Target Language: *Waiter: Welcome to Antico's Here are your menus Today's special is grilled salmon I'll be back to take your order in a minute *Waiter: Are you ready to order? / Customer 1: I'd like the seafood spaghetti Waiter: And you? / Customer 2: I'll have a hamburger and fries Waiter: Would you like anything to drink? / Customer 1: I'll have a coke, please Waiter: And for you? / Customer 2: Just water, please Waiter: OK So that's one seafood spaghetti, one hamburger and fries, one coke, and one water I'll take your menus / *Waiter: Here is your food Enjoy your meal *Waiter: How was everything? / Customers 2: Delicious, thanks Waiter: Would you like anything for dessert? / Customer 1: No, just the bill please Lesson Plan: At a Restaurant Eating out is fun and exciting It allows one to experience new taste sensations It allows one to see unique dining settings and ambiances It allows one to save time and effort since someone else does the cooking and cleaning up There are any number of expression you are likely to encounter at a restaurant Below are just a few of them English Expressions Expression By a waiter May I take your order? Are you ready to order sir? How would you like ( your steak)? You have a choice of ( baked or mashed potatoes) Would you care ( for something to drink)? May I get you anything else? Response Could I have a few minutes, please? Yes, I'll have the salmon Medium rare, please I'll have the mashed Yes, I¶ll have an iced tea No, I'm fine thanks By a customer Could I get another ( roll, please)? Could I see the ( menu)? This steak is ( still bloody Could you Certainly, I will bring it right away One moment, please Right away, ma'am have the chef cook it a little more)? This isn't what I ordered, ( I wanted a BLT and you gave me meat loaf)? Can I get the check, please? I'm so sorry sir It's my first day and I¶m still a little confused Right away, sir Once you have eaten, or maybe before you order you may describe the food just eaten to your dining companion You may also want to know how something may taste before ordering it There are a number of words that can be used to describe food Look at these examples Words used to describe food Bland Rich Spicy Sweet Sour Bitter Ways to prepare food Pickled Baked Broiled Fried Salty Hot Boiled Sautéed Words to describe the taste of food Delicious Awful Good Tasty Yummy Yucky Disgusting English Dialogue Students should work together in pairs and read the following dialogue, one student reading one part, the other student reading the other Note the expressions used in the dialogue and the progression of the conversation The dialogue can be used as a model to have similar conversations Waiter: Welcome to Kasey¶s Kitchen Do you have a reservation? Customer: Yes, the name is Johnson, Paul Waiter: Ah, yes, here you are That was a party for one, correct? / Customer: Yes Waiter: Right this way Here¶s the menu I¶ll return in a moment to take your order Waiter: Are you ready to order, sir? / Customer: Yes, I¶ll have the T-bone steak Waiter: How would you like that cooked? / Customer: Well done, please Waiter: You have a choice of potatoes- French fried, mashed, or baked Customer: I¶ll have the baked potato Waiter: Would you like that with butter or sour cream or both? Customer: I¶m on a diet, so only butter Waiter: The vegetables today are corn on the cob, peas and carrots, or broccoli Customer: I¶ll take the corn on the cob / Waiter: And what would you like for dessert? Customer: What you have? Waiter: We have apple, cherry, and lemon meringue pie, chocolate and vanilla cake, peach cobbler, and chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry ice cream Customer: I¶ll take the cherry pie, a la mode, please Waiter: Would you care for something to drink? Customer: I¶ll take a large ice tea with my meal and a cup of black coffee with dessert Waiter: Very good sir Enjoy you meal / Customer: Thanks Ordering Food in a Restaurant One of the most important tasks in English is ordering food when you go to a restaurant There are basic forms and questions, as well food vocabulary that you can use in places where people speak English Read this dialogue Waiter: Hello, Can I help you? / Kim: Yes, I'd like to have some lunch Waiter: Would you like a starter? / Kim: Yes, I'd like a bowl of chicken soup, please Waiter: And what would you like for a main course? / Kim: I'd like a grilled cheese sandwich Waiter: Would you like anything to drink? / Kim: Yes, I'd like a glass of Coke, please Waiter After Kim has her lunch.: Can I bring you anything else? Kim: No thank you Just the bill / Waiter: Certainly Kim:I don't have my glasses How much is the lunch? / Waiter: That's $6.75 Kim: Here you are Thank you very much / Waiter: You're welcome Have a good day Kim: Thank you, the same to you At the restaurant 1) The waiter What can I for you? Can I help you? Can I take your coat? Have you booked a table? How many are you? Would you follow me, please? Can I take your order, sir/madam? What would you like to start with? What would you like to drink? What would you like for dessert? How would you like your steak? (rare, medium, well done) Do you want a salad with it? What kind of dressing? Anything to drink? Do you want a dessert? The burgers are very good Sorry, the hamburgers are off Is everything all right? Did you enjoy your meal? Are you paying together? May I show you to a table? If you wait, there'll be a table for you free in a minute Do you want vegetables with it? Why don't you try the pizza? It'll take about 20 minutes 2) The guest A table for two, please May we sit at this table? The menu, please What's on the menu? Do you want fish? What's Irish Stew like? We're not ready yet The steak for me, please Can you bring me the ketchup, please? A salad, please I'll have the same That's all, thank you Can I have the bill (AE: check), please? This is on me Here you are The rest is for you Have you got wine by the glass? I'd prefer red wine Please bring us another beer Could I have chips (AE: French Fries) instead of salad? What can you recommend? Please bring me the bill (AE: check) with my coffee I think you've made a mistake Reserve a table Example Waiter : Excuse me, how many people? You : Five, can we get a non-smoking section? Waiter : Sure but there are few people ahead of you right now You : How long we have to wait? / Waiter : Around five to ten minutes Example Waiter : How many you have? / You : Just two Can we have a table outside? Waiter : You may have to wait for a while / You : For how long? Waiter : Twenty minutes / You : Well, I think we'll try another place then Thank you! English Conversations - At Restaurant Ranjan is meeting prema for lunch at the North restaurant both of them have been out meeting clients and have decided to meet for lunch to discuss the prospects of selling the products of their company Ranjan : (Who has arrived earlier) Hello, Prema I am glad you were able to come Did you get my message? Prema: Hello, Ranjan I¶m sorry I¶m a bit late I got your message about meeting you for lunch just as I was leaving for my appointment with the builders of Akash Deep I could¶t get away any earlier Ranjan : Don¶t worry I haven¶t been waiting long Where would you like to sit? Shall we sit in that corner? / Prema: Yes, let¶s It will be quieter over there / Ranjan: How was your day? Prema : Quite successful But very tiring People are interested in our products but are hesitant to switch over to something new I was wondering whether«« Ranjan: Before we get involved in a deep discussion lets order something to eat (Calling to the waiter) waiter Waiter: (Placing menu cards before both of them) Good afternoon What would you like to order? Ranjan: Prema, What would you like to eat? A soup to begin with? Prema : No, thank you I don¶t think I¶ll have soup I¶ve never been here before, so I don¶t know what their specialities are Ranjan: (Reading the menu) would you like some chicken curry with pullao? Prema: Let me see Waiter, are the prawns fresh? Waiter: Yes, Ma¶am Absolutely fresh Why don¶t you try some fried prawns with Chinese fried rice? A Chinese meal Ranjan: That is a good suggestion Let¶s have a Chinese meal Prema: All right, you order, Ranjan Ranjan: Right Let¶s have a plate of chicken fried rice, sweet and sour prawns and an American chopsey Prema, would you like mushrooms or bamboo shoots? Prema: No, thank you What you¶ve ordered is more than enough Ranjan : What about something to drink? An orange juice or a lemon squash or«« Prema : I¶d love to have a Limca Ranjan : That¶s good Waiter, a Limca cold Drink for the lady And a fresh lime juice for me And please serve us quickly We haven¶t much time Waiter : Right Sir It won¶t be long (Writing down the order) Ranjan: You were about to make a suggestion about our marketing policy Prema: I was wondering whether we couldn¶t recommend a cut in in the price of our product As it is, the profit margin is very small And the overhead costs of introducing a new product are already very high Prema: But we could increase the price once we have established ourselves in the market The waiter arrives with the LIMCA soft drinks Waiter : Here you are Sir Limca for the lady and a fresh lime for you sir Ranjan : Thank you Please hurry up with the lunch order Waiter : In a moment sir What will you have for dessert? Ranjan: (Looking at the menu again) Prema, what would you like? An ice cream, a soufflé or a fruit custard? / Prema: Nothing at all Thanks Ranjan: (Closing the menu-card and handing it back to the waiter) No dessert, thank you Waiter: What about coffee? Ranjan : Will you have coffee after lunch, Prema? / Prema: Yes, Please I¶ll have coffee Waiter: with cream or milk? / Prema : Black please / Waiter: And for you, sir? Ranjan : Oh! I¶ll have coffee but please Be quick about it The waiter hurries away Ranjan : I¶m not sure how well it would go down psychologically if we cut on prices It might give people the impression that our¶s is an inferior product Prema: Well then You have to offer other forms of incentives After all, why should people buy our product and not keep using the brand that they are always used to! Ranjan: You are right We¶ve got to scratch our heads and come up with what is known as a ³unique selling preposition´ What is it that our brand has The waiter comes laden with the lunch dishes Ranjan : Ah! here comes the lunch Let¶s leave the lighting systems alone for a while and enjoy our lunch Prema : (Eating the food) Mmm! This is delicious So many restaurants serve Chinese food But I haven¶t had food which is quite so well prepared as this How did you discover this place? Ranjan : Just by chance Actually I was visiting an office in the next block It was lunch time and I looked around for a place to eat and found The Nirula¶s It isn¶t very grand but the food is wholesome I¶m glad you like it Prema : Thank you for bringing me here Conversation in restaurant - customer and waiter - role play in English B Speaking Task 1: Work in pairs Talk with each other about your favourite restaurant What you like most about it - the food, the ambience, the waiters, etc.? Task 2: Read the following dialogues and then role-play them Customer : Waiter, there¶s a dead fly swimming in my soup Waiter : That¶s impossible, madam Dead flies can¶t swim *Customer : Waiter, there¶s a fly in my soup Waiter : Look, there¶s a spider on the bread, he¶ll catch it for you! *Hari : Hello Ravi, How are you? I thought we could go out to a restaurant to celebrate Mittu¶s birthday Ravi : A great idea! We¶ll give her a treat Where shall we go? Hari : Let Mittu come She can decide««.Here she is! Ravi and Hari (together): Happy Birthday, Mittu! Mittu : Thank you So have you decided? Where shall we go? / Hari : You choose, Mittu Mittu : Let¶s try Asha Bhavan - that new place in Kanthi Nagar I¶ve heard they serve a delicious spread there, especially salads Ravi : It would be very crowded! Today is Saturday Mittu : I¶ll make a booking now Then we could be sure of getting a place Hari, please pass me today¶s newspaper.«« Thanks «« (Turning the pages of the newspaper) Ammm «« aha here it is! 24098765 (dialling) Hello, is that Asha Bhavan? I¶d like to make a reservation for this evening In whose name? mm mmm Mr Ravi Arunkumar, please ««that¶s right «« a table for three, please «« at 7pm Thank you Bye! Ravi : It¶s only 5.30 now Let¶s play some Pictionary till it¶s time to leave 7.03 pm - At the restaurant µAsha Bhavan¶ Hari : The place looks very festive I wonder if there is anything special happening? Ravi : Look there¶s the maitre d¶ hotel, I¶ll ask him (going up to a gentleman smartly dressed in a suit) Excuse me, but is there anything special today? Your restaurant is looking very festive D¶hotel : Good evening, sir Yes, today is the first anniversary of our restaurant We are expecting a large crowd Have you made a booking? Mittu : Yes In the name of Mr Arunkumar «« a table for three Maitre : (signalling to a lady dressed in the restaurant colours of lavender and gold) Just a moment, madam The hostess will show you to your table Hostess : Good evening! Please come with me (Seats them at a table in a corner) Is this alright? Mittu : Yes, thank you (A waiter arrives with a tray of drinks The Hostess serves them.) Hostess : Please enjoy your µwelcome¶ drink / Mittu : What is it? Hostess : It¶s chilled tender coconut water with honey and mint Ravi : (sipping his drink) It¶s delicious! Thank you! Hostess : Excuse me I have to see to other guests Enjoy your meal! (The three of them sip their drinks and look around the restaurant.) Mittu : We¶ll order the food a little later Let¶s enjoy the ambience of this place first Hari : I like the rich decor of the place and also the clever arrangement of green plants between tables to ensure privacy Ravi : And the music is not too loud « we can carry on a conversation! (Catching the eye of a waiter passing by and indicating to him that his service was required at their table by nodding his head.) Let¶s order food (The Waiter dressed in a lavender and gold uniform appears at their table.) Waiter : Good evening! Would you like to go for the buffet, Sir? Madam? We serve a very good buffet here There is also a salad-bar Mittu : I think I¶ll go for the salad-bar I¶ve heard they scrumptious salads here Is it all freshly prepared? Waiter : Yes, madam All the food prepared here is fresh Every night all left-over food is given away Hari : I¶ll try the buffet I can see quite a spread there Can you please bring the soup to the table, please? Waiter : Certainly, sir Which would you prefer? « the chicken ±noodle soup or the baby corn±mushroom soup? / Hari : The baby corn-mushroom, please Waiter : And, what about you, Sir? / Ravi : Do you have any la carte service? Waiter : Of course, Sir I¶ll get you the menu-card (brings Ravi a menu-card) Ravi : Give me a few minutes please Waiter : Would you care for some hors-d¶oeuvres? Ravi : No,thank you We¶ll start with the soup (The waiter leaves while Ravi studies the menu card) They serve quite a variety of food here There¶s Chinese, Italian, Mexican, as well as Lebanese, in addition to Indian Everything is also very reasonably priced! This dish of Tacos is only Rs 75, and it has prawn, cuttlefish, and lots of vegetables in it, from its description on the menu « But it would be too heavy for me «.Mmm«let me see « shall I have a plate of vegetable spring rolls? « or, « maybe, I¶ll go for soup and kebabs «.? « Oh dear, this is so difficult (Mittu returns to the table with a plate full of salad.) Mittu : Come on Ravi, the waiter is waiting Have a dish of steamed vegetables and some pita bread Or, since you have been showing off your French, try a French dish! Ravi : They don¶t have any I think I¶ll have the soup and vegetable cutlets (The waiter returns with the soup and serves them.) Ravi : I¶ll have the same soup and a plate of vegetable cutlets Waiter : Very good, Sir (Returns with the soup and cutlets and serves Ravi.) Enjoy your meal, Sir, « Madam / Ravi : Bon appétit! Mittu : What does that mean, now? Ravi : It¶s like saying µEnjoy your meal¶ in English (They eat in silence for a while, enjoying the music and the aromatic food on their table.) Hari : This buffet is superb They have such a variety of vegetables and salads This corn and raw mango salad is out of this world! How¶s your cutlet, Ravi? Ravi : It¶s good I¶m glad they haven¶t added too many spices in it It has a nutty flavour (Noticing some activity at the entrance of the restaurant.) Look, some celebrities have come in O, I recognise that young starlet Faguni I wonder who the other two people are? Hari : I recognise that gentleman « He does a cookery show on DD every Wednesday and runs a restaurant in Mumbai, that serves only Parsi food Mittu : And I know who that elegant lady is « She is Lajmi Uday Sing, the gourmet cook who writes a weekly column on food in µThe Bondhu¶ every Saturday Okay, people, are we done? Or, does anyone want dessert? Hari : Of course I want dessert! There is such a tempting spread on the counter (Hari leaves to fetch the dessert.) Waiter : Would you like some dessert, sir? Here is the menu card Ravi : Yes, please I¶d like the date pancake Mittu : I don¶t think I¶ll have any, thank you (They eat their dessert.) Ravi : (To the waiter) Could I have the cheque, please? Waiter : What about some coffee, Sir? Ravi, Hari, Mittu : No, thank you! (The waiter returns with the bill Ravi pays Waiter takes it to the Cashier.) (The Hostess comes to their table.) Hostess: Did you enjoy your meal? Was everything alright? Ravi : O, yes! Everything was perfect! We enjoyed the meal very much Hari : I was wondering if you did any outdoor catering? Hostess: Yes sir, we In addition to the food we also arrange for the crockery, cutlery, as well as serving Hari : Here is my card Perhaps we could discuss this in detail when you are not so busy Hostess: Certainly, Sir Here is our card In case I am not available, my assistant Najab Hussain will be able to help you Hari : Thank you so much Goodnight! / Ravi : We had a very pleasant evening Goodnight! Mittu : Thank you, my friends I had a lovely birthday dinner Goodnight! Task 3: Your teacher Ms Nethra is getting married The class wants to give her a gift for her new home Five of you have been selected as class representatives and have todecide what to present her Have a discussion about your choice of item/s and give reasons for your choice *Multi-purpose silver bowls / Some crystal glasses / Crockery - tea set/dinner set / Stainless steel cutlery At the Restaurant / Ordering Waiter: Are you ready to order? Lisa: Yes, we'll have the chicken with vegetables, and the vegetable pasta please Waiter: Anything to drink? / Lisa: Just some water please After the Meal Waiter: Can I get you anything else? Coffee? Dessert? / Lisa: No, just the bill please Making a Reservation Mike: I'd like to make a reservation for people on Friday night Waiter: What time would you like? / Mike: 8:00 Waiter: We don't have anything available at 8:00 Is 7:30 ok 10 A table of four just sat in your section and you, being a great waiter that you are, acknowledge them immediately go and help get them situated You introduce yourself and ask if anyone would care for a cocktail The guests order« two vodka and tonics and two glasses of merlot You give a pleasant ³thank you,´ then you¶re off to get the drinks You, being a great waiter, return quickly and properly serve their drinks Once the drinks are served you ask if they are ready to order, and they are, so you proceed around the table writing down every item meticulously Reviewing the order you had two strip steaks, a flounder, and a chicken pasta Being a great waiter you are, you check the table to see if anything is needed then promptly go and put in their order The food is about to come out so you check back with the table to see if they need another round of drinks, which they do, so you get the drinks and head for the food Once you serve the food you make sure everything is good before they begin and then you head off to your other work After a few minutes you conscientiously check back to make sure everything is to their liking and after their acknowledgment you let them enjoy their meal for a little while longer before going back and checking about another round Indeed, the cocktail drinkers decide on two more vodka tonics After all of the guests are finished with their meals you clear the table and ask it anyone would care for dessert They respond no thank you so you quickly prepare their check and drop it for them Being a great waiter that you are you pick it up as soon as you notice the checkbook closed and run their card Without a second thought you read the name on the card and use it as you drop it back for them and politely thank them all for dining with you As they leave you pick up the book and of course open it right away to see how they did you Wow, $20 on $100, not too shabby Leaving Money On The Table Well you did pretty well didn¶t you? Well, yes and no You did give the guests what they expected but you didn¶t really wow them, but more importantly you left around $1,800 on that table this year If you add up your table section you left $7,200 sitting in your section unclaimed for a year I see you checking your pockets, I hear you saying, ³What the hell are you talking about.