Any good tips on how to be a good waitress?

Question

Any good tips on how to be a good waitress?

Answer 1

i been a waitress for 7 years and became a hostess as a step up um

1. pat attenmtion to what they want..special ways they want theyre food cooked alot of ppl are very picky

2. if they get pasta give them grated cheese if they run out of dinner bread ask them oif they want more same thing with soda

3. dont rush them with theyre food ..dont give them theyre salad when theyre trying to eat theyre soup or appetizers every theing 1 after another if 1 course is finished give them another not have a million courses on ther table waiting and getting cold

4.always smile and have small talk, give them idea about whats good

5. ask them if thye would like dessert or coffee..hint we hava an awesome cheesecake so they think about dessert ....if not would u like ur check ?

6. wrap there to go food for them not throw tins for them to do it ..

they wanna feel as spoiled as possible..

  thank you have a good night ..write thank u on the check also with ur name

Answer 2

always be polite.  smile even if people are taking forever to take their orders.  fill food and drinks all the way.  but mostly its all about respect xD  good luck

Answer 3

smile

be patient

sound merry and happy

always have a good conversation

don't be a jerk or no tip

Answer 4

nothing worse then getting my food and the drink is not filled. Nothing to wash down the food.

Best thing I do is just before the food is up,..bring all condiments and all to the table and tell them the food is just about done and want to check on drinks to prep for the meal.

Also I drop the food, then tell them I'll be back in a second to see if the food is good and cooked to their liking.

There is nothing more annoying then getting the food and then the waitress walks away...the steak is raw and the drink is empty....and the waitress is no where to be found.

Your a prisoner in a booth!

PS...good question. You care about what will make you better at it.

Answer 5

*always smile at the customers and be ready 2 say may i take your order

*always bring the food fast so u wont have any angry customers

*if the cook is moving at a slow pace just tell the customers calmly that their food will be arriving shortly

*bring the right bill to every table and make sure u get it the second the customer asks 4 the bill

ps-u could compliment the customers if you like.say what a nice jzcket or what cute child!it totally works!

dont 4get to say come back again

Answer 6

Dont talk too much.

Answer 7

don't look like you are sad, work hard.

Answer 8

Be nice, courteous, thoughtful, helpful and pay attention.

Answer 9

A friend of mine once told me that in order to be a perfect waitress, you have to pretty much forget you are a person.

Answer 10

be curteous, accomodating- NOT over bearing,,be calm-pleasant, and NO matter what-even if you think they are the

biggest a...hole...treat like them like royalty----last but not least..even if you can't get to them because you are too busy..acknowlegde them by smile or words (i'll be right with you...) thats it!

Answer 11

Some things are basic common sense, some things are mandatory requirements by a particular employer. My general rule-of-thumb has always been to treat your customer as you yourself would like to be treated when YOU are dining out. Pretend that the customer is a member of your own family, or that they are a "secret shopper" who is there to basically spy on you and report their experience to your employer (we get these ALL THE TIME and they are ruthless and their reports can make the difference between keeping your job or getting fired).

Some basic rules are:

Greet the customers within 2-3 minutes of them being seated. Even if you can't take their order right away, at least acknowledge that they are there. SMILE and let them know your name and that you will be with them in a minute. One thing that ALWAYS gets a VERY negative reaction is when a customer feels ignored.

Ask them if they have eaten at your restaurant before. If not, offer to "walk them throught" the menu. Make suggestions, make sure you know ahead of time what you may be out of that day, what the day's specials are (such as soups, etc.), and what the ingredients are (customers with allergies, etc., need to know this info). A well-informed server can always answer questions. If you don't know the answer (shame on you!), excuse youself to go find out, fast.

Always be pleasant, upbeat, and smile, smile, smile, even when the customer is rude, nasty, etc. If the customer is particularly difficult, alert your manager. It may be best for everybody if another server is assigned to take over, but, the more experience you have, the easier it is to defuse these types of customers. Just keep smiling!

Keep their glasses refilled, promptly, especially if all they are drinking is water or soft drinks. One thing that really annoys customers is to have to continually ask for more water, more soda, etc. Anticipate their needs, and refill glasses when they are half-empty.

Pre-bus their table, clear dirty dishes when they are done, replace napkins when they are dirty, or wet. No one likes their table to look like a garbage dump.

Pay attention to your customer. You may have a huge section, you may be slammed busy, and your customer may be able to see that, but they STILL want to feel like they are your ONLY customer. Make sure their food is what they ordered, and that it is cooked the way they ordered it ("How is your steak, sir? Is it cooked to your satisfaction?"). Stop by their table within a minute or two after their first bites to see if they need ANYTHING. Nothing annoys a customer more than not being able to start, or continue, eating their food because they need or want something to be able to do so, and their server is nowhere in sight to get it for them.

