For many people, a job as a food and beverage service worker serves as a source of immediate income rather than a career. Many entrants to these jobs are in their late teens or early twenties and have a high school education or less. Usually, they have little or no work experience. Many are full-time students or homemakers. Food and beverage service jobs are a major source of part-time employment for high school students.
Most employers place an emphasis on personal qualities.
Food and beverage service workers are in close contact with the public, so they should be well spoken and have a neat and clean appearance. They should enjoy dealing with all kinds of people, possess a pleasant disposition and a healthy sense of humor. State laws often require that food and beverage service workers obtain health certificates showing that they are free of communicable diseases. Waiters and waitresses need a good memory to avoid confusing customers' orders and to recall the faces, names, and preferences of frequent patrons. They should be good at arithmetic so they can total bills without the assistance of a calculator or cash register.