´ Well let me tell you what I¶m talking about First off when you first introduced yourself to the table and got everyone settled in you took the initial drink order, without hesitation your first comment should have been ³what kind of vodka would you prefer? Grey Goose? Absolute? Stoli? Let the guest go and specify if they want the house brand (80% will usually pick one of the premium selections) Right off the bat and with no extra effort at all you just increased their check total by an average of some $6.00 for the drinks they had With the wine drinkers it should at least cross your lips to try to move them into a bottle to share which would have greater advantages in the check total as well, but with just 88 two drinking and the cost of wine by the glass prices today I¶ll let that one slide When you returned with the drinks instead of asking if they were ready to order you should have said something on the lines of ³have you decided on a starter or appetizer I could get started for you while you decide on your entrees.´ Not only does this put your guests in a more relaxed setting it usually will add at least a single appetizer order adding an additional $6.00 to the check total Finally there is the opportunity you passed up on dessert Instead of just asking if anyone would care for dessert come to the table with menus in hand, or even better a verbal presentation, and sell those desserts Once the guests sees each other contemplating the decision at least one will go for it adding another $6.00 to the tab Taking Home The Cash Let¶s see what we ended up with $6.00 for the drinks, $6.00 for the app, and another $6.00 for a dessert On the low side you have just added a whopping $18.00 to the check What does that mean for you? That 20% tip you got on that $100 check would have put an extra $3.60 in your pocket But that was just on that table Say that table turns just twice a night, following the same system you would have added $7.20 for the night Working nights a week would put an additional $36.00 a week into your pocket And over the course of the year, excluding the two weeks you¶ll be taking off with the raise you just gave yourself that¶s $1,800 Guess what? That¶s in a one-table section Being a great waiter is assuring your guests are taken care of, but being a great waiter also means bringing home the cash You need to realize how quickly these little tips will add up over the course of a year so start focusing on the tips and techniques that you will learn here to add those little extras to your checks Being a great waiter doesn't happen over night but it will soon be second nature to you It¶s amazing to think how your next vacation could be funded by a simple line like ³what kind of vodka would you prefer.´ Waiter Training and the State of Service Today Waiter training and service standards are on a decline The trend in food and beverage in the United States is toward more casual dining alternatives but does that mean we have to accept less waiter training and a more casual food and beverage service standard as well? More and more dining out experiences have been turning into just delivery systems where the service is now just considered getting the food and beverages to the table on time Is this video you? While doing some research for this article I came across a multitude of sources verifying this exact fact, but the picture below is a perfect example how our standards are declining.Granted this is an obviously staged photo designed for a restaurants web site, but I just couldn¶t get over why? Can you tell me why? Training the Basics Here we will start from waiter trainings basic service rules to make sure all of you have a base of knowledge then will build on that base until proper service is second nature to you This picture will be the basis of our first and one of the most violated rules in all of proper service 89 etiquette; serving food from the left (with your left hand) and clearing from the right (with your right hand), and serving and clearing beverages from the right (with your right hand) Serving from the left came form the days of knights and kings, where showing the back of your hand to someone was a threatening gesture so the king instructed the servers to always serve in a regulated manor True, it¶s been a long time since a knight or king sat at one of my tables too, but the standard was set and has been the gold bar for hundreds of years Today proper service still includes serving from the left and clearing from the right, whenever possible But as I stated earlier there are some exceptions First off the one rule that trumps them all is the convenience and comfort of the guest You have to use your judgment here and carefully look at how placing the plate down in front of the guest would be the easiest for your guest If he or she in a booth or a position on the table that is hard to get to you may have to change to the other side Also if there is high stemware such as wine glasses in the way you can redirect as well, but one thing should never change, and that is putting the plate down with your backhand toward your guest If you must switch sides you should also switch hands Never backhand, and always keep your guests comfort in mind! It doesn¶t matter if your working in a five star New York restaurant, or a strip mall chain restaurant you should always keep these service standards in mind and adhere to them Once it is a habit it will become second nature to you Your money will improve, your knowledge will grow, and your potential to grow will expand How To Be A Waiter In your quest to learn how to be a waiter it's important to be fully prepared for both the rewards and challenges of this job Many restaurants want people with experience and others just want someone who looks good and gets along with people To be a waiter, you need to follow a few important steps to get hired Create a resume that highlights your past customer service experience to be a waiter Since you're trying to be a waiter with no past experience in a restaurant, the owner is going to want to see that you at least have some experience helping and communicating with customers List all jobs that involved interacting directly with customers Discuss your love of food in the interview To be a waiter, you're going to have to work closely with food and chefs It's helpful to know a little bit about the different types of food when you're trying to get a job as a waiter Practice carrying several plates of food in your hands When at home, take a few minutes out of your day to practice serving several plates of hot food to your family or friends at a table One of the most important skills you need to be a waiter is balancing plates in your hands to serve hungry customers, especially when you're working during the rush hour of a busy restaurant Practice taking short hand for orders to be a waiter You cannot write out the entire menu entry (unless you don't want to be a waiter for long) Memorize the menu at every job you work at so that you can easily take note of orders 90 100 Things Restaurant Staffers Should Never Do (Part 1) Herewith is a modest list of dos and don¶ts for servers at the seafood restaurant I am building Veteran waiters, moonlighting actresses, libertarians and baristas will no doubt protest some or most of what follows They will claim it homogenizes them or stifles their true nature And yet, if 100 different actors play Hamlet, hitting all the same marks, reciting all the same lines, cannot each one bring something unique to that role? Do not let anyone enter the restaurant without a warm greeting Do not make a singleton feel bad Do not say, ³Are you waiting for someone?