Ask them, when it appears that they are done with their meal, if there is anything else you can get for them (coffee, dessert?). These are opportunities for you to make more money by suggesting additional items for them to finish off their meal. If not, tell them you will prepare their bill, and deliver it to them promptly. Thank them, tell them to have a great night (or whatever is appropriate), remember to smile, smile, smile. Don't make a customer have to hunt you down for their bill (or worse, go after your manager because they are tired of waiting).

Being a waitress is not easy, as anyone who has ever done it can tell you. You have to be on top of your game, on your toes, pay attention to a million little details, every time, every customer. If you can "find your groove", it can be very rewarding. The most important advice I can give you is, be alert, be pleasant, and do whatever it takes to make the experience one whereby the customer leaves so happy that they want to come back AND bring their friends.

GOOD LUCK!!!!

Answer 12

Lots of good suggestions by others...read them carefully and you will do well.

One really important thing to remember is that waiting tables is under-valued in our society, so you need to remember to tell yourself that what you do takes a lot of skill and talent and is valuable. I waited tables for 20 years. For many of those years when people would ask me what I did for a living I would say "I'm just a waitress." It was a depressing response. I then changed my mind and decided to be proud and excited about my vocation and changed my response to "I wait tables at (restaurant name) and I love it!" I found that my attitude about myself changed and I also did start loving it. Here are some practical tips for your new career:

1. Every time you go out to your tables, check with each one before going back to the kitchen or bussing station. Act as if you are a bus driver and the tables are your stops. You may have very different things to do at each table (greet a guest, pick up an empty dish, deliver bread), but at least  check or do something at each table. Also, before going back out to your tables, ask yourself "do I have everything I need with me for my next round of stops?"  Never leave the busing station or kitchen empty handed. Make every trip count!

2. Number one priority is getting hot food out of the kitchen and to your guest. Number two priority is acknowledging a new guest. Number three priority is getting the check settled with a guest that is leaving. Everything else is less important. Your hardest job will be deciding what thing is the most important to get to next. Keep those in mind.  

3. One of the most valuable things I ever learned was to communicate to my guests when something is wrong. Its very easy to avoid eye contact or communication with a table when you are in an awkward situation. Don't do it! It will feel uncomfortable to have to approach your guests and tell them that the kitchen is behind or that the bartender is very busy right now or that you discovered you made a mistake on their order and it will take a little longer to fix, but you will get the best results if you DO let them know what's happening. Apologies and updates as to how things are going will reassure your guests that you are watching out for their needs. Guests are less likely to get angry if they understand what's going on. Let them know that you are on top of the situation and that you will get things to them as soon as you can.

4. If you do have an unhappy guest and need to talk with your manager about it, give your manager a brief understanding about the problem and then make a suggestion to your manager about what you think will make the guest happy. You have been in contact with the guest and you will have a better idea of what solution would satisfy them. Maybe they'd be happy with a free dessert, or drink. Or maybe they need their meal replaced or taken off the bill. Suggesting a solution to your manager will help them and will usually be appreciated.

5. Waiting tables can be stressful for everyone. Often tempers flare when everyone is under pressure. If you have any moments of being rude or having words with a co-worker, be sure to go to them during a quieter moment and apologize. Make sure they understand that you did not mean it personally and that you were just stressed. This will go a long way in enjoying your co-workers. Keep in mind that others probably didn't mean to take things out on you either. Give them the benefit of the doubt.

6. Reward those who help you. Tell your bussers they are doing a great job. Thank the chef. Tell your manager that you appreciated their help. Do this often and you will always have help when you need it. Be generous.

7. Beginners are afraid to ask for help. Professionals ask for help all the time and offer it too. Waiting tables is a team effort. It is a strong waiter who is comfortable asking for help from their bussers, fellow waiters, and management. Be sure to offer your help when you can...to everyone. Keep a general eye out for guests needing something and help when you can, even if they are not in your section.

8. Learn to read your tables. Some tables will want you to be friendly and interactive..some will want efficient but quiet service...still with a smile, of course! In any case, never talk too long, brief friendly answers to questions work best.

9. Waiting tables takes a lot of practice to do well and will keep you entertained for a long time as you try to perfect your performance, but I found that any time I would start to get bored with my work, I would take it to the next level, just to entertain myself. I found that learning more about food made conversations with my guests more fun (did you know that vanilla comes from an orchid plant?), I learned more about wine, beer, spirits, coffee, and tea. I practiced taking orders without writing things down. I gave myself goals (like trying to sell more desserts than I had the night before).

