Concerned about being able to carry all the plates and stuff to tables for position in Bar/ restaurant?

Question

How do you do it ? How much do the plates of food and everything else usually weigh ? How much do you carry at one time?
Concerned from a balance and gravity standpoint. So just wondering about how many pounds it usually is? How can you make sure your going to do it correctly?

Answer 1

It just happens naturally...try balancing some books on your arm at home...you'll be fine.

Answer 2

Practice! I worked at several restaurants and had to carry huge trays with 4-5 plates at a time. Heavy china like plates. You CAN do it! I ,too, was SO nervous! I never dropped one but some servers did. You just have to practice carrying them. Find where the balance point is on the tray. Most of the time I didn't using the FLAT of my palm. I used my finger tips. This way, I could feel where the tray may start to tip and adjust that one finer, thumb, etc...It can be done! I have faith in you. You can make some great money waiting tables! ;)

Answer 3

This will depend upon a number of factors.
Is this a full service restaurant with China?
do they use trays, or carry out by hand only?
If it is china, for a table of say 4 people the entree plates alone can get up to 20+ pounds. If they carry by hand then coordination plays a big part. Best thing to do is to practice with books on some sort of flat surface (if you don't have an actual restaurant tray, the try getting a peice of plywood similar in size) Place books on around the oustide edges and work on balance, then switch books around to change weight to front back and side to side to get used to un-balanced loads. If they carry out by hand,then use same books, but extend out your left or right arm(i your right handed, it is easier to balance on left arm, ect.) Place books of varying weight up your arm, starting at the wrist and working up to your elbow. Switch up the weights in order, and also try using phone books as well, this will get you used to the weight factors, as well as the balance. factor, most important is not to be intimidated as you will get to worried an nervous and tense up. You will get the hang of itin no time. No worries:)

Answer 4

It is something that needs practice. Start with just a tray, then move to empty plates, then move to the read thing. If you break something, don't worry about it. It happens.

If you are doing arm service, talk to one of the older servers and they can give you a hand on how to position the places. Just remember with arm service you always want three points of contact.

Plates can weight anywhere from 1/2 lb to 10 lbs per plate, depending on where you were, the amount of food, and the type of plate. Don't worry about not being stable at first. Just keep working on it.

Answer 5

You can figure it out as you go. Watch how much other people carry, see what you feel comfortable with. Plenty of morons have worked as waiters/bartenders in restaurants in the history of time and have been successful. You should be fine carrying plates.

Answer 6

Go to a yard sale and buy a bunch of plates.

Watch how waitstaff carry plates in a local restaurant.

Try it at home, in the yard.


Three plates on one arm and two on the other takes a bit of practice, but two on each arm is actually easier than you'd think.

(It's even MORE important to practice how you will react when you drop someone's meal....because eventually it WILL happen!)

Good luck!

Answer 7

Good Luck to you, I think it takes a very well coordinated person to be a waitress/er. One thing I am NOT. I am in awe of people who can balance like that.