Some tips on giving superior service:
First, read my previous articles.
Do's:
1. Serve the women first--food and drink
2. Hold wine glasses by the stem
3. Treat your section as one big table--don't waste your time running from kitchen to bar to one table throughout the shift--you'll kill yourself and give poor service. Take a moment to look at your tables and strategize your next move (chess?).
4. Ask if anyone else wants anything while you get another cocktail for this person--direct your questions at those with less than a third in their glass.
5. Make friends with the "head" of the kitchen--when you make a mistake, you'll want him/her on your side
6. Tip out accordingly: bar, bussers, hostess, kitchen--as when you take care of them, they'll take care of you.
7. Buy someone a drink after work (not just pouring a free drink, but actually paying for it).
8. Study the menu and be confident that whatever cock-slinging asshole comes your way with a stupid question, you have a confident response--and say it in a manner that lets him/her know that this is your table/bar, etc.
9. Ask your manager what you can do to be "better" at your role.
10. Print off the bill and have it ready if you feel that the guests will not be ordering anything else--but don't just drop it on the table, check to see if they want anything else, then Blam! "I can take care of this whenever you're ready" and wait a bit to see if they grab for a wallet.
Don't
1. Auction off the food (who had the lobster?)
2. Hold wine glasses by the bowl
3. Serve any drink by putting your fingers on the rim
4. Interrupt a business meeting--your tip will be better if you are short with them – let them close a deal – you worry about getting food and drink on and off the table.
5. Be cheap with tip-outs--not only do people remember, but they'll talk behind your back.
6. Piss off the person who puts together the schedule and table sections--he/she will ruin your chances of making a grip.
7. Come to work drunk
8. Come to work high
9. Come to work coked-up
10. Sleep with your peers--it's really awkward and may cause you to get fired / leave
Try these on for size and let me know what isn't working.
The doc.