Food Runner

Reports to: Floor Manager / General Manager Employment type: Hourly (non-exempt) Schedule: Dinner service only — no day shifts. Evenings, typically 4:00pm to close, plus Friday and Saturday dinner service Compensation: Hourly wage plus participation in the tip-out pool Experience: Required — minimum one year running food in a full-service restaurant

You are the last person between the kitchen and the guest, and in a steakhouse that matters more than it does almost anywhere else. A ribeye that sits under the pass for ninety seconds, a filet delivered to the wrong seat, a lobster tail that arrives without its drawn butter — none of it is recoverable at that point, and all of it is on you. This is a dinner-only position because that's when the room runs: a focused, high-intensity push from open to close, roughly 285 covers on a busy Saturday, with no daytime service to warm up on.

We require prior experience because you need to be useful on your first shift. Our menu runs heavy on temperature-sensitive proteins and composed plates, and we don't have a slow period to train you through.

Running the pass

• Pick up food from the pass the moment it's called and deliver it to the correct table and seat, hot and intact
• Confirm seat numbers against the ticket before you leave the kitchen — every plate, every time
• Know each dish well enough to describe it at the table: cut, temperature, sauce, sides, garnish
• Verify the plate against the ticket before it leaves the pass and flag anything off-spec to the expediter or chef rather than running it
• Carry a full tray through a packed dining room and a service alley without spills
• Pace your runs so nothing dies under a heat lamp and no table waits on a final plate

Menu and allergy competency

• Memorize the menu: proteins, cuts, weights, cooking temperatures, sauces, sides, and garnishes
• Know the common allergens in every dish and never deliver a plate to a guest with a flagged allergy without confirming it with the kitchen
• Answer basic guest questions at the table — doneness, ingredients, what pairs with what — or get the server if you don't know
• Understand our steak temperatures well enough to confirm a guest's order is what they wanted when you set it down

Supporting the floor

• Clear plates and glassware on your way back to the kitchen — never walk empty-handed
• Refill water and bread service when you pass a table that needs it
• Support bussers with table resets during a turn, and servers during a push
• Report to the expediter and manager on ticket times, missing items, and any table running long
• Stock the pass and service stations as needed: plates, ramekins, sauces, garnishes, steak knives

Standards and side work

• Keep the pass and service alley clean, organized, and free of obstacles through the shift
• Complete opening setup and closing side work assigned by the manager on duty
• Report equipment issues and supply shortages before the next shift

Required

• Minimum one year of food running experience in a full-service restaurant
• Able to carry a full tray of plates and multiple glasses through a crowded dining room
• Menu-memory ability — you must be able to learn a substantial steakhouse menu and retain it
• Understanding of protein doneness and steakhouse temperature standards
• Able to stand and walk for a full shift; able to lift and carry up to 50 pounds repeatedly
• Comfortable in a high-volume, fast-paced environment and steady under pressure
• Dinner availability only — but Friday and Saturday nights are mandatory and non-negotiable
• Reliable attendance and punctuality; when you're late, food sits under the lamp and the whole floor feels it
• Clear communication with kitchen, expediters, servers, and management
• Eligibility to work in the United States, and any local food-handler or alcohol-service certification required by law

Preferred

• Steakhouse or upscale fine-dining background
• Working knowledge of wine, spirits, and beer sufficient to answer basic guest questions
• Experience with a POS or handheld ticketing system
• Experience in a high-volume venue (200+ covers per night)
• Bilingual English/Spanish is an asset on our floor