´ Ask for a reservation Ask if he or she would like to sit at the bar Never refuse to seat three guests because a fourth has not yet arrived If a table is not ready within a reasonable length of time, offer a free drink and/or amuse-bouche The guests may be tired and hungry and thirsty, and they did everything right Tables should be level without anyone asking Fix it before guests are seated Do not lead the witness with, ³Bottled water or just tap?´ Both are fine Remain neutral Do not announce your name No jokes, no flirting, no cuteness Do not interrupt a conversation For any reason Especially not to recite specials Wait for the right moment Do not recite the specials too fast or robotically or dramatically It is not a soliloquy This is not an audition 10 Do not inject your personal favorites when explaining the specials 11 Do not hustle the lobsters That is, not say, ³We only have two lobsters left.´ Even if there are only two lobsters left 12 Do not touch the rim of a water glass Or any other glass 13 Handle wine glasses by their stems and silverware by the handles 14 When you ask, ³How¶s everything?´ or ³How was the meal?´ listen to the answer and fix whatever is not right 15 Never say ³I don¶t know´ to any question without following with, ³I¶ll find out.´ 16 If someone requests more sauce or gravy or cheese, bring a side dish of same No pouring Let them help themselves 91 17 Do not take an empty plate from one guest while others are still eating the same course Wait, wait, wait 18 Know before approaching a table who has ordered what Do not ask, ³Who¶s having the shrimp?´ 19 Offer guests butter and/or olive oil with their bread 20 Never refuse to substitute one vegetable for another 21 Never serve anything that looks creepy or runny or wrong 22 If someone is unsure about a wine choice, help him That might mean sending someone else to the table or offering a taste or two 23 If someone likes a wine, steam the label off the bottle and give it to the guest with the bill It has the year, the vintner, the importer, etc 24 Never use the same glass for a second drink 25 Make sure the glasses are clean Inspect them before placing them on the table 26 Never assume people want their white wine in an ice bucket Inquire 27 For red wine, ask if the guests want to pour their own or prefer the waiter to pour 28 Do not put your hands all over the spout of a wine bottle while removing the cork 29 Do not pop a champagne cork Remove it quietly, gracefully The less noise the better 30 Never let the wine bottle touch the glass into which you are pouring No one wants to drink the dust or dirt from the bottle 31 Never remove a plate full of food without asking what went wrong Obviously, something went wrong 32 Never touch a customer No excuses Do not it Do not brush them, move them, wipe them or dust them 33 Do not bang into chairs or tables when passing by 34 Do not have a personal conversation with another server within earshot of customers 35 Do not eat or drink in plain view of guests 36 Never reek from perfume or cigarettes People want to smell the food and beverage 92 37 Do not drink alcohol on the job, even if invited by the guests ³Not when I¶m on duty´ will suffice 38.Do not call a guy a ³dude.´ 39 Do not call a woman ³lady.´ 40 Never say, ³Good choice,´ implying that other choices are bad 41 Saying, ³No problem´ is a problem It has a tone of insincerity or sarcasm ³My pleasure´ or ³You¶re welcome´ will 42 Do not compliment a guest¶s attire or hairdo or makeup You are insulting someone else 43 Never mention what your favorite dessert is It¶s irrelevant 44 Do not discuss your own eating habits, be you vegan or lactose intolerant or diabetic 45 Do not curse, no matter how young or hip the guests 46 Never acknowledge any one guest over and above any other All guests are equal 47 Do not gossip about co-workers or guests within earshot of guests 48 Do not ask what someone is eating or drinking when they ask for more; remember or consult the order 49 Never mention the tip, unless asked 50 Do not turn on the charm when it¶s tip time Be consistent throughout 51 If there is a service charge, alert your guests when you present the bill It¶s not a secret or a trick 52 Know your menu inside and out If you serve Balsam Farm candy-striped beets, know something about Balsam Farm and candy-striped beets 53 Do not let guests double-order unintentionally; remind the guest who orders ratatouille that zucchini comes with the entree 54 If there is a prix fixe, let guests know about it Do not force anyone to ask for the ³special´ menu 55 Do not serve an amuse-bouche without detailing the ingredients Allergies are a serious matter; peanut oil can kill (This would also be a good time to ask if anyone has any allergies.) 56 Do not ignore a table because it is not your table Stop, look, listen, lend a hand (Whether tips are pooled or not.) 93 57 Bring the pepper mill with the appetizer Do not make people wait or beg for a condiment 58 Do not bring judgment with the ketchup Or mustard Or hot sauce Or whatever condiment is requested 59 Do not leave place settings that are not being used 60 Bring all the appetizers at the same time, or not bring the appetizers Same with entrees and desserts 61 Do not stand behind someone who is ordering Make eye contact Thank him or her 62 Do not fill the water glass every two minutes, or after each sip You¶ll make people nervous 62(a) Do not let a glass sit empty for too long 63 Never blame the chef or the busboy or the hostess or the weather for anything that goes wrong Just make it right 64 Specials, spoken and printed, should always have prices 65 Always remove used silverware and replace it with new 66 Do not return to the guest anything that falls on the floor ² be it napkin, spoon, menu or soy sauce 67 Never stack the plates on the table They make a racket Shhhhhh 68 Do not reach across one guest to serve another 69 If a guest is having trouble making a decision, help out If someone wants to know your life story, keep it short If someone wants to meet the chef, make an effort 70 Never deliver a hot plate without warning the guest And never ask a guest to pass along that hot plate 71 Do not race around the dining room as if there is a fire in the kitchen or a medical emergency (Unless there is a fire in the kitchen or a medical emergency.) 72 Do not serve salad on a freezing cold plate; it usually advertises the fact that it has not been freshly prepared 73 Do not bring soup without a spoon Few things are more frustrating than a bowl of hot soup with no spoon 74 Let the guests know the restaurant is out of something before the guests read the menu and order the missing dish 94 75 Do not ask if someone is finished when others are still eating that course 76 Do not ask if a guest is finished the very second the guest is finished Let guests digest, savor, reflect 77 Do not disappear 78 Do not ask, ³Are you still working on that?