AWESOME Service (part 10 final thoughts)

 (some final thoughts)

Awesome service standards to work by:

“Never walk with an empty hand.” Save your feet, make each trip count. Keep your eyes open and pick up from any area, not just “your section.”

Keep your table neat. The guest should only have what they need in front of them. By the end of a meal, bread baskets, side plates, dessert plates, cocktail glasses, etc. should be gone. This is not only for their comfort but makes for a quick clean up and reset when they leave. Be attentive but not intrusive. “Let me get that out of your way” is a good phrase to use so that they don’t feel they are being rushed out.

Leave your station as you would like to find it. A little extra effort will create a much happier work environment for everyone.  If you help others when they are behind, they will in turn assist you when you are in need. Communicate with fellow staff or through managers when duties are missed.

Leave your troubles and illnesses at home. We all have our struggles and problems but they are not solved by broadcasting them to fellow staff and guests. We need to recognize the proper timing of such discussions and keep each other in check.

Don’t make assumptions about the degree of difficulty of fellow employees tasks. Try to be as helpful and cooperative as possible. You never know when you will need their help.

Plan your trips. Maximize tasks done in each trip and take time to double check orders and requests. When you are the busiest, this is the time to be most careful and make sure you don’t have to do something twice

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Ask for help. Ask fellow employees or managers for assistance even if it’s only for a moment. Guests needs come first!

Answer the phone with a smile. The phone is key to our business, not an interruption of it. Avoid long hold time. Make sure messages are taken and passed along. Write reservations in the reservation book so they won’t be lost. Take personal responsibility for messages you take and be sure of specific information before advising a caller on any matters. If in doubt turn the call over to a manager.

Use the side work checklists.  

Make sure you know where the lists are kept and what your responsibilities are. Always have the closing server or a manager check you out. 

Rotate your stock. Check dates on all products and always use oldest products first. If out of date, inform the manager on duty. Before opening any new product double check to make sure you did not overlook an opened item.

Check your station before each shift. Make sure your chairs are swept, tables are properly set, clean, condiments clean and filled. Remember it is you that will be embarrassed by shortcomings and blaming it on the previous shift would seem ridiculous.

Look through guests eyes. Scan your section as though you are a guest there for  the first time – how does everything look?

To help each of us have an awesome day, let’s try to point out what someone did right, not what someone did wrong.

 I sincerely hope that you enjoyed this series of posts on AWESOME Service and that you gleaned some useful information from them. I also hope that you put AWESOME Service into use and begin to increase your income and to improve guest service. AWESOME Service benefits everyone!

Feedback from you the professional waiter, restaurant manager or owner would be greatly appreciated. Feel free to leave a comment or email me at tiptopserver at hotmail.com.

Have an awesome day and make more money!

JD

Put More Cash In Your Pocket!