How to Train a Host or Hostess in Ireland

The restaurant host or hostess is the first point of contact for your guests — and in Ireland’s competitive hospitality landscape, first impressions matter more than ever. Training your hosts properly not only enhances the guest experience but also sets your staff up for long-term success in the industry.

Why Host Training Matters

According to the Toast Consumer Preferences Survey 2025, in which 200 Irish hospitality workers were polled about restaurant HR, staffing and training in hospitality, 83.5% of respondents in Ireland believe Front of House staff should receive customer conflict management training, yet 31% say this is the most overlooked area in training.

With Irish diners increasingly selective about where they eat out — and 86% saying dining out is becoming too expensive to do regularly — it’s crucial to offer exceptional service from the moment a guest walks in (source: Voice of the Restaurant Industry in Ireland). Host training helps reduce staff turnover, improves guest satisfaction, and builds team morale.

Popular Training Options for Hosts

1. On-the-Job Training

Most Irish restaurants begin training with shadowing and mentoring. This hands-on approach resonates with new hires — 75.5% of Irish respondents prefer on-the-job mentorship over online training or printed manuals.

2. Online Training Resources

While in-person training dominates, many restaurants supplement with online courses. For Irish establishments, platforms likeSC Training provide free or low-cost hospitality-focused microlearning modules.

3. Local Formal Training Programmes

In Ireland, hospitality certifications such as the QQI (formerly FETAC) Level 5 in Food and Beverage Service or Health and Safety Authority (HSA) training are useful benchmarks. Providers like Failte Ireland and City & Guilds Ireland also offer recognised qualifications that enhance professionalism.

Skills Hosts Should Develop

Training should equip hosts with soft and hard skills. Based on the Toast Consumer Preferences Survey 2025:

• Greeting customers is rated the most important FOH skill (39.5%)

• Customer service and food safety are the top-ranked training areas

• Conflict resolution and communication round out the top skill needs

Tools to Support Host Training

According to the Voice of the Restaurant Industry in Ireland report, Irish restaurateurs are investing in tech at the same rate as labour costs (15%), with a growing interest in integrated POS, reservation systems, and digital onboarding tools.

Toast’s restaurant technology can streamline host operations, from managing reservations and waitlists to simplifying front-of-house communication with handheld POS devices and kitchen display systems.

What Irish Guests Expect from Your Hosts

The Voice of the Restaurant Industry report reveals that Irish diners expect high-value, experience-driven service — and that tech-savvy, well-trained staff are key to delivering this. 

Consumers are prioritising sustainable choices, digital convenience, and genuine interactions from restaurant staff.

Tips for Hiring and Onboarding Hosts

Here are a few practical steps to implement:

• Meet candidates in person. Video interviews are convenient, but in-person meetings help gauge communication skills and warmth — traits that 79.5% of Irish respondents rate as “extremely important” during onboarding

• Structure your onboarding. 89.5% of Irish respondents said structured onboarding is valuable — and peer mentoring ranks as the most effective method

• Refresh training regularly. Most Irish consumers believe training should be refreshed quarterly

Grab our free Restaurant New Hire Onboarding Checklist below to integrate these resources into your team’s development plan.

Final Thoughts

Irish restaurant owners are optimistic — 95% expect year-over-year growth and many are planning to expand (source: Voice of the Restaurant Industry in Ireland). 

But growth relies on delivering guest experiences that stand out. Investing in host training is an affordable, high-impact way to drive better first impressions, build stronger teams, and increase revenue.