Full Service Restaurant Host/Hostess

Hostess Position at Panda Restaurant Group

At Panda, we all share a common mission: "Deliver exceptional Asian dining experiences by building an organization where people are inspired to better their lives." We invest in our people because great people run great operations that will exceed our guests' expectations. Talk to any of our associates and you will experience a culture dedicated to its mission and our five fundamental values-Proactive, Respect/Win-Win, Growth, Great Operations, and Giving.

Panda Restaurant Group includes the original Panda Inn fine dining restaurants, Panda Express, our Gourmet Chinese food concept served in a fast casual environment, and Hibachi San, our Japanese grill concept. The family owned and operated company is still run by founders Andrew and Peggy Cherng. Panda offers competitive benefits and rewarding opportunities, from entry-level positions to management. We have restaurant positions available nationwide and support center positions in Rosemead, CA. Come join the nation's largest and fastest growing Asian restaurant company.

Summary of Job Description:

- Hostess plays a critical role in the restaurant as they are the one who give our guests the first and the last impression of the restaurant and a large part of the night's effectiveness is orchestrated from hostess able to run a smooth shift.

a) To ensure the guests feel welcome and taken care of; wow them with exceptional services

b) To ensure the smooth turnover of tables, effective seating of guests and maximize the usage of the table

c) To ensure guests have exceptional dining experience with take out orders

Essential functions:

- Greet and welcome guests promptly and warmly; provide menus and seat the party, using good judgment to ensure tables are distributed evenly among service stations

- Guide the party to their tables, carrying drinks if needed, and seat guests courteously

- Answer immediate questions about the menu, beverages etc., and alert the servers of any special needs

- Able to guide guests to create a balanced flavored meal, and has thorough menu knowledge (Taste profiling, ingredients, sauce)

- Suggestive selling and maximize sales opportunities

- Accommodate special seating needs, such as extra chairs, booster seats and high chairs for children

- Answer telephone, take messages, take & confirm reservations, pre-plan seating for balanced stations and take "to go" orders

- Ensure 100% accuracy of the order and special requests/needs of the guests. Assist kitchen staff in assembling "to go" orders, present the order to the guests, take and process payments

- Respond to any requests or complaints, seeking the help of the servers or manager as appropriate

- Assist servers in serving beverages, wine, cocktails

- Perform opening or closing routines as scheduled, including cleaning tasks in the front desk/lobby area

- Perform any cleaning tasks as required to assist the servers in maintaining clean and safe dining room

- Perform side jobs or miscellaneous administrative tasks as needed & assigned by General Manager or Assistant Manager

We offer all Full-Time Associates:

- Progressive Compensation Package and Bonus Opportunity

- Paid Training to prepare you for success

- On-Going Career & Leadership Development

- Medical and Dental Insurance

- 401 K with Company Match - Paid Time Off Associate Discounts and free meals when you work

- Opportunities for growth into Management positions

** Candidates must meet, and continue to meet if employed, eligibility requirements for each benefit to qualify.

Job Requirements:

- High school graduate

- Restaurant experience a plus

- Must be 18 year of age to carry alcoholic beverages

- Have a clean, neat appearance & good personal hygiene at all times

- Have a courteous, enthusiastic style of communication. Ability to communicate with guests

How we reward you:

• Flexible schedules
• Great pay
• Free meals while working at Panda
• Medical, Vision, Dental, Voluntary Short-Term Disability, Cancer Income Protection insurance for full-time associates
• Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending accounts
• 401K with company match
• Vacation, sick leave, bereavement/funeral leave and Leave Share Program for eligible associates
• Associate discounts for many brands
• Referral bonus for eligible associates
• Opportunity to give back to your community
• Hands-on paid training to prepare you for success
• On-Going Career & Leadership Development
• Opportunities for growth into management positions
• Pre-Tax Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account
• Please refer to for details.

**Candidates must meet, and continue to meet if employed, eligibility requirements for each benefit to qualify.

ADA Statement:

While performing duties, counter areas are often hot with steam from steam table and food vapors. Workspace is restricted and employees are generally expected to remain standing for long periods of time. Employees must prepare hot and cold foods, use Chinese cook knife and other kitchen equipment and work quickly without losing accuracy. Employees must be able to lift up to 50 lbs., stand up to four hours and reach across counter tops measured at 36 inches to serve customers. Kitchens are hot and noise levels are usually high; storage space is limited and shelving is high. Employees must be able to work in a fast-paced work environment, have effective verbal communication skills, ability to adapt to a dynamic environment with changing priorities, and the ability to manage conflicts/difficult situations.

Panda Strong since 1983:

Founded in Glendale, California, we are now the largest family-owned American Chinese Restaurant concept in America. With close to 2,800 locations globally, we continue our mission of delivering exceptional Asian dining experiences by building an organization where people are inspired to better their lives. Whether it's impacting our team or the communities we work in, we're proud to be an organization that embraces family values.

You're wanted here:

Panda Restaurant Group, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to providing equal opportunity, and does not discriminate on the basis of any characteristic protected by law, including but not limited to sex/gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, lactation and related conditions), gender expression, race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, ancestry, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, and veteran status. Additionally, Panda Restaurant Group, Inc. complies with all federal, state, and local laws regarding requests for workplace accommodation. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals on the basis of disability. Applicants are entitled to reasonable accommodations, absent undue hardship, to effectively participate in the application and hiring process, for example, sign language interpreters. If you believe you require an accommodation for the application or interview process or for the position for which you are applying, please reach out to View email address on click.appcast.io.

Pay Range: $16.9 per hour - $19.9 per hour

*Within the range, individual pay is determined using various factors, including work location and experience.