Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Runner

🎯 Role Definition

A Runner (also called Food Runner or Restaurant Runner) is an essential front-of-house team member who supports servers and kitchen staff by delivering food and beverages quickly and accurately, maintaining service flow, managing side work, and ensuring excellent guest experiences. This role is ideal for candidates who thrive in fast-paced hospitality environments, have strong communication and teamwork skills, and can perform physically demanding tasks with attention to safety, sanitation, and timing.

Optimized keywords: Runner, Food Runner, Restaurant Runner, Expedite, Front-of-House, Food Service, POS, ServSafe, Hospitality, Bussing.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Dishwasher / Steward
Busser / Food Runner trainee
Host / Hostess

Advancement To:

Server / Senior Server
Lead Runner / Expeditor
Supervisor / Front-of-House Manager

Lateral Moves:

Barback
Catering Assistant
Banquet Setup Associate

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Deliver hot food, cold food, and beverage items from the kitchen to dining room tables quickly and accurately, ensuring correct plate presentation and order completeness every time.
Coordinate closely with the expeditor and kitchen staff to prioritize tickets, manage food timing for multi-course meals, and maintain the flow during rush periods.
Inspect plates for quality and completeness before service, remove any incorrect or unsatisfactory items, and communicate immediate corrections to the line cook or expeditor.
Clear and buss tables promptly between courses, reset tableware and glassware according to service standards, and ensure tables are ready for the next guests as scheduled.
Assist servers with running drink refills, bread, condiments, and side items while monitoring guest satisfaction and responding to requests efficiently.
Communicate proactively with servers, hosts, bartenders and the kitchen using clear, professional language and radio/expeditor systems when applicable.
Stage plated dishes on service stations in proper order, maintain hot boxes/heat lamps or cold chains, and execute timely handoffs to servers or directly to guests when required.
Perform opening, closing and side work tasks including beverage restocks, utensil/silverware polishing, glass restocking, and napkin folding to support smooth shift transitions.
Maintain accurate knowledge of the menu, daily specials, dietary restrictions, allergy protocols, and common modifications to field guest questions and flag concerns to the server or manager.
Follow all food safety, sanitation and allergen procedures (e.g., ServSafe or company standards), clean spills immediately, and report potential hazards to management.
Operate point-of-sale (POS) terminals or ticket printers as needed to retrieve order tickets, mark ticket status or assist with table checkouts under supervision.
Assist with tray carrying, plate stacking, and bussing for high-volume events, banquets, or private functions while adhering to weight and safety guidelines.
Help with inventory counts for front-of-house supplies, replenish condiments, napkins, to-go packaging, and communicate low-stock items to supervisors.
Support catering and takeout order assembly and staging during peak service times, ensuring accuracy and timeliness for off-premise orders and third-party pickups.
Assist bar staff with glass pickup and delivery of prepared cocktails to ensure safe transport and avoid mix-ups between drinks and food items.
Monitor service times and ticket ages; proactively escalate delayed plates or kitchen bottlenecks to supervisors or expediter to maintain guest satisfaction.
Clean and maintain front-of-house stations, service carts, and running areas in accordance with company cleaning schedules and health code requirements.
Load and unload food and supply deliveries when required, inspect packages for accuracy and condition, and store items in the correct front-of-house staging area.
Support cross-functional tasks during slow periods such as polishing flatware, assembling to-go containers, or prepping garnishes for quicker service during spikes.
Respond calmly to guest complaints or urgent requests; escalate to supervisors when appropriate and maintain professional demeanor while supporting resolution.
Follow opening and closing checklists reliably: set up service stations, stock serviceware, secure service stations, and properly store unused food and supplies.
Adhere to company uniform, grooming, attendance and punctuality standards, providing reliable coverage and shift flexibility to meet business needs.
Participate in briefings and pre-shift meetings to understand station assignments, special events, dietary notes, VIP guests, and service goals for the shift.
Assist in training and mentoring new runners and bussers, demonstrating correct techniques for carrying, plating, sanitation, and communication.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc front-of-house requests such as bus tables, restock POS stations, and assist hosts when seating surges occur.
Contribute to the team's continuous improvement by reporting workflow issues, suggesting efficiency improvements, and sharing practical ideas to reduce ticket times.
Collaborate with kitchen leadership to translate front-of-house needs into adjustments in plating or ticket routing for smoother operations.
Participate in pre-shift planning, assist with mise-en-place for service stations, and take part in training or cross-training sessions as assigned.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Proven experience with order expediting and food running in a fast-paced restaurant or catering environment.
Familiarity with POS systems (e.g., Toast, Square, Aloha) and printed ticket workflows.
Knowledge of food safety and sanitation practices; ServSafe or local equivalent certification preferred.
Basic understanding of allergen protocols and cross-contamination prevention techniques.
Ability to correctly stage and route multi-course tickets and maintain ticket timing under pressure.
Competency in safe tray and plate carrying techniques, including balance and weight distribution for high-volume runs.
Experience with banquet or catering setup and order staging for off-premise and large-group services.
Basic inventory tracking and restocking practices for front-of-house supplies and condiments.
Cash handling and order verification skills (basic math and accuracy for closing or assisting servers).
Familiarity with restaurant opening and closing procedures, cleaning checklists, and standard prep lists.

Soft Skills

Exceptional communication and teamwork—clear verbal calls and radio etiquette during peak service.
Strong time management and prioritization; ability to manage multiple tickets and requests simultaneously.
High level of attention to detail and commitment to quality control and correct plating.
Physical stamina, agility, and endurance for standing, lifting, and carrying throughout long shifts.
Calm under pressure with solid problem-solving and escalation judgment for service disruptions.
Positive attitude, hospitality-first mindset, and a guest-service orientation in every interaction.
Reliability, punctuality, and flexibility with shift schedules, including nights, weekends and holidays.
Adaptability to changing menus, special events, and rapid changes in service flow.
Professional demeanor and appearance, with an ability to represent the brand in front of guests.
Coaching and mentoring skills to onboard new runners and support cross-training efforts.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or equivalent.

Preferred Education:

Certificate in Hospitality, Food Safety (ServSafe), or related coursework.
Short-course training in customer service, restaurant safety, or POS systems.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Hospitality Management
Culinary Arts
Restaurant & Foodservice Management
Tourism and Event Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

0 to 2 years in front-of-house restaurant roles (dishwasher, busser, barback) for entry-level.
1+ year running/expediting experience preferred for independent running roles.

Preferred:

Previous experience in fast-casual, fine dining, banquet or high-volume catering environments.
Demonstrated experience with POS workflows, multi-course service, and allergen handling.
Prior exposure to event setup and off-premise order coordination is a plus.