Waiter/Waitress Cover Letter Sample | Free Download

Waiter/Waitress
Cover Letter Example

Land more interviews with the help of our downloadable waiter/waitress cover letter example. We also provide cover letter writing tips designed to help service-industry members improve their job prospects.

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Text Format

[Today’s Date]

[Hiring Manager’s Name]

[341 Company Address]

[Company City, State XXXXX]

[(XXX) XXX-XXXX]

[hiring.manager@gmail.com]

Dear [Mr./Mrs./Ms.] [Manager’s Name],

I’m writing to you with regards to applying to the waitress role I saw on [Website Name]. With over five years of experience providing excellent service to diners at quality establishments, I know that I’m a strong candidate to fill out your team.

While working as a waitress at the Longhorn Grill in Los Angeles, I learned the ins and outs of the industry, including food handling techniques and how to take orders efficiently in a 120+ seat restaurant. I also served as a hostess and waitress at Mike’s Fancy Kitchen, where I was introduced to bussing tables and proper cleaning techniques for maintaining a hygienic dining experience.

My accomplishments include:

Memorizing Longhorn’s wine stock and the appropriate entrée pairings, leading to daily wine sales averaging $180
Assisting in the training of 6 new waiters that helped boost the restaurant’s performance
Implementing new menu introduction strategies, increasing customer purchases of wine by 10% on average

All my experience and skills would make me a great new addition to your establishment. I have attached my resume, which contains a more in-depth look at my experiences and skills. I look forward to hearing from you, and would love to visit your restaurant for an interview. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

Cover Letter Tips for Waiters & Waitresses

Learning how to put together a cover letter for the specific job(s) you want will help you land more interviews.

If you’re great with people and can keep up with the fast pace of a busy restaurant, you have what every restaurant manager seeks in a waiter or waitress.

Prove you’re their ideal candidate by pairing your resume with an exceptional waitress/waiter cover letter.

Follow these three tips to write a service industry cover letter that gets you the job:

1. Highlight waiter/waitress skills

As a waiter/waitress, you’re responsible for setting tables, explaining menu items, and taking orders. So the right balance of hard and soft skills is needed to facilitate a successful dining experience for patrons.

That said, employers will prioritize your soft skills because this is a service-oriented role. For example, people skills and customer service skills are key waitress/waiter skills you should emphasize in your cover letter.

If you don’t have much waiter/waitress experience, you may highlight experience from other client-facing roles to show you can deliver an exceptional customer service experience to patrons.

Here are key waiter/waitress skills to include in your cover letter:

Communication skills
Time management skills
Interpersonal skills
Active listening
Memorization
Patience
Attention to detail
Prioritization
Sales skills
Teamwork
Problem-solving skills
Conflict resolution
Coordination
Professional demeanor
Physical stamina
Menu knowledge
Bartending skills
Health and safety protocols for handling food
Basic math
Point of sale (POS) systems

2. Open with a strong introductory paragraph

Working in the service industry has few formal requirements, so it’s a common entry-level position for people seeking part or full-time work.

If you want to ensure your job application catches the attention of the hiring manager, lead with a strong cover letter introduction to explain why you’re the perfect waiter or waitress for the gig.

Here’s how to craft an impressive waiter/waitress cover letter introduction:

Show your excitement for the job opportunity. Because this is a client-facing job, show employers that you not only have the skills, but also the passion to drive a great dining experience for patrons.
Take a closer look at the posting to identify job-specific skills. Tailor your cover letter to the job by aligning your talents with what they’re specifically looking for in new hires.
Lead with an outstanding achievement that touches upon your knack for great service

3. Emphasize your multitasking skills

As a waiter/waitress, you’ll spend most of your time running around to fulfill your customers’ requests. Restaurant managers seek employees who can perform various tasks efficiently while maintaining a friendly and professional demeanor.

In your cover letter, emphasize your multitasking skills to show them you can effectively prioritize your tasks and ensure everything runs smoothly at a busy dining establishment.

For example, talk about your experience ensuring customers had a pleasant dining experience in a 120+ seat restaurant and how you boosted performance by implementing new menu introduction strategies and making appropriate entrée pairings.

Still have a few burning questions? Check out our frequently asked questions for more help, or try building your waitress/waiter cover letter with our cover letter builder.