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Service

Sidework

Sidework refers to cleaning, organizing, and prep tasks that restaurant staff perform outside of direct customer service, including rolling silverware, polishing glassware, restocking supplies, and maintaining service areas.

Sidework refers to the cleaning, organizing, and prep tasks that restaurant staff perform outside of direct customer service. This includes everything from rolling silverware and polishing glassware to restocking condiments and preparing service stations. The work happens before shifts start, after they end, or during slow periods when servers aren’t actively waiting tables.

The Three Types of Sidework

Opening sidework prepares the restaurant for service. Servers set tables, polish silverware, stock stations with napkins and condiments, brew coffee, and ensure everything is ready for the first guests. This work typically happens 30-60 minutes before doors open.

Running sidework occurs during shifts between customer interactions. Servers refill ice wells, restock napkins in bar caddies, wipe down tables, and maintain handwashing stations. This keeps the restaurant operating smoothly without disrupting service flow.

Closing sidework resets the restaurant for the next shift. Tasks include removing trash, refrigerating perishables, cleaning server stations, resetting tables, and consolidating condiments following FIFO rotation principles. This work can take 45-90 minutes depending on restaurant size.

Sidework Across Different Positions

Every restaurant role has specific sidework responsibilities. Servers polish glassware, fold napkins, fill ramekins with condiments, and organize their server books with guest checks. Bartenders inventory liquor, prep garnish trays, wash bar mats, and clean tap lines.

Hosts sanitize menus, straighten waiting areas, and stock host stands with seating charts and pens. Kitchen staff perform mise en place prep, clean stations, and organize walk-ins. Bussers restock dish stations, maintain sanitizer buckets, and sometimes handle dishwashing at three-compartment sinks in smaller operations.

Legal Requirements: The 80/20 Rule

Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), tipped employees cannot spend more than 20% of their workweek on non-tip-producing sidework. They also can’t perform sidework for more than 30 continuous minutes without switching back to customer service. This protects servers from being paid tipped minimum wage for extensive cleaning or prep work.

Tasks completely unrelated to serving—like deep cleaning kitchens, washing exterior windows, or managing inventory—must be compensated at full minimum wage, not the tipped employee rate. Restaurants violating this rule face wage theft penalties and potential lawsuits.

Managing Sidework Effectively

Smart managers use prep sheet-style checklists to ensure sidework gets completed consistently. These checklists assign specific tasks by shift and position, preventing confusion about who refills which station or cleans what area. Digital systems track completion times to ensure FLSA compliance.

Rotating sidework assignments prevents burnout and ensures all staff can perform every task. Some restaurants assign the worst jobs (like trash duty) to whoever gets cut first, while others rotate weekly to distribute less desirable tasks fairly. Clear systems reduce conflicts and ensure nothing gets forgotten during busy shifts.

Common Uses

Sidework is used throughout restaurant operations in three main contexts. Opening sidework happens pre-shift when staff prepare dining rooms and service stations for guests—setting tables, brewing coffee, polishing silverware, and stocking supplies. Running sidework occurs during shifts between customer interactions, including refilling ice wells, restocking napkins, wiping tables, and maintaining handwashing stations. Closing sidework happens post-shift to reset the restaurant, involving trash removal, refrigerating perishables, consolidating condiments, and cleaning stations. Managers typically use sidework checklists assigned by position and shift to ensure consistency and compliance with FLSA regulations limiting tipped employees to 20% of work time on non-tip-producing tasks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sidework includes all the preparatory, cleaning, organizing, and maintenance tasks servers do outside of directly serving customers—things like rolling silverware, refilling condiments, polishing glassware, and stocking stations. Regular duties involve taking orders, delivering food and drinks, processing payments, and other face-to-face customer interactions that generate tips.
Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), tipped employees should not perform non-tip-producing sidework for more than 20% of their total work time, nor for more than 30 continuous minutes. This 80/20 rule protects servers from being paid tipped minimum wage for extensive cleaning or prep work unrelated to customer service.
Opening sidework prepares the restaurant for guests by setting tables, polishing silverware, and stocking stations. Running sidework occurs during shifts and includes refilling supplies and minor cleaning between customer interactions. Closing sidework involves end-of-shift tasks like trash removal, refrigerating perishables, and resetting stations for the next day.
All restaurant staff have sidework responsibilities appropriate to their role. Servers polish glassware and fold napkins, bartenders inventory liquor and prep garnishes, hosts sanitize menus and organize waiting areas, kitchen staff prepare mise en place stations, and bussers clean and stock service areas. Sidework assignments are typically divided by position and documented on shift checklists.
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