Waiting Tables?

Question

I have been a waitress for a little over three months now. With a 4 table section on a Sunday, I can make somewhere between $50-100. On a weekday, with a larger section, I can make between $80-100, normally around 80 or lower. The head waitress has been waitressing for a lot longer, understandable, and makes more than me, but I would like to make as much as she is - any tips? (no pun intended)

Answer 1

Some tips that get me a few extra bucks and crazy high sales:
-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 2

I understand completely. I can have a full section of 8-10 and only make about 60 while a 3 booth section will give me 160.

Consolidation is the biggest tip you could ever get. Check on all your tables at once. Don't just run to the back when one asks for something. Ask everyone else if they need something making less trips.

Refill drinks or bring a new one before the drink is empty. Don't let them ask for it, they are more appreciative if you do it first. Make sure the order is correct before you bring it. Check it in the back and make them redo anything that's wrong and wasn't your mistake. If you messed up on the ticket and it wasn't the kitchen's fault, don't be rude to the kitchen. Let them know the correction then let the table know it's coming. At that point you can blame it on the kitchen but joke about it, don't get pissy about it.

If it's a casual place, sit with them. It takes out some of the "I am your servant, master!" feeling. If your manager gets pissy question why. Let them know you are building a rapport with your customers and are not harming anyone. I did it and my tips went up.

Speed helps. Do everything you're supposed to in a speedy manner. Get the plates off as soon as possible. No one likes to talk or sit with dirty plates in front of them. BUT don't take one person's plate if he ate like speedy gonzales and everyone else is still eating. The others will think you're rushing them.

Here is the Order of Service.
0-1 minutes from arrival--Greet and seat the customers
2-5 mfa--OFFER a drink and include alcohol.
5-8 mfa--OFFER a specific appetizer when you bring drinks.
9-12 mfa--Suggest a specific entree and take orders. Read back the order to ensure correctness(is that a word?)
2 minutes after bringing their food or appetizer check on them again to make sure they are enjoying everything.
Continue to check in and bring fresh drinks.
Clear all used plates.
After almost everyone is done with dinner offer a SPECIFIC dessert. Read it back and bring it promptly. Do a 2 minute check.
When everyone is done (or if no desserts are brought) get the check and place it in a neutral position on the table (I put it on the table tent in the middle)
Remember to thank them and ask them to return.

You should get better as you work longer but, it is one of those jobs that you're either good at or you're not. I have been a server for 4 years. I can train anyone to do an excellent job but I'm just not made for it. You've heard of those who can't do, teach? That's me. I know what you have to do and when but it's hard for me to keep up.

Good luck and don't get discouraged for bad tips, some people just don't know how to tip. You'll never get used to it, it sucks. They will never learn that NO TIP IS NOT ACCEPTABLE! HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO NOT BE PAID JUST BECAUSE YOU MADE A MISTAKE?! jerks. 15% always. Another thing. I believe in karma... always tip your waitresses 18%, you would want them to do the same, and you know how it is.

Answer 3

I can only offer general advice as a paying customer:
The things that stand out for me and make me leave a boosted tip are friendliness and attentiveness. Good food I can get anywhere; a pleasant and helpful waiter makes the place worth coming back to, and gets appreciative tips. An over-worked waitress I can sympathize with (as long as she explains and asks us to bear with her), but a surly, bored or gossiping waiter who doesn't feel like waiting on tables gets little or no tip, and likely makes sure I don't go back to the place. Everyone likes to feel special, and the old truism is accurate - we may be your 40th table of the day, but you're our first waitress, so we feel unhappy if we don't get the same attention your first table got. Also, little special efforts get a disproportionately large appreciation. Hang in there with the jerks, and enjoy the decent folks.

Answer 4

You will get better and faster as you work there longer. Make sure you are multitasking, (you can take care of more than one table on any one trip to the floor). And also, most restaurants give the better sections to the servers with more seniority or who can handle them. And of course, you have to kiss your customer's butts.

Answer 5

i'm a waitress & have been for a whilst. not a profession, yet barely adequate to get me by throughout college. waiting tables may be a solid element, extremely while you're a shy individual. It makes you come out of your shell. opposite to what many human beings think of, purchasers will tip in spite of they prefer to tip. you could placed forth one hundred ten% attempt and be the main suitable waitress interior the eating place, and nevertheless get crappy training (or the crappy servers finally end up making extra helpful training). i've got considered it take place & this is occurred to me extra effective than as quickly as. As a waitress, i will in basic terms do my activity to the main suitable of my means, I have not got any administration over how plenty human beings prefer (or could have adequate money) to tip. yet another element that gets me is how maximum human beings don't understand we in basic terms make $2.13/hr. And except your provider is undesirable (i.e. you never observed your waitress, your food grow to be incorrect, you never had drink refills), then TIP YOUR WAITRESS! heavily, whether it grow to be purely mediocre provider, did you think of with regards to the certainty that your server grow to be probably busy with different components of the activity? I paintings in a small eating place, so regrettably, i'm predicted to do extra effective than wait tables. I might desire to bathe dishes, answer telephones, seat human beings, etc. Please be information. i won't stand it when I've gotten a shopper each and every thing they want & they experience the might desire to go away not something! it fairly is unacceptable. all and sundry might desire to attend tables as quickly as of their lives to verify what variety of crap we submit with. young little ones are human beings too! you may desire to tip for them in the event that they order a meal! severe college young little ones might desire to learn suitable tipping manners! oh my gosh, waiting tables isn't undesirable, yet i might desire to pass on and on.

Answer 6

you would make more when you work longer than 3 months. customers will get to know you and will tip you more.

Answer 7

just pay extra attention to them and be nice. being a slight flirt helps