Restaurant Jobs for OPT Students
Restaurant jobs on OPT span front-of-house management, culinary arts, hospitality operations, and food service management, roles that qualify when tied to a degree in hospitality management, culinary arts, or business administration. Your OPT authorization must match your field of study, so the job title and duties need to align with your degree.
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Get Access To All JobsAbout SpotOn
We’re not just building restaurant tech, we’re giving independent restaurants the tools to compete and win. From our award-winning point-of-sale to AI-powered profit tools, everything we do helps operators boost profit, work smarter, and keep their best people. And every solution is backed by real humans who actually give a sh*t about helping restaurants succeed.
- Named the #1 Restaurant POS by G2 (Fall 2025), based on ratings from real users
- Rated the top-rated point-of-sale (POS) for restaurants, bars, retail, and small businesses by Capterra users
- Awarded Great Places to Work and Built In’s Best Workplaces for multiple years running
We move fast, care hard, and fight for independent restaurant operators to do what they love, and love doing it. If you’re looking to make an impact with heart and hustle, SpotOn is the place for you.
Territory Sales Representative / Restaurant Specialist
At SpotOn, you will be working in your local assigned territory and responsible for promoting our full product suite while building positive relationships with local businesses & restaurant owners to help take their businesses to the next level. We're looking for motivated individuals with an entrepreneurial spirit who excel at developing new relationships, deeply understand SMB's biggest challenges, and have the drive to make a significant impact in their local communities.
Responsibilities:
- Be a local representative for SpotOn in your community by offering advanced technology to local business owners that will help run and grow their businesses
- Travel to and from client sites within a designated geographical territory to prospect, build relationships, and sign up new local business owners and merchants
- Manage the full sales cycle from start to finish with a growing portfolio of clients
- Hit sales targets, with a particular focus on selling software & point-of-sale solutions along with payment processing
- Work closely with our extended Sales Support team to help reach your monthly sales performance goals
Qualifications
Research shows that women and members of underrepresented groups tend to apply to roles only when they check every box on a job description. We encourage you to apply if you meet the majority of our qualifications and if this role is aligned with your career trajectory.
- 2+ years of B2B sales experience with an emphasis on small business owners, merchants, and restaurants
- Proven track record delivering against sales goals with a metrics-oriented, need-to-win attitude
- Excellent cold calling, prospecting, and territory buildout experience
- Proficient in Salesforce as a CRM is a plus
- Maintain and manage the client relationship in collaboration with our internal support teams to ensure the success & satisfaction of your customer portfolio
- The ability to learn technology basics and apply them to business situations
- Ability to embrace feedback and hold yourself accountable
Benefits:
At SpotOn, we put people above everything else. We’re known for our innovative software and technology solutions, but we stand out because of the hard-working humans behind the tech. We can’t take care of our clients without taking care of our employees first, and that’s why we invest in you with a competitive benefits package which includes:
- Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
- 401k with company match
- RSUs
- Paid vacation, 10 company holidays, sick time, and volunteer time off
- Employee Resource Groups to build community and inclusion at work
- Monthly cell phone and internet stipend
- Tuition reimbursement for up to $2,000 per calendar year to assist with your professional development
These represent our full-time benefits. Part-time/hourly benefits may vary and will be shared upon request
Compensation:
- A full-time, W2 position with an annual salary of $40,000 and total on-target earnings of up to $120,000-$275,000. Total on-target earnings are inclusive of base salary and commission potential.
- Please note the earnings listed are just one component of a competitive compensation package, which includes company RSUs.
- Commissions will be paid weekly for new accounts signed, bonuses earned for hardware and implementation, monthly production bonuses, and customer retention.
- Offers will be reflective of the candidate’s location and experience.
SpotOn is an equal employment opportunity employer. Qualified candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, military or veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
LI-HYBRID
We will never ask candidates to pay fees, purchase equipment, or share sensitive personal or financial information during the hiring process. All legitimate communication from our recruiting team will come from an official company email address (@spoton.com). If something seems suspicious, please contact us at careers@spoton.com.
SpotOn is an equal employment opportunity employer. Qualified candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, military or veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
SpotOn is an E-Verify company.
About SpotOn
We’re not just building restaurant tech, we’re giving independent restaurants the tools to compete and win. From our award-winning point-of-sale to AI-powered profit tools, everything we do helps operators boost profit, work smarter, and keep their best people. And every solution is backed by real humans who actually give a sh*t about helping restaurants succeed.
- Named the #1 Restaurant POS by G2 (Fall 2025), based on ratings from real users
- Rated the top-rated point-of-sale (POS) for restaurants, bars, retail, and small businesses by Capterra users
- Awarded Great Places to Work and Built In’s Best Workplaces for multiple years running
We move fast, care hard, and fight for independent restaurant operators to do what they love, and love doing it. If you’re looking to make an impact with heart and hustle, SpotOn is the place for you.
Territory Sales Representative / Restaurant Specialist
At SpotOn, you will be working in your local assigned territory and responsible for promoting our full product suite while building positive relationships with local businesses & restaurant owners to help take their businesses to the next level. We're looking for motivated individuals with an entrepreneurial spirit who excel at developing new relationships, deeply understand SMB's biggest challenges, and have the drive to make a significant impact in their local communities.
