How to be the Best Waiter/Waitress

The food service industry can be one of the most daunting and lucrative jobs you can find.  Many places give you the flexibility in scheduling and allow you to walk home nightly with cash in your pocket.  But it can also be the hardest job you’ll ever have.  Your in the business of dealing with people. You never know what kinda customers you will have by the time they are seated and you can never judge a book by its cover.  Some of the most generous people I have met looked like they didn’t have enough cash to pay for the $7 hamburger they ordered or the $5 breakfast.  Best advice is treat everyone with respect.

The greeting is the best time to get to know your customers.  Either they are going to be friendly and interact with you or they are simply going to be cordial and only talk to you long enough to tell you what they want.  Make sure you smile and say hello, don’t just say “hi what can i get for you?”  Start off with the drink order, ask if they would like to try any appetizers and give them time to look over the menu while informing them of any specials that are being offered that day and anything you may recommend.  The better you know the menu and what’s happening in the kitchen the more you can make sure your customers enjoy their meal and appreciate you.  

After returning with the drinks ask if they are ready to order.  This is the most important part of the meal.  Make sure you know what sides are offered, how it is prepared and exactly how your customer wants their meal before you ever leave the table.  Worst thing you can do is get to the kitchen and realize you didn’t ask how they want their steak cooked, or if they wanted onion rings or french fries.  Going back to the table to ask these questions makes you look incompetent and like you really don’t care about your job.  You can bet at least half your tip just stayed locked in their wallet or purse because you didn’t ask a few simple questions.  When you drop off the order make sure the kitchen knows what your ticket is saying to them and how you want the food to come out.  Don’t assume they know what your customer wants, it’s their job to cook the food your job is to make sure it comes out the way your customers wanted it.