Restaurant Server

Sonesta Hotels; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 17,000 - 19,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical and Dental Insurance

Paid Vacation and Sick Days

Paid Holidays

Pension

Legal Services

Maternity and Parental Leave

Job summary

Sonesta International Hotels is seeking a Food Server to deliver attentive hospitality across our dining outlets in a fast-paced setting. You will engage guests, take orders, and ensure timely, accurate service with a focus on memorable experiences.

The role requires strong communication, teamwork, and a passion for hospitality. Candidates should be flexible with hours and be prepared to work mornings, evenings, weekends, and events.

Qualifications

• Previous restaurant, hotel, banquet, hospitality, or customer service experience preferred.
• Strong communication, interpersonal, and guest service skills with a friendly and professional attitude.
• Ability to multitask and thrive in a fast-paced hospitality environment.

Responsibilities

• Provide friendly, attentive, and professional food & beverage service to guests across restaurants, lounge, banquet, and dining operations.
• Take guest orders accurately, answer menu questions, make recommendations, and deliver exceptional guest experiences throughout service.
• Serve food and beverages according to hotel service standards, presentation guidelines, and timing expectations.
• Maintain knowledge of menu offerings, beverages, wine selections, promotions, and daily specials.
• Process guest transactions, payments, and POS system operations accurately and efficiently.
• Monitor guest satisfaction and respond quickly to guest requests or concerns.
• Maintain cleanliness and organization across dining rooms, service stations, tables, and guest-facing areas.
• Support opening/closing duties, banquet setup, and operational readiness throughout shifts.
• Partner with Culinary, Bartenders, Food Runners, Banquets, and leadership teams to support smooth operations.
• Follow food safety standards, sanitation procedures, and responsible alcohol service guidelines.
• Support upselling initiatives, promotions, and guest engagement opportunities.
• Help create a welcoming, energetic, team-oriented atmosphere aligned with Sonesta’s People People culture.
• Any other duties as assigned

Skills

Guest service

Communication

Multitasking

Tools

POS systems

Job description

We’re People People. Are you?

We’re Sonesta International Hotels—the 8th largest hotel company in the U.S. (and growing fast ).

With a dynamic mix of full-service and focused hotels across major cities, our diverse portfolio of owned, managed, and franchised properties means we’re everywhere our guests need us to be.

But here’s the thing—we’re not just in the business of hotels, we’re in the business of people. We bring service with passion, loyalty with purpose, and create experiences that genuinely connect—delivering quality, value, and memorable stays across 1,000+ properties in eight countries (and counting).

What this role is all about

At Sonesta, great dining experiences are all about connection, energy, and exceptional service. As a Food Server, you’ll help create memorable moments for guests by delivering attentive hospitality, personalized service, and outstanding food & beverage experiences across our restaurants, lounges, banquets, or dining outlets.

This role is perfect for someone who thrives in a fast-paced hospitality environment, enjoys interacting with people, and loves creating experiences guests genuinely remember. From menu recommendations to seamless service and genuine conversation, you’ll play an important role in bringing our People People culture to life every day.

If you’re outgoing, service-driven, and passionate about hospitality — we’d love to meet you.

What you’ll be doing

• Provide friendly, attentive, and professional food & beverage service to guests across restaurants, lounge, banquet, and dining operations.
• Take guest orders accurately, answer menu questions, make recommendations, and deliver exceptional guest experiences throughout service.
• Serve food and beverages according to hotel service standards, presentation guidelines, and timing expectations.
• Maintain a strong knowledge of menu offerings, beverages, wine selections, promotions, and daily specials.
• Process guest transactions, payments, and POS system operations accurately and efficiently.
• Monitor guest satisfaction throughout dining experiences and respond quickly and professionally to guest requests or concerns.
• Maintain cleanliness and organization across dining rooms, service stations, tables, and guest-facing areas.
• Support opening duties, closing side work, banquet setup, and operational readiness throughout shifts.
• Partner closely with Culinary, Bartenders, Food Runners, Banquets, and Food & Beverage leadership teams to support smooth operations.
• Follow food safety standards, sanitation procedures, responsible alcohol service guidelines, and hotel operational policies at all times.
• Support upselling initiatives, promotions, and guest engagement opportunities that drive revenue and enhance the dining experience.
• Help create a welcoming, energetic, and team-oriented atmosphere aligned with Sonesta’s People People culture.
• Any other duties as assigned

What great looks like

• Previous restaurant, hotel, banquet, hospitality, food service, or customer service experience preferred.
• Strong communication, interpersonal, and guest service skills with a friendly and professional attitude.
• Ability to multitask and thrive in a fast-paced hospitality environment.
• Knowledge of food & beverage service, dining etiquette, POS systems, and responsible alcohol service practices preferred.
• Strong attention to detail, presentation, cleanliness, and guest satisfaction standards.
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a high-energy hospitality team.
• Food Handler Certification, TIPS Certification, or alcohol service certification preferred where applicable.
• A passion for hospitality, guest engagement, teamwork, and creating memorable dining experiences.
• Flexible availability including mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, and event support as needed.

Anticipated Pay Range & Additional Job Information

Pay range $12.66 -$13.66

Pay rate outlined follows contract requirements.

Sonesta recognizes that benefits play a vital role in helping ensure the health and financial security of employees and their families. Employees are offered a variety of benefits including:

• Medical and Dental Insurance
• Paid Vacation and Sick Days
• Paid Holidays
• Pension
• Legal Services
• Maternity and Parental Leave

Go Beyond @SonestaHotels

WHO WE ARE

We are an organization made up of people, thoughts and ideas – all working towards fulfilling our simple mission: To wow every guest, team member, partner & community we operate in by delivering quality, value & amazing hospitality.

We will achieve our mission by being passionate about exceeding expectations - by being persistent, resilient, and constantly seeking new and creative ways to succeed. Doing the Right Thing and Going Beyond are our principles that guide everything we do.

We are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, religion, age, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, or federal laws, rules, or regulations.

Our Commitment to You

Sonesta is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.