Operations & Staffing
Busser Job Description: Duties, Side Work & Tip-Outs
A ready-to-use busser job description pre-filled with the side work, tip-share terms, and pay ranges bussers actually ask about. Edit every field, then copy the full description to paste into your hiring workflow or job board posting.
Busser Role Snapshot
Avg. Team Size
2-4 per shift
Typical Shift
5-8 hours
Experience Req.
None (entry-level)
Clear & Reset
Bus tables within 2 min, reset with clean settings
Sanitize
Wipe surfaces between seatings, maintain health standards
Support Service
Run food, refill water, assist servers during rushes
Floor Care
Sweep, mop, and keep walkways clear and hazard-free
Busser / Bus Person
Your Restaurant Name • City, State
About the Role
We are looking for a reliable and energetic Busser to join our front-of-house team. You will play a key role in maintaining a clean, welcoming dining room by quickly clearing and resetting tables, supporting servers during peak service, and ensuring every guest enjoys a seamless dining experience. This is an excellent entry-level position for anyone interested in building a career in the restaurant industry.
Primary Responsibilities
- Clear and reset tables within 2 minutes of guest departure — remove dishes, glassware, silverware, and linens
- Wipe down and sanitize tables, chairs, and booth seating between seatings
- Restock server stations with clean plates, glasses, napkins, rolled silverware, and condiments
- Deliver water, bread baskets, and pre-set items to newly seated guests
- Assist servers by running food to tables and refilling beverages during high-volume service
- Sweep and mop dining room floors during and after service
- Transport bus tubs to the dish pit and sort items for the dishwasher
- Monitor restrooms hourly — restock supplies and report maintenance issues
Additional Duties
- Assist with opening and closing sidework (polishing glassware, folding napkins, setting patio furniture)
- Support host/hostess during rush by managing table status and communicating turn times
- Help the bar team by clearing glassware and wiping down bar-top surfaces
- Maintain cleanliness of the restaurant entrance, waiting area, and exterior sidewalk
- Participate in pre-shift meetings and follow daily specials or event guidelines
Requirements & Qualifications
- Must be at least 16 years old (18+ preferred for closing shifts)
- No prior experience required — we provide full on-the-job training
- Ability to stand and walk for 6–8 hours per shift without extended breaks
- Lift and carry bus tubs weighing up to 40 lbs regularly
- Comfortable working in a fast-paced, high-noise environment
- Strong attention to detail — table setups must meet house standards
- Reliable transportation and punctuality for scheduled shifts
- Basic understanding of food safety and sanitation practices (or willingness to learn)
Physical Demands
- Stand and walk continuously for the entire shift (5–8 hours)
- Frequently bend, stoop, and reach overhead to clear and set tables
- Carry loaded bus tubs (up to 40 lbs) from dining room to dish pit
- Navigate narrow aisles between tables during busy service
- Work in varying temperatures — dining room, kitchen, and patio areas
What We Offer
- Competitive cash wage ($13–$16/hr before tips) plus a $2–$5/hr share of the server tip pool
- Flexible scheduling — ideal for students and second jobs
- Free shift meal every shift worked
- Opportunity to advance to Server, Host, or Food Runner
- Employee discount on dining (typically 25–50% off)
- Paid training during onboarding period
How to Apply
Apply in person at Your Restaurant Name or send your resume to [email]. We are an equal opportunity employer.
What Is a Busser?
A busser (also called a busboy, busgirl, or bus person) is a front-of-house team member responsible for clearing and resetting tables between guests. In high-volume restaurants, bussers are the backbone of table turnover — a skilled busser can shave 3-5 minutes off turn time per table, directly increasing nightly covers and revenue. The role requires speed, attention to detail, and the ability to anticipate what servers and guests need before being asked.
Busser vs. Food Runner vs. Server Assistant
| Role | Primary Focus | Reports To |
|---|---|---|
| Busser | Clearing, sanitizing, resetting tables | FOH Manager |
| Food Runner | Delivering plated food from kitchen to table | Expo / FOH Manager |
| Server Assistant | Water refills, bread service, side duties | Lead Server |
| Barback | Restocking bar, clearing bar-top, ice runs | Head Bartender |
In smaller restaurants, bussers often double as food runners and server assistants. Clarify combined duties in your operational plan to set clear expectations during onboarding.
Busser Salary & Compensation
Bussers typically post at $11-$16/hr in cash wage — what payroll pays before tips — plus another $2-$5/hr from the server tip share. That puts a typical busser at $14-$21/hr all-in, with fine dining bussers in metro areas reaching $22/hr on generous tip pools. For reference, the BLS May 2025 OES median for dining room attendants and bartender helpers (SOC 35-9011) is $16.34/hr, a figure that already includes reported tips.
Busser Pay Breakdown
The first three tiles are the cash wage you post, before any tip share. BLS puts the national median for dining room attendants and bartender helpers (SOC 35-9011) at $16.34/hr, but that figure already folds in reported tips — which is why the posted wage below sits under it.
Entry cash wage
$11 - $13/hr
No experience, first restaurant job
Typical cash wage
$13 - $15/hr
6+ months experience, reliable
Experienced cash wage
$15 - $16/hr
1+ years, high-volume venues
Tip share (on top)
+$2 - $5/hr
Share of the server tip pool
All-In Range (Cash Wage + Tip Share)
Busser Side Work and Tip-Outs: What Federal Law Allows
Side work is where busser postings go vague, and it is where new hires feel misled. Spell it out: polishing and rolling silverware, restocking bus stations, filling ice bins, breaking down the station at close, and sweeping the section. Under federal law these duties are part of a tipped job. DOL Fact Sheet #15 treats cleaning and setting tables, making coffee, and occasionally washing dishes or glasses as related duties that do not have to produce tips themselves.
A separate job is different. Under the dual-jobs rule, hours spent in a non-tipped occupation get no tip credit. So if a busser covers a full shift in the dish pit, treat those hours as non-tipped work and pay at least the full minimum wage for them.
Bussers can be in the pool
DOL Fact Sheet #15 names bussers alongside servers and service bartenders as employees who customarily and regularly receive tips, so a server tip-out to bussers is allowed even when you take a tip credit.
No federal cap on the share
Federal rules set no maximum percentage a server can be required to contribute. You must tell tipped staff the required amount up front.
Managers stay out
Owners, managers, and supervisors may not take any part of the bussers' share, whether or not you take a tip credit.
Pay it out on time
Pooled tips must be paid no later than the regular payday for the workweek they were collected.
Service charges are not tips
A mandatory charge on the bill is your revenue. Money you pass to bussers from it is wages, not tip-out.
If you pay bussers a tipped cash wage: the federal floor is $2.13/hr, and the cash wage plus the busser's tip share must reach $7.25 for every hour in the workweek. If it falls short, you make up the difference on payday. Many states set a higher floor or ban the tip credit outright. Run your split through the tip distribution calculator and put the final percentages in your employee handbook so every busser sees the same numbers.
Busser Career Path
Bussing is one of the best entry points into the restaurant industry. Many restaurant managers started as bussers and worked their way up through service roles.
Busser
Start here
Food Runner
3-6 months
Server / Host
6-12 months
Lead Server / Bartender
1-2 years
FOH Manager
2-4 years
3 Tips for Hiring Great Bussers
1. Prioritize hustle over experience
Bussing skills are learned in a single shift. What you cannot train is work ethic and speed. During interviews, ask candidates about fast-paced environments they have worked in — retail, sports teams, or warehouse jobs all translate well.
2. Offer a clear promotion path
A common reason bussers quit is a job that goes nowhere. Promise (and deliver) a timeline to move into a server or food runner position within 3-6 months for strong performers.
3. Include tip share details upfront
Bussers want to know their total take-home. Listing base pay without mentioning tip share makes your posting look low-paying. Be transparent about your tip pool structure in the job description.
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