns their keep. The skills that work during a quiet Tuesday — careful consideration of each seating decision, leisurely greetings — need to be adapted for speed without losing quality. A host who falls apart during a rush drags the whole restaurant down with them.

How to deliver this training:

• Walk through your pre-rush preparation checklist: reviewing the booking sheet, briefing the team, preparing the waitlist system, and checking table status
• Practise waitlist management under simulated pressure — multiple parties arriving at once, phone ringing, servers asking for updates
• Teach pacing techniques: how to control the rate of seating to prevent the kitchen from getting overwhelmed, without guests noticing the deliberate delay
• Discuss multi-tasking strategies: greeting a new arrival while managing a phone call, updating the waitlist, and answering a server's question about a table

Customisation tips:

• Brunch-heavy operations should focus on the unique challenges of weekend brunch rushes: large groups, pushchairs, longer occupancy times
• Restaurants with staggered reservation times should explain how to use time slots strategically to manage kitchen and server capacity

Cross-Departmental Coordination

Why this matters: During a rush, the host becomes the traffic controller for the entire restaurant. If they're not communicating with the kitchen about incoming volume, coordinating with the bar about wait area capacity, and keeping management informed about developing issues, problems compound quickly.

How to deliver this training:

• Practise kitchen communication — how to let the kitchen know about a sudden influx without causing panic, and how to pace large party arrivals to prevent a wall of orders
• Demonstrate bar coordination: when guests are waiting, the bar is your ally. Show the host how to manage the relationship between wait times and bar seating
• Walk through management partnership protocols — when the host should involve a manager in an operational decision versus handling it themselves
• Practise directing support staff during a rush: clear, concise requests to bussers about table priority and to food runners about timing

Customisation tips:

• Open kitchen restaurants should explain how visible kitchen stress affects guest perception and how the host can manage seating to keep the kitchen calm
• If your operation has a sommelier or bar manager who interacts with guests at the table, coordinate the host's seating decisions with their workflow

Advanced Reservation Management

Why this matters: Complex reservation scenarios — group bookings, private dining, strategic overbooking — require a host who understands the commercial side of the role. Getting these right means more covers without more chaos. Getting them wrong means empty tables or impossible situations.

How to deliver this training:

• Walk through group reservation protocols from booking through to arrival: how to capture requirements, communicate with the kitchen, and manage the seating logistics
• Discuss table turn optimisation — how reservation spacing affects the number of covers you can seat in an evening, and how to spot gaps that could be filled
• Practise VIP booking management: capturing preferences, flagging to the team, and preparing for arrival
• If your operation allows overbooking, explain the strategy, the risks, and how to manage the situation when every booking turns up

Customisation tips:

• Restaurants that host regular private events should train the host on event booking procedures, including deposits and menu selection coordination
• Walk-in focused operations can spend less time on advanced reservation strategy and more time on queue management and real-time capacity estimation

Assessment Questions

Day 4 tests performance under pressure. Use these questions to check that your host can maintain quality when the pace picks up.

How to use these questions effectively:

• Simulate a rush period with rapid-fire seating decisions and communication tasks
• Present a complex reservation scenario and observe their problem-solving approach
• Check that they're proactively communicating with other departments, not just reacting

Success Indicators

By end of Day 4, your host should be demonstrating calm under pressure and making fast, sound decisions during busy periods. If they're still getting flustered during simulated rushes, schedule additional practice during a real service before moving to Day 5.

Day 4 Notes

Record how your host performed under pressure. Note their decision-making speed, communication clarity, and whether they maintained guest-facing quality during busy scenarios.

Day 5: Leadership Development and Performance Review

The final day looks beyond the immediate skills of hosting towards the leadership qualities that make a host truly exceptional. A great host doesn't just manage the door — they influence the pace, standard, and energy of the entire front-of-house operation.

Team Leadership Development

Why this matters: Experienced hosts become informal leaders of the front-of-house team. They set the pace of service, influence server morale through fair section management, and spot problems before they develop. Building these leadership skills early creates a host who elevates the whole team.

