Hostess / Hospitality Coordinator

Be the First Impression of PJ Lobster House

At PJ Lobster House, our Restaurant Host/Hostess serves as the Hospitality Coordinator of the restaurant. This position is much more than greeting guestsit is responsible for creating exceptional first and last impressions while coordinating the flow of the dining room throughout every shift.

As our Hospitality Coordinator, you'll welcome guests, manage reservations, coordinate seating, answer telephones, process takeout orders, assist with retail sales, and work closely with managers, servers, bussers, bartenders, and the kitchen to ensure every guest enjoys an exceptional dining experience.

The ideal candidate is friendly, organized, confident under pressure, and enjoys multitasking in a fast-paced environment. You'll often be balancing multiple responsibilities while maintaining a warm, professional attitude and helping the restaurant operate as efficiently as possible.

If you enjoy interacting with people, solving problems, and creating memorable guest experiences, we'd love to meet you.

Responsibilities

• Welcome every guest with a warm, friendly, and professional attitude.
• Serve as the Hospitality Coordinator and first point of contact for every guest.
• Manage reservations and waitlists using the OpenTable reservation system.
• Seat guests efficiently while maintaining balanced server sections.
• Answer incoming telephone calls professionally.
• Accept reservations over the phone.
• Process takeout orders both in person and over the telephone.
• Deliver curbside takeout orders to guests.
• Assist guests with menu questions, reservations, wait times, directions, and general information.
• Process and activate gift card sales accurately.
• Assist guests with the purchase of PJ Lobster House merchandise and retail items.
• Prepare reserved tables before guests arrive.
• Rearrange and combine tables to accommodate larger parties and special requests.
• Continuously evaluate the dining room layout to maximize seating capacity while maintaining efficient server rotations.
• Think ahead and reorganize reservations and table assignments to maximize seating opportunities throughout the day.
• Communicate continuously with managers, servers, bussers, bartenders, and kitchen staff to maintain a smooth and efficient flow of service.
• Assist with bussing and resetting tables whenever needed.
• Clean and sanitize every menu after each use.
• Keep the Hospitality Coordinator station clean, organized, fully stocked, and presentation-ready.
• Clean entrance doors, front windows, and lobby glass throughout the day to maintain an exceptional first impression.
• Help maintain a clean, welcoming, and organized entrance area at all times.

What Makes Someone Successful in This Role

The best Hospitality Coordinators are organized, personable, proactive, and always thinking several steps ahead. They understand that every seating decision affects the entire restaurant and take pride in creating a welcoming experience while maximizing efficiency for guests and the restaurant team.

They communicate exceptionally well, stay calm under pressure, solve problems independently, and understand that hospitality begins long before guests are seated.

This position is ideal for someone who enjoys working with people, takes pride in organization, thrives in a fast-paced environment, and wants to build a long-term career with a restaurant that values professionalism, teamwork, and exceptional guest service.

Requirements

• Previous customer service, hospitality, restaurant, or retail experience preferred.
• Must be able to prioritize multiple tasks while maintaining a welcoming and professional demeanor.
• Excellent verbal communication and interpersonal skills.
• Friendly, outgoing, and professional personality with a passion for hospitality.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment.
• Comfortable learning and using the OpenTable reservation system.
• Comfortable answering telephones, taking reservations, and processing takeout orders accurately.
• Must communicate professionally with guests both in person and over the telephone.
• Ability to think ahead, solve problems, and organize seating arrangements to maximize restaurant capacity and guest satisfaction.
• Must communicate effectively with managers, servers, kitchen staff, and fellow team members to maintain a smooth flow of service.
• Must remain calm, organized, and professional during busy service periods.
• Willing to assist with bussing, resetting tables, and supporting the restaurant team whenever needed.
• Responsible for maintaining a clean, organized, and fully stocked Hospitality Coordinator station.
• Responsible for cleaning and sanitizing menus after each use and maintaining a clean, welcoming entrance.
• Comfortable processing gift card sales and assisting guests with retail merchandise purchases.
• Dependable with excellent attendance and punctuality.
• Available to work evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• Able to stand and walk for extended periods throughout the shift.
• Able to lift and carry up to 25 pounds.
• Authorized to work in the United States.

Build Your Career at PJ Lobster House

For more than 30 years, PJ Lobster House has proudly served the Port Jefferson and Long Island community as a family-owned seafood restaurant and fish market. Our reputation has been built on fresh, high-quality food, exceptional hospitality, and, most importantly, the outstanding people who make it all possible every day.

We believe great businesses are built by great teamsnot constant hiring. That's why we're looking for dependable, hardworking individuals who want more than just another restaurant job. We invest in people who take pride in their work, enjoy being part of a team, and are looking for a place where they can build a long-term career.

Unlike many restaurants that significantly reduce staff or cut hours during the off-season, our goal is to retain great employees year-round. While business levels naturally fluctuate throughout the year, we work hard to provide consistent hours and stable employment because we know our employees depend on their jobs just as much as we depend on them.

We also believe that a career should help build your future. That's why we offer a 401(k) retirement plan, giving eligible employees the opportunity to invest in their future while building a long-term career with our company.

One of the things our employees value most is consistency. Whenever possible, we provide set schedules so you know when you're working and can better plan your life outside of work. We believe predictable schedules create a healthier work-life balance and help our team succeed both professionally and personally.

Whether you work in our dining room, kitchen, or seafood market, you'll become part of a team that values professionalism, respect, accountability, reliability, and helping one another succeed. Every position plays an important role, and every team member contributes to the experience our guests have come to expect for more than three decades.

If you're looking for a fast-paced workplace where your work is appreciated, your teammates support one another, opportunities are earned through hard work and dependability, and you're encouraged to build a long-term career, we'd love to meet you.

Why Work at PJ Lobster House?

• Family-owned and operated for more than 30 years
• Year-round employment with a commitment to providing steady hours whenever possible
• Consistent set schedules to help you balance work and personal life
• 401(k) retirement plan because we believe in helping our employees invest in their future
• Opportunities for advancement and cross-training
• Professional, respectful, team-oriented culture
• Employee dining discounts
• Managers who work alongside their teams
• High standards with supportive leadership
• Fast-paced environment where no two days are the same
• Build a careernot just another restaurant job

Our Core Values

At PJ Lobster House, every member of our team is expected to uphold the values that have guided our business for more than 30 years:

Dependability

We do what we say we're going to do. Our teammates and our guests rely on us every day.

Teamwork

We support one another, communicate openly, and understand that great restaurants succeed when everyone works together.

Hospitality