Most of us have seen this: a person standing outside a restaurant, sometimes holding a menu, trying to entice passersby (usually tourists) to come in to dine.
Is it a "host/hostess"? Is it a "hawker"? What's the correct title for this person's job?
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Reminds me of the days before Giuliani, on 42nd street and Times Square....except it wasn't to dine.– Cascabel_StandWithUkraine_Commented Aug 3, 2018 at 19:17
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1 Answer
Barker
a person who advertises an activity at a public event by calling out to people who are walking past:
a person who advertises by hawking at an entrance to a show
a person who stands before a theater, carnival sideshow, or the like, calling out its attractions to passers-by
The usage is quite old, dating back to the 17th century. From Etymology online...
barker (n.) late 14c., "a dog;" late 15c., "noisy fellow;" agent noun from bark (v.). Specific sense of "loud assistant in an auction, store, or show" is from 1690s. [Empahsis mine]
answered Aug 3, 2018 at 19:24
Cascabel_StandWithUkraine_Cascabel_StandWithUkraine_
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This is a nice suggestion, but I don’t think it really fits what the OP is looking for. Probably because in the UK or in the USA these people who stand around the entrance of a restaurant and try to attract tourists , showing them the menu, for instance, is not so common. They can be found in southern Europe for instance. In Italy they are called “buttadentro” (literary throw-in). Commented Aug 4, 2018 at 4:46
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