How to deliver this training:

• Discuss the host's mentoring role — when new staff or host assistants join, the experienced host becomes their primary trainer. Talk about how to teach effectively while still managing the door
• Demonstrate how the host controls service pace: seating speed affects kitchen timing, which affects food quality, which affects guest satisfaction. Show how subtle adjustments make a difference
• Have them prepare and deliver a short pre-shift briefing to the front-of-house team, covering expected covers, VIPs, and any operational notes
• Walk through problem anticipation — what to look for in the booking sheet, the weather forecast, local events, or staff roster that might affect the shift

Customisation tips:

• Restaurants with a host team (multiple hosts per shift) should focus on how the lead host coordinates the team and delegates responsibilities
• Single-host operations should focus on self-management and how to maintain energy and focus during long solo shifts

Performance Review and Goal Setting

Why this matters: Clear expectations and regular feedback prevent misunderstandings and give your host a benchmark to work towards. Setting goals at the end of the training week creates momentum for continued development.

How to deliver this training:

• Review the full five days together: walk through each area of training and discuss where they feel strong and where they'd like more practice
• Introduce the key performance indicators for the host role — these might include average wait time accuracy, guest complaint rate, or table turn efficiency
• Create a personal development plan together with specific skill targets and timelines
• Agree on a feedback schedule: weekly check-ins for the first month, then fortnightly, with a formal review at 90 days

Customisation tips:

• If your restaurant tracks host-specific metrics through the POS or reservation system, show them how to access their own data
• Smaller operations can keep the development plan simple — three goals for the next month, reviewed informally over coffee

Advanced Guest Experience Innovation

Why this matters: The best hosts don't just follow procedures — they find ways to make the experience better. Encouraging this creative thinking early turns a competent host into one who actively improves your restaurant's reputation.

How to deliver this training:

• Discuss what makes your restaurant's welcome unique and brainstorm ideas for signature touches that the host can own
• Talk about creating memorable moments for repeat guests and special occasions — small gestures that don't cost much but leave a lasting impression
• Encourage the host to start collecting and sharing guest feedback, not just noting complaints but identifying what people love
• Discuss how the host can contribute ideas for service improvement through regular team meetings or suggestion processes

Customisation tips:

• Restaurants with a strong brand identity should focus innovation on ideas that align with the brand rather than generic hospitality touches
• If your operation runs a loyalty or CRM programme, show the host how their guest observations can feed into the system

Assessment Questions

These final assessment questions check whether your host is ready to own the role. Focus on self-awareness, leadership instinct, and the ability to think beyond day-to-day tasks.

How to use these questions effectively:

• Ask open-ended questions that reveal thinking: "What would you change about how we manage Friday evenings?"
• Look for evidence of ownership and initiative rather than passive compliance
• Be honest about areas that still need development and agree a plan for continued support

Success Indicators

These are the markers of a host who's ready to run the door independently. If all four are present, your onboarding has been successful. If any are missing, extend supported working before stepping back completely.

Day 5 Notes

Record your final assessment of the onboarding period. Note strengths, development areas, and any agreed next steps for continued training.

Making the most of this template

Five days is a guideline, not a rigid rule. If your new host works part-time, stretch the programme across more shifts so each training day gets full attention. Rushing through the material to hit a deadline defeats the purpose — hosting skills need practice and repetition to become natural.

Use the notes sections at the end of each day to build a record of your host's development. These notes are valuable for performance reviews, identifying training patterns across multiple new starters, and demonstrating due diligence if a service issue occurs.

The assessment questions and success indicators create accountability for both the trainer and the trainee. If a host isn't meeting the success indicators by the end of each day, that's useful information — it might mean the training needs adjusting, the pace needs slowing, or additional support is needed.

Consider pairing your new host with an experienced one for their first few busy services. Even if your operation normally runs a single host, having a buddy available during that first Saturday night rush gives your new starter a safety net and a source of real-time advice that no training manual can replace.