Support

Sava’s; Ann Arbor (MI); On-site; USD 19,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

Sava’s Ann Arbor is seeking a dedicated Support Team Member to work alongside servers, bartenders, hosts, and managers to ensure a seamless dining experience. This role emphasizes urgency, teamwork, cleanliness, and strong guest interaction.

Candidates should be prepared to assist across stations, maintain tables, run food promptly, and uphold Sava’s service standards throughout shifts. A positive attitude and coachable spirit are valued.

Qualifications

• Urgency, awareness, teamwork, cleanliness, communication, and attention to detail are required.

Responsibilities

• Guest Experience: Welcome and acknowledge guests; maintain positive body language; assist guests rather than directing them elsewhere.
• Food Running: Run food with urgency; know table numbers and sections; confirm dishes before leaving the kitchen.
• Table Maintenance: Clear plates, maintain water levels, reset tables quickly and accurately.
• Bussing & Resetting: Clear and sanitize tables; reset tables completely; inspect glassware and silverware.
• Restaurant Support: Stock service stations; assist servers, bartenders, hosts, and managers as needed; communicate needs to management.
• Service Mindset: Move with purpose; anticipate needs; communicate clearly; stay productive during downtime.

Skills

Urgency

Awareness

Teamwork

Cleanliness

Communication

Attention to detail

Job description

Description

SAVA’S ANN ARBOR

SUPPORT TEAM MEMBER

Food Runner | Busser | Service Support

POSITION SUMMARY

The Support Team is the engine behind a smooth dining room.

At Sava’s, Support Team Members work alongside servers, bartenders, hosts, managers, and the culinary team to keep service moving, tables maintained, food delivered properly, and guests cared for throughout their entire experience.

This role requires urgency, awareness, teamwork, cleanliness, communication, and attention to detail.

The expectation is simple:

See it. Own it. Handle it.

Support Team Members should never walk through the restaurant without looking for an opportunity to help a guest or teammate.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

Guest Experience

• Welcome and acknowledge guests throughout the restaurant.
• Maintain professional, positive, and polished body language.
• Assist guests whenever possible rather than simply directing them elsewhere.
• Maintain awareness of tables that need water, clearing, resetting, or additional support.
• Help create a clean, organized, comfortable dining environment at all times.

Food Running

• Run food accurately and with urgency.
• Understand table numbers, seat positions, and restaurant sections.
• Confirm dishes before leaving the kitchen.
• Follow chef and expo direction when working at the pass.
• Communicate allergies and modifications appropriately.
• Present food professionally when delivering it to the table.
• Never auction food when seat positions are available.
• Assist with large tables and coordinated food delivery.

Table Maintenance

• Clear unnecessary plates, glassware, and debris throughout the meal.
• Maintain water levels and assist with water service.
• Remove finished items without interrupting the guest experience.
• Crumb and reset tables when appropriate.
• Keep chairs, tabletop items, candles, flowers, and place settings properly positioned.
• Prepare tables quickly and accurately for incoming guests.

Bussing & Resetting

• Clear and sanitize tables following Sava’s standards.
• Reset tables completely before considering the table finished.
• Inspect glassware, silverware, napkins, chairs, and tabletop presentation.
• Maintain organized bus stations and service areas.
• Transport dishes and glassware safely.

Restaurant Support

• Polish silverware and glassware.
• Stock service stations, hutches, server alleys, and necessary supplies.
• Maintain organization throughout the restaurant.
• Assist servers, bartenders, hosts, and managers when needed.
• Respond immediately when the kitchen calls for “Hands.”
• Perform opening, running, and closing side work.
• Keep floors and pathways clean and safe.
• Communicate low products or operational needs to management before they become emergencies.

SERVICE MINDSET

At Sava’s, Support is not a secondary position.

A great Support Team Member can change the pace of an entire restaurant.

We expect team members to:

• Move with purpose.
• Anticipate rather than react.
• Communicate clearly.
• Stay productive during downtime.
• Protect the guest experience.
• Help teammates without waiting to be asked.
• Take pride in details most people overlook.

There is always something that can be made 1% better.

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE

A successful Support Team Member:

• Knows where they are needed without constantly being directed.
• Keeps water glasses filled and tables maintained.
• Runs food quickly and accurately.
• Keeps service stations clean and fully stocked.
• Notices details before guests notice them.
• Remains composed during high-volume service.
• Communicates immediately when something is wrong.
• Helps the entire restaurant succeed rather than focusing only on one section.

PHYSICAL & SCHEDULING REQUIREMENTS

Team members must be able to:

• Remain standing and moving for extended periods.
• Frequently bend, reach, lift, and carry restaurant equipment.
• Safely carry trays, dishes, glassware, and other restaurant supplies.
• Work in a fast-paced restaurant environment.
• Work evenings, weekends, holidays, and high-volume events as scheduled.

Reasonable accommodations may be provided where applicable.

OUR STANDARD

Hard on standards. Gentle on people.

We believe hospitality is built through hundreds of small decisions made correctly throughout the day.

Every clean table matters.
Every water refill matters.
Every plate delivered correctly matters.
Every guest interaction matters.

Consistency Creates Excellence.

Our goal is to leave Sava’s better than we found it every shift.

