A restaurant worker who clears tables, brings water, and assists servers; an entry-level hospitality job.
From 'bus,' possibly short for 'omnibus,' because the employee moved between tables quickly like a bus between stops; or from cleaning 'bussing' (clearing). The term emerged in American English in the early 1900s.
The busboy job is often people's first work experience, teaching them customer service, teamwork, and the hidden choreography of how restaurants actually function—much more than just clearing tables.
Busboy defaults to male form; term historically referred to young men in service roles, but women performed identical work with gendered alternatives or no title.
Use 'busser,' 'bussing staff,' or 'table clearer' for gender neutrality.
["busser","bussing staff","service aide"]
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