´ Dining is not work ² until questions like this are asked 79 When someone orders a drink ³straight up,´ determine if he wants it ³neat´ ² right out of the bottle ² or chilled Up is up, but ³straight up´ is debatable 80 Never insist that a guest settle up at the bar before sitting down; transfer the tab 81 Know what the bar has in stock before each meal 82 If you drip or spill something, clean it up, replace it, offer to pay for whatever damage you may have caused Refrain from touching the wet spots on the guest 83 Ask if your guest wants his coffee with dessert or after Same with an after-dinner drink 84 Do not refill a coffee cup compulsively Ask if the guest desires a refill 84(a) Do not let an empty coffee cup sit too long before asking if a refill is desired 85 Never bring a check until someone asks for it Then give it to the person who asked for it 86 If a few people signal for the check, find a neutral place on the table to leave it 87 Do not stop your excellent service after the check is presented or paid 88 Do not ask if a guest needs change Just bring the change 89 Never patronize a guest who has a complaint or suggestion; listen, take it seriously, address it 90 If someone is getting agitated or effusive on a cellphone, politely suggest he keep it down or move away from other guests 91 If someone complains about the music, something about it, without upsetting the ambiance (The music is not for the staff ² it¶s for the customers.) 92 Never play a radio station with commercials or news or talking of any kind 93 Do not play brass ² no brassy Broadway songs, brass bands, marching bands, or big bands that feature brass, except a muted flugelhorn 94 Do not play an entire CD of any artist If someone doesn¶t like Frightened Rabbit or Michael Bublé, 95 you have just ruined a meal 95 Never hover long enough to make people feel they are being watched or hurried, especially when they are figuring out the tip or signing for the check 96 Do not say anything after a tip ² be it good, bad, indifferent ² except, ³Thank you very much.´ 97 If a guest goes gaga over a particular dish, get the recipe for him or her 98 Do not wear too much makeup or jewelry You know you have too much jewelry when it jingles and/or draws comments 99 Do not show frustration Your only mission is to serve Be patient It is not easy 100 Guests, like servers, come in all packages Show a ³good table´ your appreciation with a free glass of port, a plate of biscotti or something else management approves Waiter and Waitress Tips and Advice A New Server Advice Ok You're new at this! Great fun! I have been a waitress for like and 1/2 years and I love being a waitress because I know what to And can you believe I'm just 16? Always smile with your heart even if a piano just fell over you But don't be too cheesy Always be nice to the kids Smile at them like they are the cutest creatures you've ever seen Parents like that Especially the new parents Do it before they ask Have the check before they ask Ask if they need a chair booster or a high chair Know the menu! You must know the menu Look the part Make sure your clothes don't smell like smoke or something weird I have seen this all too many times, a fellow waiter will smell like something gross and the guest make a face when the waiter is not looking Don't ever say "My, what weather we're having" No matter how nice or how terrible the weather is simply say "I heard Friday is suppose to be nice and sunny." (with a smile, of course.)" There is always that person that doesn't know what to order because it's their first time in the joint So advise the cooks specialty Take the unwanted dishes as soon as they are finished Don't let them tell you when to take them 10 If you have a big table of or more Do the "clock" Quickly stand in front of the table and mark the across from you (mentally) as number 12, then the next one to number 12's left as number and so on and so forth So when you serve their drink you have them in the "clock" order Same goes for their food 96 11 When the guest request something, give them the "anything is possible" look They love that look 12 Never count your tips in front of guest It makes one look like they are greedy and we don't want greedy B "Be On Stage" And Other Tips After waiting tables, bartending and managing the "front of the house" for years, I echo all the great tips offered here so far I would add a few tips for anyone out there and they're the first ones I tell anyone I hire The first is to always be "on stage", I know it's been mentioned in previous posts (and a cheesy way of thinking of it), but when you're on the floor you have to portray the bubbly friendly server that everyone would like to have serving them Next and most likely the most important in my book is to always treat your kitchen staff well and with respect They're working just as hard as you are and often in worse conditions Plus they control your food, it's not a great thought, but if you get on their bad side your orders could take longer and not be of the best quality I would always thank the guys and after a busy or hectic night I would buy a pitcher or two for them (you'd tip out your busser or bartender, right?) It's so nice when they're totally willing to help you out when you mess up an order or need help! And lastly, never judge a book by it's cover "Rich" looking people tend to be the worst tippers and the most demanding customers while the couple in torn jeans and sweatshirts will leave a 30% tip! Good luck to anyone out there and remember that you just as good as anyone else whether this is a part time job during college or turns out to be a career! C Tips To Successful Waitressing Know your menu frontwards and backwards and drinks, salad dressings, # of wings in a lg order vs a small etc If the order is taking too long don't hide from your table If your manager is OK with it I would always offer my customer like a cup of soup on the house if things were taking too long If they know you are trying to keep them happy they will appreciate it even if they decline the soup (Or free dessert, or salad, or say I won't charge you for your Coke since it took so long, etc Of course make sure its OK with your boss Drink refills -keep up on them, bring it before they ask if you can You can ruin the whole experience by making them wait a million years for their check, but also don't make them feel rushed and ask if they want dessert Upsell The bigger the check the bigger the tip Offer appetizers, salad, dessert etc and be specific Say "Would you like to try our buffalo wings or an order of our famous onion rings to start off with tonight?" not "Do you want an appetizer?" Asking if they want to try something sounds better than buy 97 Invite them to come back and remind them of your name They may ask for you again Depending on the party you might save time and frustration later buy confirming at the beginning if the bill will be all on one check or not Always smile and keep a sense of humor D Tips For Happy Customers Hang in there