10. Don't use the same phrases everyone else uses....replace "Is everythink okay?" with something more specific like "Is your steak cooked the way you like it?" or "Are you enjoying your pasta?" They'll let you know at that point if they need something. Also (big pet peeve of mine) never use the phrase "are you done working on that?" Your guests are not there to "work," they are there to enjoy. I often used the phrase "Are you done enjoying your meal?" or simply "May I take your plate for you?" Be sure to train your bussers to do the things and use the phrases that you want them to.

11. Always assume they will want appetizers and desserts. This will increase your sales (and your tips). Instead of saying "what can I get for you?," guide them by saying "have you selected your appetizer yet?" be careful not to say "will you be having an appetizer?," you want assume they will be having one, and they will psychologically feel they should have one---this works quite often. Its the same for dessert; Always bring the dessert menu and ask them what they would like for dessert...never ask them if they'd like to see the dessert menu...always bring it and assume they want it.

Last piece of advice: The higher level of restaurant you work in, the easier and more fun it can be. Coffee shop work is extremely difficult and the least monetarily rewarding. Get into the best restaurant you can and keep working your way up, especially if you like to learn more about the art of service. Sell yourself as a person who has a great attitude and an eagerness to learn and you can get yourself into better places. You'll definitely make more money. Good Luck to You!!

Answer 13

Look people in the eye- despite what others say, if you make a personal connection, they'll feel better, more welcomed, and you'll prob get tipped better.

Check in on them often, not necessarily by asking, 'is everything ok' every 5 minutes, but by going by the table and glancing to see if everything is ok; that way, if they need you, have been looking for you, THEY can say something!  If not, you won't interrupt them.

You're prob a good waitress already, considering you're even concerned about how you can improve!

Answer 14

Be attentive to details. Make sure they receive what they ordered, drinks are filled every time they are half empty, and condiments are on the table. Even when in a hurry and busy don't seemed rushed when taking the order. Be happy and above all SMILE!

Answer 15

Take a few acting classes.  You'll need them.

Answer 16

Some tips that get me a few extra bucks and crazy high sales:

-When offering water, don't mention tap water. Ask would they prefer a bottle of still or sparkling water. If they want tap, let them say it.

-Try to be accomodating as possible... with EVERYONE! (this includes your busser, the bartender, the host and of course, the guest.) If you can get your tables turned fast enough, it means you can get more covers in your section. If you're nice to the busser, they'll help get you're tables cleaned faster. If you're nice to the host, they'll sit you with "accomodating" guests. If you're nice to the bartender, they'll have your drinks made faster. (When I hosted and a server was being rude to me, I made sure to sit them with the family full of screaming kids, the British business men who I knew would not tip well, or the huge group of senior tourists who all wanted separate checks.)

-Be willing to pick up a table when your fellow servers are in the weeds.

-Upsell like crazy! If a guest asks for something like a Bloody Mary, say to them, "Oh you want that with Grey Goose right?" NEVER mention a low end liquor (Learn which vodka, gin, tequila, rum, scotch & whiskey cost the most at your restaurant.) And nod your head at the same time. The sense approval makes people feel better and in turn will get you more money.

-When it comes to desserts, bring the dessert menu or dessert tray over when they are slowing down on their entreés (I randomly walk through my section with an elaborate dessert at the guests' eye level, to get the idea of a tasty treat in the guests head.) As you set the dessert menu down say, "I wanted to give everyone a chance to decide on what they wanted for dessert." Don't ask if they are interested in dessert. Usually if they see a picture (or better yet, the dessert plate) they're more than likely to buy, which means a higher bill, which means a higher tip. BUT... if they have children who may not be able to spell, say to the parents, "Would you be interested in having D-E-S-S-E-R-T?" (one time a kid busted me, but it was cool because it got him riled up.) If the parents don't want their kids to have dessert, they will be sooooo appreciative that you spelled it out and didn't get the thought in the kids heads, in turn giving you a better tip for being accomodating.

-Learn a couple games and jokes that you can share with kids. If you have a large group with kids, it'll gives the parents a chance to socialize. (I once had a guest slip me an extra $50 for keeping their kids entertained.)

Hope this helps. =)

Answer 17

SMILE and be friendly. Don't be afraid to talk to people. You'll get a hang of when you should be noticed and when you should blend in with the background. If something goes wrong, tell the people the truth about what happened - don't blame other people. Good luck!

Answer 18

I was a waitress for three years and the best thing I can tell you is people and food are the worst customers alive, but no matter how much they can aggrivate you, they still are your best friend cause they have the money.

Always smile and be really peppy

Dont be annoying but walk by enough to seem available for any questions they might have.

If your having a bad day, put that aside because your personality is what makes you tips.

Basically it.