Host Hostess

Host

Department: Operations
Reports To: Guest Experience & Reservations Manager
Daily Direction: Lead Host/Reservations Captain
Classification: Hourly, Non-Exempt

Position Summary

The Host creates the first and final impression of the Arrowhead Grill guest experience. Hosts warmly welcome and acknowledge guests, provide professional reservation and telephone assistance, accurately execute established seating and waitlist plans, and help ensure every guest feels wanted and recognized.

Hosts follow Arrowhead Grill's front-door systems and hospitality standards under the direction of the Lead Host/Reservations Captain and Guest Experience & Reservations Manager.

Essential Responsibilities

Guest Welcome & Hospitality
• Immediately acknowledge every arriving guest with eye contact, a smile, genuine welcome, and gracious tone-even when assisting someone else.
• Maintain an attentive, composed, and welcoming presence. Dismissive, defensive, abrupt, or indifferent communication is inconsistent with Arrowhead Grill's hospitality standards.
• Warmly greet guests, escort them to assigned tables or waiting areas, provide menus, and recognize returning guests, VIPs, and special occasions when known.
• Thank departing guests and invite them to return.

Reservations, Check-In & Seating
• Accurately receive and enter reservations in OpenTable, including guest contact information, party size, date, time, special requests, preferences, accessibility needs, and special occasions.
• Accurately maintain reservation, check-in, waitlist, table-status, and seating information throughout service.
• Follow seating plans & table assignments established by the Lead Host or manager.
• Do not independently change reservation availability, table combinations, seating assignments, blocked inventory, or other capacity controls without authorization.
• Before telling a guest that we can't accommodate them, consult the Lead Host or manager when another alternative time may be possible.
• Present approved alternatives positively and helpfully so guests never feel dismissed simply because their first choice is unavailable.
• Never promise a specific table or seating time without authorization.

Guest Communication & Escalation
• Answer telephone calls promptly and professionally using established procedures.
• Promptly involve the Lead Host or manager in significant guest complaints, seating disputes, unusual requests, accessibility or safety concerns, or situations outside the Host's authority.
• Remain calm and courteous when leadership assistance is needed. Do not argue, become defensive, speculate, assign blame, or attempt to negotiate significant complaints independently.

Host-Stand Readiness & Team Support
• Arrive prepared and on time and understand the evening's reservations, large parties, VIPs, special occasions, expected volume, and service instructions.
• Maintain an orderly, professional, guest-ready host stand and help ensure entrance, waiting, dining, and restroom areas remain clean and presentable.
• Work cooperatively with fellow employees and provide reasonable assistance as requested.
• Follow established procedures, appearance standards, safety requirements, and supervisory direction.
• Promptly report system problems, inaccurate reservation information, recurring guest concerns, or operating obstacles rather than creating unauthorized workarounds.

Qualifications
• Upscale restaurant, hotel, resort, private-club, reservations, or guest-service experience is preferred.
• Clear, courteous, and professional communication skills.
• Ability to learn and accurately use OpenTable, telephone systems, and restaurant technology.
• Dependability, punctuality, sound judgment, attention to detail.
• Ability to respond professionally to coaching, feedback, and supervisory direction.
• Availability to work assigned evenings, weekends, holidays, and peak business periods.

Physical Requirements
• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods, and occasionally lift or carry up to 25 pounds, with or without reasonable accommodation.

Reasonable accommodations may be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with applicable law.