Serving can be a stressful, difficult job, but once you've got your systems down, it can be a lot of fun, and financially rewarding So, a list of tips and advice? Many servers have posted tips before me, but I'll give you the most complete list that I can (I've been serving and bartending for years, and as of months ago, I'm the proud owner of a restaurant/bar - just so you know where I'm coming from.) These are not listed in order of importance just as they come to me Keep a positive attitude This means smiling and being upbeat and friendly Let no step be wasted and never go to or leave your section empty handed Basically, be efficient Do not make a separate trip for each task you have to Consolidate i.e., after you greet one table and are on your way to ring in their drink orders, bus or pre-bus any tables along your way It will save you (and your customers) time, and most customers will appreciate your efficiency and promptness Work with the rest of the staff, not around them This means, when you're refilling water/coffee for your section, if you have a moment, take a walk through the rest of the dining room This also goes for pre-bussing If you see an empty plate, regardless of who's table it is, you can pick it up Your coworkers will appreciate it and be more likely to help you out too Anticipate the guests needs before they have to ask you If you think they may be done, have the check on you (so you can offer it, or when they ask, it's already right there.) If they are almost done with their drink (alcoholic or non), ask if they would like another The less they have to ask for, the better server you are in their eyes When serving a drink (martinis especially), if it's really full, avoid spilling by not looking at it while you're walking Whether it's on a tray or in your hand I swear, this works Adhere to the timeline for steps of service as much as possible For example, tables should be greeted within minute of sitting down Tables should wait no more than minutes for their check once they've asked for it Ask your manager if your particular restaurant has specific guidelines about this Often, they will just have the generic, industry-wide poster in the back somewhere Never auction off food Meaning, if you're the one that took the order, you ought to know who's getting what dish Don't walk up and say, "who had the halibut?" or whatever If it helps you, use a seat numbering system (starting from your left - seat - and going clockwise) Write the order down that way, and if you can, ring it in that way It will help others if they are running your food as well Know everything about the menu And know the wine and beer lists and what's in the cocktails etc Be able to answer any questions the guest may have A server being knowledgeable is at the top of many people's lists of what they look for in a good server If there is something that you 98 don't know, tell them that you're not sure, but would be happy to find out, or happy to get someone that does know to talk to them Watch yourself when it's not that busy That tends to be when even the best servers begin to forget things For me, give me 10 tables at once and more waiting at the door, and I'm on my game If I only have or tables, I get distracted easily It seems backwards, I know, but many servers will tell you it's quite true 10 Treat the back-of-house staff and support staff (bussers, hosts, etc.) with the utmost respect Their jobs are difficult too If your places requires that you tip these positions out, so generously The nicer you are to them, the nicer they'll be to you 11 If something does go seriously wrong with a table, apologize, stay calm and never make light of the situation The guest may feel that you are making fun of them Do your best to fix the problem, and if you can't, explain the situation to your manager and have them fix it If this means comping someone's meal, so be it Better to have the guest leave happy and come back than to make the $20 Also, if they feel that you've righted a bad situation, they are much more likely to be forgiving and still tip you 12 Don't get too fired up if you have a couple tables that don't tip well We all know those people are out there But there are many decent, nice, generous people out there as well that will make up for it E Good Waitressing Advice Here are some things I've learned: y y y y y y y y If you make a sale with a credit card, thank the guest by name when you bring it back to them It's a "Higher Touch" Circle your name at the top of the check if it prints this way, and write "Thank you!" Smiley faces help, too When talking to a guest, it's always helpful to squat near the table This works for our taller servers, but also helps the guest realize you're there to help them Repeat the order back to them Repeat the order back to them Repeat the order back to them I cannot stress this enough It will cut down on your errors in a major way, and helps in environments when misrings are common because of loud music, etc This is sad, but true, girls, if you wear makeup, it helps Take care of your appearance; this is a very shallow job where attractiveness is a big benefit Make the guests laugh This might be the most important thing Stand up for yourself! If a guest treats you poorly, although, use discretion; you will be held accountable for just being rude Gently stand up for yourself, excuse yourself, or get a manager You are there to serve them, but it does not give anyone a right to treat you disrespectfully When serving alcohol, remember that police stings Always ID anyone who looks under thirty, or there is a slim chance you could actually go to jail F Seventeen Years Of Experience 99 For those of you with weak wrists: first of all, practice carrying the plates with no food on them It sounds stupid, but there are all sorts of ways to balance them I use the wrists, holding one plate in a pinch between my left forefinger and thumb, another "pinched" underneath with my bottom fingers and another lying across the top of my wrist/forearm Some waitresses carry one dish in their left hand, another on their left forearm, braced against their body and a 3rd in their right hand If you are right handed, carry heavy plates in your left, and set down with your right Set the edge of the dish down first on the table so it doesn't clatter, set the rest of the dish down and slide it gently Grab the next dish from your left arm and the same If left handed, reverse it! If you're new, tell the customers They won't think you're stupid! and don't feel stupid and for Pete's sake never cry at a table because something went wrong people have much more tolerance when they know they are dealing with a "rookie" and will remain calmer than they normally would if things go wrong Waitresses, know your menu I cannot stress enough how important this is Know your salad dressings Know if the hamburger comes with Cheddar or American cheese Know how the halibut is cooked Someone will ask If you don't know, say I don't know, but I will go find out and then so This leads into know your drink menu Someone order a martini? Vodka or gin? Up or on the rocks? Any particular type of gin? Show your