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Waiter CV example and template (South Africa)

Restaurant chains such as Spur, Ocean Basket, Mugg & Bean and Wimpy, plus hotels, wine farms and coffee shops, take on waiters all year, and they hire the most before the December holidays and the Easter weekend. A floor manager reading your CV wants to know whether you can run a busy section of tables on your own, take orders correctly on the till, and keep guests happy enough to leave a good tip and come back.

The example below is for a waiter with about five years in family and seafood restaurants. If you are applying for your first waitering job, put forward anything that shows you are quick on your feet and good with people: helping at a family function business, serving at church or school events, or working a till in a shop. Many restaurants train new waiters on the floor for a week or two, so a friendly, reliable CV often matters more than experience.

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Waiter CV example

Ayanda Mthembu

Waiter with 5 years' experience in busy family and seafood restaurants

072 555 0164 · ayanda.mthembu@example.co.za · Cape Town, Western Cape

Profile

Friendly waiter with five years in busy Spur and Ocean Basket restaurants in Cape Town, running sections of up to eight tables on weekends. Quick and accurate on Micros and Pilot POS systems, confident with allergen questions on seafood menus, and known for upselling starters, desserts and wine. Looking for a full-time waiter or head waiter post at a restaurant or hotel on the Atlantic Seaboard or in the city centre.

Work experience

Waiter

Ocean Basket V&A Waterfront, Cape Town | Mar 2023 – Present

  • Serve a section of up to eight tables, with about 120 covers on Friday and Saturday nights
  • Capture orders, modifiers and allergy notes on the Micros POS and check them with the kitchen
  • Explain the seafood menu, sushi and platters to tourists and local guests, and recommend wine pairings
  • Reached the monthly dessert and wine upselling target nine times in 2025
  • Balance cash and card slips against the POS report at every cash-up
  • Train new waiters on table numbers, service steps and the shellfish allergy procedure

Waiter

Spur Steak Ranches, Tyger Valley, Bellville | Jun 2021 – Feb 2023

  • Served family tables and children's birthday parties of up to 30 guests
  • Took orders and split bills on the Pilot POS system
  • Set up side stations, sauces and kids' play area supplies before each shift
  • Served beer, wine and cocktails and checked ID for guests who looked under 18

Education

National Senior Certificate (Matric)

Masiyile Senior Secondary School, 2020, NQF level 4

Subjects: English First Additional Language, isiXhosa Home Language, Mathematical Literacy, Tourism, Business Studies, Life Orientation

Skills

  • Table service for sections of up to 8 tables
  • Micros and Pilot POS systems
  • Upselling desserts, drinks and wine
  • Allergen awareness and menu knowledge
  • Responsible liquor service
  • Cash-up and split bills
  • Group bookings and children's parties

Certificates

  • Food and Beverage Service (short course), CATHSSETA-accredited training provider, 2022

Achievements

  • Top upselling waiter at Ocean Basket V&A Waterfront, December 2024
  • Chosen to train new waiters from 2024

Personal details

Nationality:
South African
Languages:
isiXhosa (Home language), English (Fluent), Afrikaans (Good)
Notice period:
Two weeks
Availability:
Nights, weekends, public holidays and the December season

References

Marlene Abrahams

Restaurant Manager, Ocean Basket V&A Waterfront

021 555 0138

Johan Botha

Floor Manager, Spur Steak Ranches, Tyger Valley

021 555 0172

Waiter CV summary you can copy

Change the details so they are true for you.

Friendly waiter with five years in busy Spur and Ocean Basket restaurants in Cape Town, running sections of up to eight tables on weekends. Quick and accurate on Micros and Pilot POS systems, confident with allergen questions on seafood menus, and known for upselling starters, desserts and wine. Looking for a full-time waiter or head waiter post at a restaurant or hotel on the Atlantic Seaboard or in the city centre.

Skills to list on your Waiter CV

Duties written as strong bullet points

Tips for a stronger Waiter CV

Say how many tables and covers you handled

A "cover" is one guest served. Write how many tables were in your section and roughly how many covers a shift, for example "a section of 8 tables, about 120 covers on a Saturday night". It tells a floor manager straight away whether you can cope on their busiest night.

Name the POS system you used

Most South African restaurants run on Micros, Pilot or a similar POS. If you have captured orders, split bills and cashed up on one of these, say which. A manager who sees their own system on your CV knows you will need less training.

Show that you can sell

Restaurants make good money on starters, desserts, drinks and wine. If you hit upselling targets, won a wine or dessert competition, or were named top seller, put it in your duties or achievements. It shows you understand the business side of waitering, not just carrying plates.

Mention allergens and liquor service

Owners worry about a guest getting sick from an allergy or a drunk guest causing trouble. One line saying you check allergies with the kitchen and serve alcohol responsibly shows a manager you can be trusted on the floor without someone watching you.

Questions people ask

Do I need a qualification to work as a waiter in South Africa?

No, most restaurants hire waiters without a formal qualification and train them on the job. A CATHSSETA-accredited food and beverage service course can help you get into hotels and fine dining, where managers expect more formal table service, wine service and menu knowledge.

How do tips work for waiters in South Africa?

Many waiters earn a basic wage plus the tips guests leave, and in busy restaurants tips can be a large part of take-home pay. Some restaurants share tips with kitchen staff or bar staff. Ask about the basic wage and the tip policy at the interview, because every employer handles it differently.

Should I list each restaurant I have worked at, even short jobs?

Yes, list them, but keep short jobs to one or two lines. Waiters often move between restaurants, and managers understand that. Seasonal work over December or at a holiday resort still counts as experience, so include it with the months you worked.

How do I move from waiter to head waiter or floor manager?

Show times you already led the floor, such as training new waiters, opening or closing the restaurant, handling complaints or doing the cash-up for the whole shift. Put these at the top of your duties for your current job and say in your summary that you are looking for a head waiter or supervisor post.

Is hotel waitering different from restaurant waitering on a CV?

Hotels often want breakfast buffet, room service, conference and banqueting experience. If you have done any of these, list them clearly. Restaurant experience still counts, but use words like "silver service", "functions" or "conference service" only if you have actually done that work.

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