Should Servers Wear Beards in a Restaurant?

In most cases, a customer will never see the kitchen of a restaurant. They're not able to walk around and admire the level of cleanliness, or observe the cooks and assess their knowledge of food safety and proper food handling. Rather, they form conclusions from what they can observe, the cleanliness of the dining room and the appearance of the servers. Visible tattoos and piercings, or facial hair such as beards, must be carefully considered for compatibility with your establishment's style.

Your Theme

If your restaurant is a rowdy place with a mountain-man theme and a biker clientele, beards of any description are probably suitable. However, for most restaurants the argument is more nuanced. Chain restaurants often permit moustaches but prohibit beards, for fear of whiskers finding their way into the food. On the other hand, servers in fine-dining restaurants often complement their stylish dress with a closely trimmed and artfully sculpted beard. A good compromise is to permit beards, but insist they be short and well-groomed. Your employee handbook should spell out this policy clearly, and emphasize that management has the final say on what constitutes acceptable facial hair.

Your Customers

Your customer demographics can also play into the decision. If you're in the university area and operate a bohemian little vegetarian cafe, your customers will have a high level of comfort with bearded servers. On the other hand, if your area and clientele are primarily conservative and elderly, they might be put off by a bearded server. One way to assess the suitability of beards is monitoring your diners. If a significant percentage of them wear beards, a bearded server will probably be perfectly acceptable. Another option is to check competitors in your immediate area. If they have bearded servers, you probably can as well.

The Law

Some jurisdictions have regulations governing facial hair in food-service establishments. They'll usually mandate the use of beard coverings, similar to hair nets, for any bearded kitchen staff. Depending on local regulations, service staff might also face the same requirement. If your establishment is in one of those areas, it might be best to forbid beards for servers. While some customers would be reassured by the sight of a beard net, they do create a visually jarring appearance that can be slightly disconcerting for diners.

Religious Exceptions

In some circumstances, the question of religious rights and freedoms also will factor into your decision. Many Sikhs, Muslims and Jews, and some Christian sects such as the Amish, wear beards as a matter of religious observance. Firing a server because of a beard, or refusing to hire one, can open the door to legal action. Although there is no blanket response to that situation, usually the normal rules can be applied successfully. Ensure that the beard is neat and well-trimmed and meets your company's written standards, and that the server wears a beard net if it's required by local regulations.