Responsibilities:
- Be a local representative for SpotOn in your community by offering advanced technology to local business owners that will help run and grow their businesses
- Travel to and from client sites within a designated geographical territory to prospect, build relationships, and sign up new local business owners and merchants
- Manage the full sales cycle from start to finish with a growing portfolio of clients
- Hit sales targets, with a particular focus on selling software & point-of-sale solutions along with payment processing
- Work closely with our extended Sales Support team to help reach your monthly sales performance goals
Qualifications
Research shows that women and members of underrepresented groups tend to apply to roles only when they check every box on a job description. We encourage you to apply if you meet the majority of our qualifications and if this role is aligned with your career trajectory.
- 2+ years of B2B sales experience with an emphasis on small business owners, merchants, and restaurants
- Proven track record delivering against sales goals with a metrics-oriented, need-to-win attitude
- Excellent cold calling, prospecting, and territory buildout experience
- Proficient in Salesforce as a CRM is a plus
- Maintain and manage the client relationship in collaboration with our internal support teams to ensure the success & satisfaction of your customer portfolio
- The ability to learn technology basics and apply them to business situations
- Ability to embrace feedback and hold yourself accountable
Benefits:
At SpotOn, we put people above everything else. We’re known for our innovative software and technology solutions, but we stand out because of the hard-working humans behind the tech. We can’t take care of our clients without taking care of our employees first, and that’s why we invest in you with a competitive benefits package which includes:
- Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
- 401k with company match
- RSUs
- Paid vacation, 10 company holidays, sick time, and volunteer time off
- Employee Resource Groups to build community and inclusion at work
- Monthly cell phone and internet stipend
- Tuition reimbursement for up to $2,000 per calendar year to assist with your professional development
These represent our full-time benefits. Part-time/hourly benefits may vary and will be shared upon request
Compensation:
- A full-time, W2 position with an annual salary of $40,000 and total on-target earnings of up to $120,000-$275,000. Total on-target earnings are inclusive of base salary and commission potential.
- Please note the earnings listed are just one component of a competitive compensation package, which includes company RSUs.
- Commissions will be paid weekly for new accounts signed, bonuses earned for hardware and implementation, monthly production bonuses, and customer retention.
- Offers will be reflective of the candidate’s location and experience.
SpotOn is an equal employment opportunity employer. Qualified candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, military or veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
LI-HYBRID
We will never ask candidates to pay fees, purchase equipment, or share sensitive personal or financial information during the hiring process. All legitimate communication from our recruiting team will come from an official company email address (@spoton.com). If something seems suspicious, please contact us at careers@spoton.com.
SpotOn is an equal employment opportunity employer. Qualified candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, military or veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
SpotOn is an E-Verify company.
How to Get Visa Sponsorship in Restaurant
Frame your role as a professional position
OPT requires employment in a role related to your degree. If your degree is in hospitality management, target manager, coordinator, or operations roles rather than purely hourly service positions. The job title and duties must connect clearly to your academic field.
Document the degree-to-job connection in writing
When applying, prepare a brief written explanation of how the restaurant role relates to your degree. Hiring managers unfamiliar with OPT will ask. A clear, one-paragraph statement speeds up the authorization conversation and reduces the chance of a misunderstanding.
Target employers with HR infrastructure
Independent restaurants rarely have experience with OPT employment verification. Multi-location restaurant groups, hotel food and beverage departments, and corporate dining operators are more familiar with Form I-9 requirements and work authorization compliance for international employees.
Report employer changes immediately through your DSO
Switching restaurant employers requires updating your OPT record through your Designated School Official before your start date with the new employer. Working for an unreported employer, even briefly, creates a gap that can jeopardize your status and any future STEM extension.
Track your 90-day unemployment limit carefully
OPT allows no more than 90 days of unemployment. If you leave one restaurant job before securing another, those days count. Build a timeline, keep written records of your job search, and aim to have your next offer confirmed before giving notice.
Understand what counts as authorized employment
Paid employment is straightforward, but unpaid restaurant internships and part-time arrangements also require DSO reporting. Work fewer than 20 hours per week counts toward your unemployment limit. Confirm any non-standard arrangement with your DSO before accepting to avoid compliance issues.
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Get Access To All JobsFrequently Asked Questions
Can F-1 OPT students work in restaurant jobs?
Yes, but the position must be directly related to your field of study. A hospitality management or culinary arts graduate can work in restaurant operations, food and beverage management, or culinary coordination. A business administration graduate may qualify for restaurant general manager or operations roles. Purely hourly service positions without a clear academic connection are unlikely to meet OPT requirements.
Do restaurant employers need to file any paperwork to hire an OPT student?
No separate petition or government filing is required from the employer. The restaurant must verify your work authorization through Form I-9 using your Employment Authorization Document. However, your DSO must record the employer in your SEVIS record before or shortly after you start. The employer's obligation is limited to proper I-9 completion and retaining that record.
Where can I find restaurant jobs that accept OPT students?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for F-1 OPT students and lists restaurant and hospitality roles from employers open to work authorization. Filtering by job category on Migrate Mate surfaces positions where hiring managers already understand OPT, which reduces friction during the offer process and speeds up onboarding.
Does working part-time at a restaurant count toward my OPT period?
Yes. Part-time employment of at least 20 hours per week counts as authorized OPT employment and does not accumulate toward the 90-day unemployment limit. Working fewer than 20 hours per week does count as unemployment time. If you're in a part-time restaurant role, confirm with your DSO that the hours and job duties are properly documented.
Can I work at multiple restaurants simultaneously on OPT?
Yes, you can hold multiple concurrent restaurant jobs on OPT as long as each position is related to your degree and each employer is reported to your DSO. Each employer must complete a separate Form I-9. If either position ends, notify your DSO promptly and track total days without qualifying employment across both roles to stay within the 90-day limit.
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