Many hotels offer room service for guests’ convenience. Room service attendants have a variety of responsibilities to ensure each guest has an enjoyable experience in the hotel. These attendants must strive to supply guests with their needs and requests. Depending upon the size of the hotel and versatility of the staff, responsibilities of room service attendants vary.

Experience

Ideal candidates for a room service job have at least one year of experience working in a restaurant, especially as a server. Applicants with other customer service experience, such as in retail, also are considered good candidates.

Skills

Room service attendants must have excellent people skills in order to communicate politely and professionally with guests and determine whether guests have everything they need during their hotel stay. They must pay attention to detail in order to deliver precisely what the guest has ordered. Attendants must take pride in their personal appearance and maintain the established uniform of the hotel. They also must be capable of standing or walking for long periods of time, as well as be able to push heavy carts.

Responsibilities

Room service attendants in hotels of all sizes deliver food, drinks, silverware and condiments to guest rooms to fulfill guest orders. The room service attendant wheels the tray into the guest room with the guest’s approval, sets up the table, opens platters and identifies each portion. The attendant may check back later to remove the cart. Depending upon the size of the hotel, room service attendants also may be responsible for taking guest orders by phone. These servers must be familiar with the hotel menu to answer any guest questions, such as those concerning food allergies. Room service attendants also may deliver packages that arrive for a guest and take care of guests' dry cleaning orders. When they are not delivering items to guest rooms, room service attendants may be responsible for stocking supplies for orders.

Compensation

In 2008, room servers made an average of $9.32 per hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. They also earn tips from guests. The national average salary for room service attendants is $27,837 per year, according to Career Builder’s salary calculator. Benefits vary according to establishment and hours worked. Full-time room service attendants receive medical coverage.

Career Outlook

Turnover is high for room service attendant jobs. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts this field of employment to increase 10 percent from 2008 to 2018. Room service attendants are needed at many hotels around the clock; therefore, flexible hours are available.