When writing your food service cover letter, focus on how you can help provide a great dining experience to guests or customers. Express your interest in the specific role or hiring restaurant, and cite your related skills like payment processing or menu memorization.
This guide will help you write a cover letter that gets you interviews for your next job in food service.
Food Service Cover Letter Templates and Examples
- Entry-Level
- Mid-Career
- Senior-Level
How To Write a Food Service Cover Letter
Your food service cover letter should usually have five sections, in this order:
1. Heading
At the top of the page, include:
- Your name, title, and contact information
- The date
- The recipient’s name, title, organization, and contact information (when available)
(Note: Feel free to omit this section if you send your letter by email and your contact details are part of your signature.)
Example
Emina Renate | Server
[email protected] | (876) 543-2109 | 678 My Boulevard, Salt Lake City, UT 89012
February 7, 2024
Rebekah Simon
Senior Hiring Manager
Buffalo Wild Wings
(765) 432-1098
[email protected]
2. Salutation
If you can’t find the recipient’s name, use a variation of “Dear Hiring Manager.”
Examples
Dear Mr. Martinez:
Dear Empellon Hiring Manager:
3. “Hook” or introduction
Catch the reader’s attention by citing an achievement from your resume or a key credential the employer seeks in applicants.
Example
Last year, I launched a diner loyalty program that increased bookings by 45% during quiet periods and grew overall revenue by 32%. I’m excited about the chance to support similar innovation and growth at your restaurant location.
4. Body paragraph(s)
Explain why this food service job or employer interests you. Then, cite a few more of your key achievements or qualifications, possibly using bullet points.
Example
As a customer-focused server with over two years of experience, I admire Buffalo Wild Wings’s reputation for outstanding service. I’d love to help uphold that reputation while maintaining the fast-paced work environment. My recent work highlights include the following:
- Helping deliver a team training initiative that raised overall guest satisfaction by 43%
- Increasing profits 23% during my shifts by suggesting wines and cocktails to complement dishes
- Driving promotions that increased uptake in the restaurant’s guest loyalty program by 65%
5. Closing
Finally, request an interview for the position.
Example
I hope to speak with you soon about how I can help your restaurant deliver high-quality service to guests. Please call or email me to schedule an interview. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Allison Rosenberg
Food Service Cover Letter Tips
1. Show you can ensure positive dining experiences
Start your letter strong with a detailed example of your success in food service. For instance, maybe you recently earned a near-perfect guest feedback score. Or maybe you helped a restaurant manager streamline the preparation of large food orders.
Example
As a waitress at an upscale Mexican restaurant, I’ve won multiple service awards and found ways to enhance collaboration between the front-of-house and back-of-house staff. I believe my fine dining experience will allow me to thrive in Empellon’s advertised waitress position.
2. Explain why you’re drawn to the opportunity
On a separate document or sheet of paper, take 10 minutes to brainstorm why this food service role or employer interests you based on the job posting. Consider how your work background compares to the position and to the hiring restaurant’s size, cuisine, clientele, or business model. For example, maybe the role is in room service for a large hotel, similar to one of your favorite recent jobs. Or perhaps the restaurant has a customer service philosophy that aligns with your own.
When you’re done brainstorming, review your notes: Do any stand out as important or persuasive? Take another 10 minutes to brainstorm and elaborate on them. Repeat this process until you have two or three concise sentences that speak to the job opening. By adding these to your cover letter, you can show managers you’re responding to their job posting directly.
Example
Your restaurant’s reputation for food and service quality aligns with my four years of waitress experience. Throughout my career to date, I’ve gained advanced skills in team training, product promotions, and system improvement.
3. Highlight your other strengths
Add a short list of bullet points on your other key food service skills, like teamwork, payment processing, or menu memorization. With each bullet point, show how you applied your skills to elevate guests’ dining experience. For instance, you could show leadership skills by describing a service training program you created and how that raised customer satisfaction scores.
Example
My recent achievements include the following:
- Raising guest satisfaction from 78% to 92% by enhancing communication protocols and training servers on how to use the point-of-sale (POS) system for custom items
- Generating 130% of sales goals by successfully promoting daily specials and upselling menu items to guests
- Training over 15 new servers on restaurant standards, menu items, and daily operations
Food Service Text-Only Cover Letter Templates and Examples
- Example #1
- Example #2
- Example #3
Allison Rosenberg | Waitress
[email protected] | (123) 456-7890 | 123 Bedford Avenue, New York, NY 12345
Monday, November 7, 2024
Mr. Hector Martinez
Hiring Manager
Empellon
(987) 654-3210
[email protected]
Dear Mr. Martinez:
As a waitress at an upscale Mexican restaurant, I’ve won multiple service awards and found ways to enhance collaboration between the front-of-house and back-of-house staff. I believe my fine dining experience will allow me to thrive in Empellon’s advertised waitress position.
Your restaurant’s reputation for food and service quality aligns with my four years of waitress experience. Throughout my career to date, I’ve gained advanced skills in team training, product promotions, and system improvement. I’ve demonstrated these skills through my recent achievements, which include the following:
- Raising guest satisfaction from 78% to 92% by enhancing communication protocols and training servers on how to use the POS system for custom items
- Generating 130% of sales goals by successfully promoting daily specials and upselling menu items to guests
- Training 15+ new servers on restaurant standards, menu items, and daily operations
I hope to speak with you soon about how I can help your restaurant deliver high-quality service to guests. Please call or email me to schedule an interview. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Allison Rosenberg
Food Service Cover Letter Frequently Asked Questions
What traits are useful to highlight on my cover letter?-
Desired qualities in food and beverage serving and related workers include attentiveness, collaboration, reliability, and a service mindset. Consider which of these traits best describe you, then give an example or two of how you’ve shown them in a work setting.
What’s the difference between a resume and a cover letter?-
A resume may show you’re qualified for the job, but a cover letter shows you want it. Your resume should display your various relevant experiences for the role you’re after. By contrast, your cover letter should explain why a specific job posting caught your attention or why the hiring organization seems like a fit for you. These details let you express your genuine interest in the opportunity and set the stage for a positive and productive interview. Therefore, a cover letter sharpens your job application by saying directly what your resume can only indicate.
How long should my cover letter be?-
No more than one page, or around 250 words. Resist the urge to tell your whole career story, even if you have an extensive background in food service. Give just enough detail to pique hiring managers’ interest so they look closely at your resume.
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