A maître d' typically works in the foodservice industry at restaurants, but they also work in hotels, resorts, cruise ships, and in other areas of hospitality. In a restaurant, a maître d's job duties are to greet each customer or guest as they enter, book reservations, and provide information about the restaurant to a potential patron. A maître d’ is also responsible for the ambiance of the restaurant, which means they control everything, from the temperature to music volume to lighting, to give the restaurant the right mood. A maître d' is sometimes referred to as the head waiter because he or she is in charge of all of the servers on staff, taking on additional responsibilities like ensuring efficiency in serving. A maître d' who works on a cruise ship or for a large hotel has additional responsibilities related to buffet dining and service.