A restaurant cashier closes outstanding food and beverage bills by accepting payment from the customer. One of the most important positions in a restaurant is the person dealing with the money. All people in this position have the dual responsibilities of direct customer interaction and money handling. Restaurant cashiers may also serve in another capacity as a host, server, or floor manager.
Strong math, computer, and multitasking skills make the job of a restaurant cashier easier. Splitting checks and gratuity calculation may be part of the responsibilities for a restaurant cashier. Restaurant point of sale systems take time and training to fully understand and operate quickly. Experience with credit card machines and check verification devices may also be valuable assets for the restaurant cashier.
Restaurants commonly limit the number of people with access to the cash drawer to a single cashier so it is easier to determine the responsible party when money is missing. At the start of a shift, the restaurant cashier is often asked to count and verify the money totals in the drawer. Signed credit card receipts and spent gift certificates are generally added to the cash drawer to balance the received payments with the sales totals. The restaurant or shift manager then audits the drawer at the end of the shift to make the appropriate amounts are present. Negligible discrepancies are often overlooked when money losses are not a pattern for the individual cashier.
The restaurant cashier may be the only person who talks to the customers during their entire visit. Some restaurants ask the cashier to greet guests, take their orders, and enter them into the payment system. Payment may be then taken by the cashier immediately or at the completion of the meal. In this way, a cashier can act as the sole ambassador for the restaurant. An efficient restaurant cashier is able to shift gears between his or her many duties to seamlessly care for the needs of customers.
Small tasks are often given to cashiers to help the other staff quickly close down the restaurant for the night or reset for the next shift. These basic duties are also designed to keep cashiers busy while the manager audits his or her register. Closing tasks given to cashiers generally include trash removal, host station restocking, and front of house cleaning.