Hometown Buffet is an American buffet restaurant operated by Ovation Brands, Inc. It serves steak, soups, entrees, desserts, grilled chops and seafood, and beverages. It’s also known as Old Country Buffet.
Dennis Scott, co-founder of Roe Hatlen, left Buffets, Inc. and established HomeTown Buffet in 1989. In 1996, however, the chain merged with Homestyle Buffet. A decade later, Scott and Hatlen acquired Ryan’s Grill.
HomeTown Buffet currently runs in 168 restaurant locations in the US. Customers recognize it through its logo and mascot named H.T. Bee. Most of the time, the staff and the restaurant manager don this costume whenever they greet guests.
As a company, the restaurant offers competitive wages even to employees at the entry level. Meanwhile, eligible employees not only get flexible working hours, but also retirement benefits, health and wellness perks, financial planning, and paid time off.
On top of these, employees get free lunches and a chance to work in a competitive environment to hone their skills. They also appreciate the family-oriented values the company espouses.
How old do you have to be to work at Hometown Buffet?
The minimum age requirement for entry-level positions is 16. However, labor laws apply depending on the state and store location. Teenage applicants might have to secure a permit from their school and other local government units.
Hometown Buffet Careers
The company welcomes applicants who have a strong desire to succeed, a commitment to accountability and excellence, and an unmistakable sense of leadership and respect. It will do them well to check out the following job openings.
Kitchen Restaurant Manager: The Kitchen Restaurant Manager is tasked to keep the restaurant well-managed, safe, and clean. As one of the primary people to screen and train new hires, he is expected to ensure proper employee staffing. At most times he shall strictly implement and uphold the company’s core values, policies, and safety standards. He monitors each staff member’s performance and sees to it the restaurant meets its financial goals.
Compensation and Benefits Analyst: The essential duties of the Compensations and Benefits Analyst are: analyzing and reviewing any changes in compensation and benefits, ensuring these comply with labor laws and company policies, assisting in job evaluation and income tax reports, coaching new hires, communicating salary and benefits information to all employees, and participating during acquisitions and mergers.
Cashier: Since the cashier is one of the restaurant’s front-end employees, he must practice hospitality and provide quality customer service. He receives payment either by cash or credit cards, issues receipts and accurate change, handles money transactions efficiently, balances the cash drawer, and ensures the cash register always has adequate change.
Food Bar Attendant: The Food Bar Attendant shall promptly serve beverages and snacks to customers. He politely takes food orders and communicates these orders to the kitchen staff. He is also responsible for restocking the food bar and maintaining its cleanliness. A food bar attendant must be able to multitask and work in a fast-paced environment, such as Hometown Buffet’s.
Line Cook: Line cooks prepare and cook menu items in accordance to the company’s standards. They must know and understand the ingredients and procedures needed for the restaurant’s traditional recipes. Kitchen work demands a lot of time and skill. Thus, line cooks should be alert and task-driven. They should also be able to stand for long hours and lift heavy objects.
Baker: The key responsibilities of bakers are: checking the products’ quality, identifying good in need of a replacement, preparing dough and other baked items, using and cleaning kitchen utensils and equipment. Like the rest of the team, the baker should adhere to company regulations and quality standards.
Server: The Server shall provide positive interactions with guests and serve them efficiently. He is expected to attend to guests at all times, making them feel welcome, relaxed, and comfortable. The ideal candidate is passionate about food and service, friendly, courteous, and agile.
Dishwasher: All kitchen utensils must be spic and span. Thanks to the dishwasher, the plates and pots are always ready for use. He shall also maintain the cleanliness and orderliness of his work area, and ensure this complies with sanitation and safety regulations.
Host: The Host is part of the front-end team. Thus, he shall greet and sear guests, take names on the wait list, inform customers on special soups and meals, and entertain queries regarding the restaurant or the menu. Because he is in charge of the floor plan board, the candidate must have a keen sense of detail and exceptional organizational skills.
Account Payable Specialist: The duties of an Account Payable Specialist include, but are not limited to: coding invoices, expense reports, vouchers, and check requests into the financial system; preparing wire transfers and non-inventory purchases; helping in documenting monthly status reports; and filing accounting reports and other pertinent documents.
Hometown Buffet Application
Applicants may check out the company’s employment page and search for available positions. Upon clicking the Apply for Job button, they will be led to a page where they have to encode their full name, email address, cover letter, and CV.
The application form is available on the Employment page as well. Applicants may download it and attach it to their resume. They may also opt to personally hand in their documents to the restaurant manager or HR officer.
Job hopefuls should take their time in accomplishing the forms and ensure all information is complete and accurate. Applicants usually hear from the hiring staff days after they submitted their resumes.
The hiring team is not too stringent with CVs. What they would look for are the applicant’s relevant skills and previous job experience. Although the latter is not really a requirement, it puts the applicant in a special position, making him a priority in the list.
Once the applicant passes the initial screening, he will be called for an interview. Applicants should expect to be asked common questions such as how they see themselves in a year, how they found out about the job, and how often they can render service to the company.
Things to Know about Hometown Buffet
Hometown Buffet teaches strong work ethic to employees. It believes that efficient service comes from a good working relationship between the staff and the management. Everyone is expected to be professional at all times.
However, setbacks cannot be avoided even in the midst of mergers and acquisitions. On February this year, Hometown Buffet in Modesto closed down after serving its residents for almost 25 years.
The Modesto branch will be much missed, especially because of its Family Nights promo, in which children get sweet treats for a discounted price. Family Nights likewise feature tie-in activities with National Geographic Kids.
At present, the company welcomes non-profit organizations for any fundraising events at any of their store locations. It also hosts Military Mondays in support and honor of military personnel and their families. On such days, military personnel get a 15% discount on their meals.
Application Links
Company: http://www.hometownbuffet.com
Careers: http://www.hometownbuffet.com/team
Application: http://www.hometownbuffet.com/team