Festive Bar and Restaurant Waiter/Waitress

Dakota Hospitality Limited (Dakota Hotels); Leeds; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 19,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Staff discounts

Meals on duty

Training programs

Employee assistance program

Job summary

Dakota Leeds is seeking an outgoing Restaurant Waiter/Waitress for a festive fixed-term role from 2 November 2026 to 10 January 2027. It is a part-time, zero-hours contract with typically 17:00–22:00 shifts and weekend work.

You will deliver attentive service, upsell drinks, and work with Bar/Kitchen teams to ensure guest satisfaction. Induction training is provided; basic tronc (£1.09 per hour) is variable and non-guaranteed.

Qualifications

• At least 1 year of waiting experience in hospitality.
• Outgoing personality with effective communication skills.
• Willing to pour, serve and sell alcohol.
• Flexible with shift patterns and available around busy dates.

Responsibilities

• Carry out the role of a section waiter/waitress with attentive service.
• Take guest orders and deliver meals, coordinating with bar and kitchen.
• Provide menu knowledge, including allergens, and upsell where appropriate.
• Maintain high standards of guest experience during service.

Skills

Hospitality experience

Customer service

Alcohol service

Communication skills

Flexibility

Job description

Festive Bar and Restaurant Waiter/Waitress

Company: Dakota Hospitality Limited (Dakota Hotels)

Salary/Benefits: Estimated earnings £13.80, including £12.71 basic pay and £1.09 average tronc. Tronc is variable and not guaranteed.

Contract type: Fixed Term

Hours: Part Time

Shift pattern: Usually shifts will be 17:00pm-22:00pm, including working weekends

Hours per week: This role is a fixed-term, zero-hours contract.

Posted date: 30/09/2026

We are seeking an outgoing and enthusiastic individual with waiting experience for the role of Restaurant Waiter / Waitress, delivering exceptional service to our guests.

This is a fixed-term festive role running from 2nd November 2026 to 10th January 2027. The role is offered on a zero-hours contract.

To be considered for this role, you must be available to attend induction and training on Wednesday 4th November (10:00am to 4:30pm) and Friday 13th November (10:00am to 4:30pm). Applicants should also have good availability across key festive dates throughout the contract period, as this will be taken into account when offering shifts.

Estimated earnings of £13.80 per hour, comprising a basic hourly rate of £12.71 plus average anticipated tronc. Team members in this role at Dakota Leeds received an average of £1.09 per hour in tronc over the 12 months to September 2026. Tronc payments are variable, non-contractual and not guaranteed

PRIMARY ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Carry out the role of a section waiter/waitress, providing attentive table service, taking guest orders and delivering large trays of delicious food to guest tables.
• Create a memorable dining experience through genuine conversation with personalised food and beverage recommendations.
• Work closely with the Bar and Kitchen team to ensure the effective flow of communication.
• Maintain a comprehensive knowledge of our food and beverage menu, including allergens, to guide guests’ choices.

APPLICANT REQUIREMENTS

• At least 1 year working experience, ideally in a hospitality environment.
• Be an outgoing personality with effective communication skills.
• Ability to work at pace and be proactive throughout your shift.
• Willing and able to pour, serve and sell alcohol.
• Available to work Christmas Day and New Year.
• An enthusiastic individual who will promote our culture of positivity.
• Be task oriented with a great pride for the work they do and attention to detail.
• Flexible with shift patterns and available around the needs of our business.
• Successful candidates must demonstrate having researched our brand and a genuine desire to be part of our team.

In addition to being part of a culture infused with positivity and opportunity for ongoing development, tangible benefits you could enjoy when you join our team include:

FINANCIAL

• Special discounts on stays and dining at any Dakota
• Bonuses to recommend a friend to join our team and every time you are mentioned on Trip Advisor
• Additional holiday day on the first anniversary of your employment
• Meals on duty and uniforming

WELLBEING

• Access to our Employee Assistance Program which includes free private mental health support and counselling sessions, video GP consultations and private prescription services, as well as access to daily rewards to be cashed out for shopping vouchers.
• Support from our inhouse Mental Health Champions
• Family-friendly flexible working options
• Participation in meaningful initiatives such as Macmillan Cancer Support Coffee Morning and the Walk for Wellbeing, supporting causes that matter while connecting with colleagues.

CAREER DEVELOPMENT

• Accredited, certified compliance training given on employment.
• Access to a suite of external, certified resources via our Learning Management System.
• Supportive continuous professional development culture with an annual appraisal and objectives, or a Personal Development Plan.
• Opportunities to undertake both internal and external training courses, including potential for in-house Apprenticeships.

Full terms on our benefits can be found in our Handbook.

ABOUT DAKOTA LEEDS

Our location, 8 Russell St, Leeds LS1 5RN, ideally located on Greek Street, we are just a 5min walk from Leeds Train Station. We are also easily accessible by bus, close to the east parade bus link and within a 10min walk from Leeds Bus Station. We are an 94‑bedroom luxury hotel boasting a destination cocktail bar with a champagne room, and brasserie-style Grill.

ABOUT DAKOTA HOTELS

Dakota is a growing UK‑based lifestyle brand, known for our stylish hotels, bustling brasserie grill and upscale cocktail bars. Dakota’s story started with two boutique hotels on the outskirts of Edinburgh, in South Queensferry, and Glasgow, in Eurocentral. We have now expanded into prime city centre locations in Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, and Newcastle. With our newest hotel opening at Manchester Airport with more in our pipeline.

Dakota is synonymous for delivering attentive and genuine guest service. We attract hard‑working individuals who are passionate about working to the highest standards and have been voted within The Caterer’s Top 15 Best Employers in Hospitality for the last six years in a row. We were also featured within the Top 10 employers in the Sunday Times Best Places to Work in the UK for the last three years running.

As winners of The Cateys ‘People Team of the Year’, we have award‑winning internal training programmes within Dakota Academy fostering continuous development and ongoing training. As a result, over 75% of our leaders have been promoted internally and, for five consecutive years, a member of our team has won a prestigious Acorn Award awarded by The Caterer to the ‘Top 30 under 30’ in the industry, demonstrating our success in developing talent.

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme