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GlossaryUpdated

Back of house

At an event, back of house is every area guests don't see, such as the kitchen, storage and loading dock, and the staff who work there.

Also called: BOH, heart of house

Which jobs are back of house?

Cooks, dishwashers, runners who restock stations, barbacks working the stockroom and setup crew. Hotels often call it heart of house, which means the same thing.

Back of house at catered events

At catered events, back of house is often temporary: a tent kitchen behind a ballroom, or a service corridor turned into a staging area. The staff entrance, break area and load-in route usually sit here too.

Do back-of-house staff share tips?

It depends on the employer and the state. Under federal rules, kitchen and other untipped staff can share a tip pool only when the employer pays everyone full minimum wage and takes no tip credit. Some states set stricter rules.

Used on these shiftsCatering attendantRunnerBarbackSetup and teardown crewFind catering attendant shifts →
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