Job Description

Food Runner – HopCat

At HopCat, we believe great restaurants are built by great people. We're looking for “A Players”—individuals who take pride in their craft, care about their teammates, and consistently deliver exceptional food under pressure.

Mission

Connect the kitchen to the guest by delivering every dish quickly, accurately, safely, and with pride while helping the restaurant maintain smooth service and strong food-quality standards.

What Success Looks Like

• Verify table number, seat position, modifications, special requests, and plate completeness before leaving the kitchen.
• Deliver hot food hot and cold food cold, prioritizing children's meals and time-sensitive items.
• Clearly identify each dish for the guest and confirm necessary sauces, condiments, silverware, and accompaniments are present.
• Immediately communicate missing items, incorrect plates, allergy concerns, quality issues, or delayed tickets.
• Maintain a clean, organized, safe, and fully supplied expo area throughout the shift.
• Support table maintenance, beverage refills, clearing, and resets when food-running priorities allow.
• Demonstrate working knowledge of menu items, table numbers, seat positions, and basic allergen procedures within the required training period.

Core Competencies:

The ideal candidate demonstrates the following:

Urgency - Responds quickly while maintaining safety and quality.

Accuracy - Follows recipes, tickets, counts, and procedures precisely.

Communication - Demonstrates this behavior consistently during every shift.

Menu awareness - Understands dishes, modifications, and service priorities.

Teamwork - Supports shared results beyond assigned tasks.

Organization - Keeps tools, information, and work areas ready.

Safety awareness - Recognizes hazards and follows safe procedures.

Coachability - Receives feedback and applies it consistently.

Key Responsibilities

• Run completed food promptly to the correct guests.
• Perform a final visual quality and completeness check.
• Use proper menu language when presenting dishes.
• Keep the expo line stocked and organized.
• Assist servers and bussers with immediate guest needs.
• Follow food-safety, sanitation, and allergen procedures.
• Complete assigned opening, cleaning, and closing duties.

Experience and Qualifications

• Previous restaurant experience is preferred but not required.
• Ability to learn the menu, table map, seat positions, modifications, and allergens.
• Strong listening skills and the ability to follow verbal direction in a high-volume environment.
• Flexible availability, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Physical Requirements

• Stand and move throughout the shift.
• Safely carry multiple plates, trays, and up to 40 pounds.
• Move quickly through crowded dining and kitchen areas around hot food and equipment.

Why Work at HopCat?

• Competitive pay appropriate to the position, including tips where applicable.
• Flexible scheduling and employee food discounts.
• Training, skill development, and opportunities for growth within HopCat and Project BarFly.
• A fast-paced, inclusive, and team-focused work environment.

What You’ll Receive:

Strong Earning Potential

Servers earn an hourly wage plus tips, with earning potential based on scheduling, performance, sales, and guest volume.

Comprehensive Training

Our structured training program provides the menu knowledge, service skills, and tools needed to succeed.

Why HopCat?

HopCat is known for award-winning food, legendary hospitality, and one of the best craft beer programs in the country. We invest heavily in our people and provide real opportunities for growth.

If you are ready to take ownership of the Food Runner role and help create memorable HopCat experiences, we would love to meet you.

Apply today and start building your career with HopCat.

BarFly is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. We know that diverse, talented and dedicated individuals are critical to our success, so we look for veterans and people from various backgrounds not just because it's the right thing to do, but also because it's good for our business. We accept, celebrate and support the differences of people because it makes our team, the experience at our restaurants and the communities in which we operate better.