1% Better. Every Day.

Requirements

SAVA’S ANN ARBOR

SUPPORT TEAM JOB REQUIREMENTS

BASIC REQUIREMENTS

Candidates for the Sava’s Support Team should:

• Be 16 years of age or older, subject to applicable work and scheduling restrictions.
• Have reliable transportation or a dependable way to arrive for every scheduled shift.
• Maintain dependable and punctual attendance.
• Be available to work a flexible restaurant schedule including weekends, evenings, holidays, football weekends, and special events.
• Arrive on time, properly groomed, and in complete Sava’s uniform.
• Be able to work effectively in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.
• Communicate clearly and respectfully with guests, coworkers, managers, and the culinary team.
• Be willing to receive coaching and immediately apply feedback.
• Maintain a positive, team-first attitude.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Support Team Members must be able to:

• Stand and walk for extended periods throughout a shift.
• Frequently bend, reach, twist, and move throughout the restaurant.
• Safely lift and carry approximately 25 to 40 pounds.
• Carry trays, plates, glassware, bus tubs, water carafes, and restaurant supplies safely.
• Move quickly while maintaining awareness of guests, coworkers, stairs, tables, and other obstacles.
• Work around hot food, kitchen equipment, glassware, cleaning products, and wet or slippery surfaces.
• Perform repetitive restaurant tasks such as polishing, stocking, clearing, resetting, and carrying dishes.

Reasonable accommodations may be provided where required by applicable law.

PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS

A Sava’s Support Team Member must demonstrate:

Urgency
Move with purpose without sacrificing safety or quality.

Awareness
Continuously scan the restaurant and recognize what needs attention.

Attention to Detail
Notice water levels, dirty plates, crooked chairs, missing silverware, low supplies, and incomplete table setups.

Teamwork
Support the entire restaurant rather than waiting for someone to ask for help.

Communication
Communicate low products, guest needs, allergies, mistakes, delays, or safety concerns immediately.

Organization
Maintain clean and properly stocked service stations, hutches, server alleys, and work areas.

Hospitality
Acknowledge guests and contribute positively to their experience, even when you are not their primary Server.

Coachability
Receive feedback professionally and demonstrate improvement.

KNOWLEDGE & TRAINING EXPECTATIONS

Support Team Members are expected to learn and demonstrate proficiency in:

• Table numbers and restaurant sections
• Seat positions
• Food running procedures
• Proper food presentation
• Allergy awareness and communication
• Table clearing and resetting
• Water service
• Tabletop standards
• Silverware and glassware placement
• Bussing procedures
• Service station organization
• Opening and closing responsibilities
• Cleaning and sanitation expectations
• Proper communication with expo and the culinary team
• Sava’s service standards and terminology

Training must be completed successfully before a team member is considered fully certified in the position.

PATHWAY TO SERVER

The Support position can also serve as a development pathway toward becoming a Sava’s Server.

Team Members who consistently demonstrate strong performance, reliability, hospitality, menu knowledge, communication, urgency, and ownership may be considered for advancement into the Server training pathway.

Advancement is not automatic and is based on business needs, performance, readiness, and leadership approval.

To be considered for the Server pathway, a Support Team Member should demonstrate:

• Consistent attendance and punctuality
• Strong understanding of Sava’s service standards
• Excellent table numbers and seat position knowledge
• Proper food running and table maintenance
• Strong guest communication
• Developing food, beverage and allergy knowledge
• Ability to stay composed during high-volume service
• Team-first behavior
• Strong side-work and cleanliness habits
• Ability to receive and apply coaching
• Initiative without needing constant direction
• Consistent execution of Support team responsibilities

We believe the Support position is one of the best places to learn the rhythm of the restaurant, understand great service, and prepare for greater responsibility.

Master the position you are in before advancing to the position you want.

EXPERIENCE

Previous restaurant experience is preferred but not required.

We are willing to train candidates who demonstrate:

• Strong work ethic
• Reliability
• Urgency
• Humility
• Curiosity
• Positive attitude
• Attention to detail
• Desire to learn
• Genuine willingness to help others

At Sava’s, attitude and coachability can outweigh experience.

NON-NEGOTIABLES

Every Support Team Member is expected to:

• Show up prepared and on time.
• Participate in pre-shift meetings and training.
• Follow food safety and sanitation standards.
• Follow allergy and guest safety protocols.
• Maintain professional communication.
• Protect guest privacy and restaurant information.
• Stay productive during downtime.
• Keep personal phones away during active service except when authorized.
• Avoid gossip, disruptive behavior, and negativity that impacts the team.
• Immediately communicate injuries, broken glass, spills, hazards, or unsafe conditions.
• Follow management and chef direction during service.
• Treat coworkers and guests with respect.

THE STANDARD

We do not expect Support Team Members to simply clear tables.

We expect them to support the operation.

The strongest Support Team Members eventually know:

• Where food needs to go.
• Which tables need attention.
• Which Server needs help.
• What station needs stocking.
• What the kitchen needs.
• What the guest needs.

Often before anyone has to ask.

That level of awareness is what separates someone completing tasks from someone becoming a hospitality professional.

See it. Own it. Handle it.

Consistency Creates Excellence.

1% Better. Every Day.