Works at a restaurant . . . or what many diners experience at popular restaurants (5)

I believe the answer is:

waits

(Other definitions for waits that I've seen before include "Itinerant carol-singers" , "Night-time Yuletide singers" , "Stands by - carollers" , "Street performers at Christmas" , "Stays" .)

I've seen this clue in The New York Times.

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