knowledge, if not ask the bartender for recommendations Same with the wine Know it know it know it! And then upsell it Be prepared to make every order special Thousands of people ask, "Can I have that with no onions? extra black olives? more lettuce? find out from the cook/manager ahead of time what is allowed and what isn't Be personable "Smile, smile, smile" I can't emphasize it enough to let your personality shine through! Dress appropriately If the crowd is older, the older men may appreciate your short shorts and bra straps hanging out, torn holes in your jeans, but their wives who hold the checkbook? Nope Never wear flip flops to work Ever Do you have an older crowd? They might call you sweetie, honey, darling Do not lay into them for it Do not take it the wrong way They mean nothing bad by it, just the opposite These are sweet people, who yes, might not tip very well, but by golly they'll become your favorites if you just listen to them a bit Take time to listen to your customers Sometimes they have stories/jokes they want to tell, listen, and then laugh/commiserate and move along Don't spend a long time chatting with one customer, they know you have other tables to see, but they just want someone to listen a bit Sometimes you just say, "Oops! There goes the bell I'll be back in a minute Or oh dear! My drinks are up "I have to run" I'll be back when I have time." Never, ever blow off customers at the door waiting to be seated I don't care that you're discussing the latest hairstyles with waitress #2 I don't care that you're on the phone These people have taken the time to come into your restaurant, and they deserve to be noticed Even if you're walking by with margaritas 100 balanced on your head and steaming nachos in both your hands, you still say "Hello! I'll be right back!" Got a bad customer? It happens First try to fix the meal/drink, cook it more/cook it less, more alcohol, less The last scenario to fixing the problem is to offer a gift certificate In this way, at least they'll come back to your restaurant again Do not lose patience, not roll your eyes Offer to fix it, then check back and make sure it's right Drink refills, sorry, I wait until they are about 1" from the bottom of the glass if it's wine or alcohol too many problems with drunk drivers to force them to drink faster If it's pop, ask about 1/3 of the way from the bottom unless they are close to finishing their meal It drives me insane when you are trying to get a table to leave due to a waiting list at the door, and someone refills their coffee/tea cup all the way to the top If they've paid their bill and you need the table don't offer a refill Sorry, sometimes life is harsh If refills are free, just ask if they want a refill If not say "lemonade refills aren't free, would you like another? Or a glass of water?" offer them a free alternative But tell them it's not free! I don't ask if a customer wants change, I phrase it thus "do you need change on this?" when they have their money out Sometimes people are confused as to who is their waitress, and will ask for their change back, and leave it all on the table for 'their' waitress whomever she might be, even if its you But ask Don't just take money and walk away thinking it's all yours Try to remember your regulars Randy always has ice tea, no lemon Al never wants garnish on his plate Ed hates salsa, always wants ranch dressing The more you know it, the less trips to the kitchen/bar In regards to 91 chevy (in feedback) "No" we don't train people to ask in the middle of a conversation "anything else?" Neither does the waitstaff have time to stand there while you're finishing a discussion on world peace in Iraq before you'll acknowledge us Most times if your customers are busy chatting you can stop by the table, hold your arms out in a gesture of 'anything else?' and if they don't, they'll shake their heads If they do, they'll take a break for a moment and tell you And sorry, it's not all the waitstaff's fault Please acknowledge that sometimes there are further problems with the bar or kitchen staff Don't blame it all on your waiter And if you want a peaceful, quiet environment? By all means, dine at home We togo orders as well Enjoy Organization is the key, how you it all? And it all right now? Sometimes you just rely on your back up people "can you please take tea to A3 while I take A4's order?" and remember that at the end of the evening when tip in time comes Get drinks first Most people are happy for a few minutes when they have drinks and a menu Try to take little orders before a big one Tell them something like "no pressure, but if we can get your order in before this group of 30" And most times they'll order quickly and thank you for it On your way to the back, ask tables how they are doing, and then on your way out front, take it back with you, ketchup, Heinz 57, more napkins, tell the float A6 needs more tea, then go take your big order Warn the rest of the staff that you'll be busy for a bit, can they get drinks for you if anyone new sits in your section? Think ahead Have fun Show your personality It will make all the difference in the world Sharing out the tips People who help you share your tips If the bartender hadn't made the best old 101 fashioned B4 has ever had, if the T-bone to C1 hadn't been cooked just perfect, or the kids meals to D1 came out quickly so the quit screaming you wouldn't have gotten that tip So share it out on those who help On the owner who is sitting at home watching TV? Nope Newbies, oh boy, I have advice for you One - at the interview First of all discover what type of restaurant it is If it's a star, and you show up for your interview in the latest style of babydoll top with bra straps hanging out, holes in your jeans and flip flops, don't even bother Even your personality and beautiful smile won't get you a 2nd interview Expect to have your references checked on, so make them good Two - if you are hired For Pete's sake make sure you are available for at least the next weeks no matter what Don't apply for a job, then tell them that oh, by the way, you can't start until weeks later because of dance camp Restaurant business is tough and weekend oriented Give up your weekends, give up your nightlife for a few weeks before requesting time off Three - Know it! Know your menu, know the seating, know the drinks take some time and learn it! When you get the job, ask the boss for a copy of the menu Sorry, I'll disagree with the squatting next to a table yes, it's more intimate, but in today's fashion statement of low slung jeans, I've had to intervene and stand behind waitresses to cover their underwear/crack hanging out in the middle of their order so the rest of the restaurant doesn't realize they are wearing pink thongs with green flower Additional tips? Keep them The customer means for you to have it, and you alone If you as a waiter are vegetarian? I don't eat seafood, but I make sure I tell my customers "*I* haven't tried it, but I've sold this evening and everyone said it was awesome", "I don't eat Reubens, but when anyone asked how they were? I said best in the world" based on other peoples opinions of them 102