How to Look Presentable While Working in a Restaurant

A quick and easy guide to help you decide what to wear to your restaurant job

Co-authored by Jordan Stolch

Last Updated: December 11, 2022

Maintaining Personal Hygiene

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Choosing the Right Clothes

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Looking Clean and Tidy

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Q&A

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Tips

Working at a restaurant is great for anyone who is new to the work world or just needs to make a little more money. However, what's most important when working in any place that sells food is not only how you act and respond to those you are serving, but your physical appearance, which may say even more than your words.

Things You Should Know

Maintain your personal hygiene by regularly showering and brushing your teeth.
Follow the dress code at your workplace. In general, dark-colored dress pants, a button-up shirt, and dress shoes are good options.
Wear clean clothes that fit well and keep your hair out of your face.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Maintaining Personal Hygiene

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Keep yourself clean. Customers want to feel like they are eating in a clean and tidy environment and that includes you. Always shower and brush your teeth before going to work. Make sure that your fingernails are clean. Men should shave or trim facial hair neatly.^{[1]
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- Brush your teeth rather than chewing gum, which is considered unprofessional and can be unappealing to the customer.^{[2]
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- Trim your nails and clean underneath them with a pick.
2
Avoid wearing strong fragrances. Part of a dining experience is the smell of the food you will be eating. Too much personal fragrance can get in the way or mix with the smell of the food creating an unpleasant odor.
- This also applies to smokers. Avoid smoking in your work clothes, so the smell doesn’t follow you into the restaurant.
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3
Cover any open wounds. If you injure yourself while on the job, you want to take care of it right away for your own sake and that of the customers. It is also upsetting to some customers to see bandages on the hands of the people who are serving them.
- If the injury is bad, ask to be sent home or to the doctor to fix it.
- Invest in clear bandages to avoid unsightly, obvious ones.
- Use a triple-antibiotic to help cuts heal more quickly and stay clean.
4
Keep your hair styled and out of the way. Men and women should get regular hair cuts to keep their hair tidy and healthy. Brush it regularly and style it in a classic fashion for work.
- If your hair is long enough to be gathered into a ponytail, it should be secured and kept out of the way of the food when you are serving it or carrying it on a tray.
- People working in the kitchen should wear hair nets or hats to keep hair from falling into the food as it is prepared.
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Wash your hands regularly. Dirty hands can spread viruses and diseases to your customers. Your hands should be clean when you are handling their food, menus, money and utensils. Also acknowledge that handling pens, trays, rags, money and other things leaves you constantly exposed to bacteria. Wash your hands as often as possible, especially if they appear dirty or get sticky.
- Always wash your hands before returning to work after using the restroom. Not washing your hands before returning to work is a health code violation.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Choosing the Right Clothes

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Determine the style of clothes for the venue. When you are hired at a restaurant, be sure that you are familiar with the expectations as far as what you should wear. Similar to being invited to an event or party, you will want to have an idea of the dress code and level of formality.
- Ask the management what their expectations are regarding your uniform. They will likely have a dress code in writing, which they can share with you.
- If the restaurant has branded uniform pieces, like hats or aprons, you may be required to purchase them for a small fee, which could be paid up front or taken out of your check. This amount is usually returned to you when you return the items.
- Visit the restaurant or similar restaurants to see what other servers are wearing.
- Black dress pants and a denim shirt would be an example of a more casual, but still professional look.
- A formal uniform might include dress pants, button-up shirt and a vest, or a skirt or shift dress for women.
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Have multiple shirts on hand. Whether you provide the shirt, or your employer does, have several of them in your closet. You will not likely be able to do laundry every day when you are working, so it is best to have some back-up options.^{[3]
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- Choose a nice shirt with sleeves (no tank tops). Avoid shirts with designs and logos.
- Working at a restaurant could lead to spills and stains. If a shirt is dirty, stained or smells bad, be sure to wear another shirt until you can wash the dirty one.
- Throw a shirt away if it is worn out. Once a shirt is torn or frayed, you will need to replace it.
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Wear presentable pants. Some restaurants will allow jeans as part of the uniform. If so, still choose jeans which fit well and do not have holes in them. Shop for a classic style which does not include a lot of decoration.^{[4]
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- If you are wearing dress pants, be sure that they are clean and ironed.
4
Choose dark or black clothing when it is an option. Darker clothing often looks sharper. It also has the ability to hide stains. Working around food and drinks leads to spills along the way, which will be less obvious on dark or black clothing.
- If your restaurant encourages patterns in your clothing, choose patterns which match the look of the restaurant and aren't too busy or outlandish. An example would be checkered shirts for a country-style restaurant.
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Wear comfortable, nice-looking shoes. You are likely going to be on your feet all day, so choose shoes which are comfortable. On the other hand, you want them to look professional and not too casual.^{[5]
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- Choose shoes with a rubber sole for good grip in case there are spills or the kitchen floor is wet.
- Go for close-toed flats, nice single-color tennis shoes or shoes with a low heel, depending on the level of formality at your restaurant.
- Choose a leather shoe which you can polish to keep it looking clean and new.
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Keep accessories to a minimum. Cumbersome bracelets, necklaces and rings can get in the way of doing your job. Don’t wear any jewelry which could drape into someone’s food or drink. Simple jewelry like a wedding band or a small necklace on a short chain should be fine.
- Even though facial piercings may not drape into food, they could be disturbing to some customers. It is best to remove facial piercings before working at a restaurant.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Looking Clean and Tidy

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Wear clothes which fit properly. This is a simple step to looking professional. Clothes which are too big can be baggy and look sloppy. Clothes which are too tight will be uncomfortable and could be considered risqué.^{[6]
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- In general, try to choose clothes that are a little bit looser on the top and tighter on the bottom, or vice versa.^{[7]
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  Expert Interview. 27 May 2021.}
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Wash your work outfits regularly. You want your clothes to look and smell fresh. Be sure that you keep them clean and tidy by washing them as often as possible. If you don’t have a lot of time to wash your clothes, consider using a drop-off service or a dry cleaner.
3
Keep your apron clean. You will likely only have one apron assigned to you. It is important to wash this along with your clothes, but you will also want to keep it clean between washes.
- Resist the urge to wipe your hands on your apron. Wash your hands or carry a towel to wipe them on if you need to.
- If your apron gets dirty between washed, dab the stains with a damp towel. Try using soda water to scrub stains out.
4
Tuck in your shirt. Tucking your shirt gives you a more professional look. Beyond that, it is important to keep your shirt secured so that it doesn’t accidentally get on the table or in someone’s meal.

Community Q&A

Question

Can I keep my hair long while working as a waitress?

Community Answer

Your hair can be long, however, it must be tied in a ponytail, braid, bun or any other tied up hairstyle to keep hair out of the way so it doesn't come into contact with the food you are serving.
Question

Can I wear makeup if I am female?

Community Answer

Yes, unless the restaurant specifically prohibits it. You may be limited in what you can wear, so ask your boss when they hire you what makeup will be allowed!
Question

Does your hair have to be always up as a waitress or it can be down if you have on a hair net?

Joseph_85

Top Answerer

It ultimately depends on the regulations of your city or county's health department.