Restaurant Server and Host Course (UK) 2026

This course is for waiting staff, hosts and front-of-house team members in UK restaurants, cafés and pubs that serve food. It covers greeting and seating, taking orders, the 14 allergens and Natasha's Law, serving alcohol legally (including the different rules in Scotland, where staff who serve alcohol must complete at least 2 hours of prescribed training) and your rights under the tipping law. It is background knowledge only and does not replace the alcohol, allergen or other training the law or your employer requires. Each topic has a lesson and an untimed quiz, then a timed 30-question final assessment; score 80% or more to earn a Certificate of Completion.

Course
United Kingdom
83 questions
Checked October 14, 2026
Edited by A. Singh
Fact-checked October 15, 2026

Quick answer

This free course has about 150 minutes of lessons, 5 untimed topic quizzes (83 questions in all) and a timed final assessment of 30 questions drawn at random. Score 80% or more on the final assessment to download a certificate of completion (private, not accredited). Checked against official sources on October 14, 2026.

Start with the lessonsRestaurant Server and Host Course (UK): Lessons: about 150 minutes of reading. Every test question is covered in the lessons.

What you will learn

Greet, seat and manage reservations and walk-ins fairly, including making reasonable adjustments for disabled guests
Take accurate orders with seat numbers and suggest extras honestly, within consumer law
Name the 14 allergens, give allergen information correctly and respond to anaphylaxis
Check ID under an age verification policy and refuse service to under-18s and drunk guests
Explain the differences in alcohol rules between England and Wales and Scotland
Explain your tipping rights, how tips are taxed, and split bills accurately

Score 80% or more to download your certificate.

Your study plan

Read each lesson, take its topic quiz (untimed, with explanations), then the timed final assessment. A new mix of questions is drawn every time. Your progress is saved in this browser.

Plan for my exam date Mistake notebook

Topic quiz 1: Greeting, seating and the host stand

What to know before the test

Since 1 October 2024, employers in England, Scotland and Wales must pass qualifying tips, including service charges, to workers without deductions.
Tips must be paid to workers no later than the end of the month after the month in which the customer paid them.
UK food businesses must declare 14 allergens, from celery to tree nuts, when they are used as ingredients.
Since 1 October 2021, food prepacked for direct sale must carry its name and a full ingredients list with allergens emphasised, in Scotland as in the rest of the UK.
In England and Wales, an age verification policy must ask anyone who appears under 18 (or an older age set by the policy) for photo ID with a date of birth and a hologram or UV feature; since 15 September 2026 it may also allow digital ID from a registered provider.
In Scotland, the mandatory age verification policy covers customers who appear to be under 25.
In Scotland, staff without a personal licence who serve alcohol must have had training of at least 2 hours.
In England, food businesses with 250 or more employees must show calories on menus, with the statement that adults need around 2000 kcal a day.

Frequently asked questions

Is this an official restaurant or alcohol-serving qualification?

No. Passing the final assessment gives you a PassEveryTest Certificate of Completion, which shows you finished this general skills course. It is not a personal licence, an accredited qualification or the training your employer or the law requires.

Do I need a licence or certificate to serve alcohol in the UK?

In England and Wales, servers do not each need a personal licence, but every sale must be made or authorised by a personal licence holder, and your venue may require training. In Scotland, staff who serve alcohol without a personal licence must complete prescribed training of at least 2 hours, and this course does not count as that training.

Does this course replace my employer's allergen training?

No. Food businesses must make sure their staff receive allergen training. This course gives background knowledge only, so complete your employer's training too. The FSA also offers free online food allergy training.

Can my employer keep part of my tips?

In England, Scotland and Wales, qualifying tips (including service charges) must be passed on to workers without deductions, apart from limited exceptions such as income tax. Cash tips you keep with no employer involvement are not covered by the law.

How does the final assessment work?

It has 30 questions drawn at random from the course question bank, with a 40-minute time limit. You need 80% to pass, and each attempt gives a new mix of questions.

Is the certificate accredited or officially recognised?

No. It is a private certificate of completion for knowledge only. It is not recognised, accredited or approved by any government, licensing body, regulator or educational institution, and it does not replace any licence, certification or training required by law.