Hospitality Recruiter Fees: What Restaurant and Hotel Operators Pay
The short answer: The hiring operator pays the hospitality recruiter, and the fee is usually a percentage of the hire's first-year salary. At Whitton Recruiting (WR), hospitality searches are contingent with no upfront recruiting fee: you pay when your hire starts. WR's fee is 15%, 17%, or 20% of the hired candidate's first-year salary, depending on the protection you choose.
Who pays a hospitality recruiter?
The employer pays. When a recruiter places a general manager, chef, or F&B leader, the restaurant group, hotel, or resort pays the placement fee. Candidates do not pay.
Whitton Recruiting hospitality fees
WR recruits general managers, multi-unit leaders, FOH & BOH leadership, and other support roles across hotels/resorts and restaurants. Choose the protection that fits.
All fees are a percentage of the hired candidate's first-year salary. No upfront recruiting fee. Pay when your hire starts.
| Option | 20% of first-year salary | 17% of first-year salary | 15% of first-year salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protection | 90-day guarantee | 60-day guarantee | 30-day replacement |
| Refund by departure | Days 1-30: full refund; Days 31-60: 2/3; Days 61-90: 1/3 | Days 1-30: full refund; Days 31-60: 1/2 | Replacement only: one-time replacement search. No cash refund or credit. |
Your choice when a hire does not work out
For the 17% and 20% options, choose at the time of the incident: the eligible cash refund or a credit toward your next hire equal to that refund + 10%. Example: $10,000 eligible refund OR $11,000 credit. Refunds are based on the placement fee.
Guarantee essentials
Qualifying resignations or terminations only; layoffs excluded. Pay in full and on time and report departures within 10 calendar days of the last day worked. Replacement service or unused credit can be voided for lack of cooperation, failure to interview within 14 calendar days of presentation, or no reply/feedback within 5 calendar days after email contact attempts.
Summary only; the signed fee agreement controls.
What to compare when you get a fee quote
- The base: WR's fees are a percentage of the hired candidate's first-year salary. Ask other firms whether bonuses, housing, or relocation count.
- The protection: how long it lasts and whether it pays a refund, a credit, or a replacement only.
- The conditions: what you must do to keep the guarantee valid.
Contingent vs. retained hospitality search
| Contingent search | Retained search | |
|---|---|---|
| When you pay | When a hire is made (at WR, when your hire starts) | Part of the fee at engagement |
| Upfront cost | None | A retainer |
| Exclusivity | Varies by agreement | Exclusive mandate |
| If no one is hired | You owe nothing | The retainer is typically kept |
| Often used for | GMs, chefs, F&B leaders, regional managers | C-suite and corporate leadership |
For how the two models compare in more depth, see contingency vs. retained legal search page. The same principles apply to hospitality searches.
What replacement protection should cover
With WR, the 20% option carries a 90-day guarantee, the 17% option a 60-day guarantee, and the 15% option a 30-day one-time replacement search. We check in during the protection period to help address issues early.
What you should get for the fee
- Candidates ready for review: interviewed, screened against your role, and aligned on compensation.
- Context behind the résumé: role fit, motivation for the move, interview availability, work environment, and career history.
- Weekly visibility: a dedicated account manager checks in with you. Every Friday, you receive your candidate pipeline, interview stages, and next actions.
- Follow-through: we touch base with candidates every 48 hours or less and help coordinate interviews, feedback, and the offer.
Questions to ask before you sign
- Is the search contingent or retained?
- When is the fee due: on offer, on start, or in installments?
- Is the fee based on base salary or total compensation, and how are housing and relocation treated?
- How long does replacement protection last, and what are the conditions?
- How often will you report progress?
How a WR hospitality search works
- Set the target. Align on the role, property or concept, team needs, compensation, and timeline before the search begins.
- Meet screened candidates. We source and interview hospitality candidates. You receive a résumé and presentation covering fit, motivation, pay expectations, and availability.
- Get to the start date. We coordinate interviews, collect feedback, and support offers, start dates, and the transition into your operation.
First qualified candidates, typically in 48 hours after completed intake and a signed agreement. Specialized and senior searches may take longer.
Example placements
Director of Food & Beverage, Lajitas Golf Resort (Lajitas, Texas). $110,000 annual salary. A remote Texas resort needed a food and beverage leader willing to live on site. We filled the role in under two weeks, matching the operating requirements with a candidate ready for the location and lifestyle.
Director of Operations, Better Pizza LLC. $75,000 annual salary. We filled a tough, rural, regional operations role by surfacing a highly capable regional leader who had outgrown her franchise role.
Director of Sales and Marketing, Stanford Hotel Group. $200,000 annual salary. The client questioned whether a sales director from a smaller, family-owned hotel group could succeed at a larger property. We recognized the value of his local relationships and market knowledge. He earned the offer and went on to perform well in the role.
Individual placement outcomes; timelines and compensation vary by search.
More examples: case studies
FAQ
Who pays a hospitality recruiter?
The hiring restaurant group, hotel, or resort pays the fee. Candidates do not pay.
How does Whitton Recruiting charge?
Our hospitality searches are contingent with no upfront recruiting fee. You pay when your hire starts. The fee is 20% (90-day guarantee), 17% (60-day guarantee), or 15% (30-day replacement only) of the hired candidate's first-year salary. Summary only; the signed fee agreement controls.
What if the hire doesn't work out?
It depends on the option. The 20% and 17% options refund part of the fee based on when the hire departs, or you can take a credit toward your next hire equal to the refund plus 10%. The 15% option includes a one-time replacement search within 30 days, with no cash refund or credit. Qualifying resignations or terminations only; layoffs excluded.
How fast will I see candidates?
We typically present first qualified candidates within 48 hours once intake is complete and the fee agreement is signed. Specialized and senior searches may take longer.
What hospitality roles do you recruit?
WR recruits general managers, multi-unit leaders, FOH & BOH leadership, and other support roles across hotels/resorts and restaurants nationwide. See hospitality recruiting page.
Let's talk about your next hire
Talk through your search in 15 minutes. We'll cover the role, your timeline, and which fee option fits.
Book 15 minutes with our team, or call 509-953-0100.