ALT-20 Nonprofit Service Sector
I have been a waitress for many years and have come across a few ways in which I have improved the amount of tips I made. There are some waitress/waiters that have this thing in mind that a job is only a job; they do not share any little pieces of information about their lives while speaking to the customers. They feel that just because they bring the meals to the customers, they deserve to be tipped and tipped well. I beg to differ with those people, being a waitress/waiter is a little harder than just serving others their meals and drinks.
I am going to give you a few hints which I have learned through trial and error, on how to treat guests when they are in your section of the restaurant. I have found these few small things that I do for my customers that brings me more tips than I when I first started working, It does not take much, just a comment here and there.
First of all, SMILE. Make sure you always greet the customer with a smile, along with a good morning, good afternoon, or good evening. You should approach the table with a smile and ask the customer how they are doing today, a little personal touch goes a long way in how you treat the customer, and they will appreciate your interest in the way their day is going. A little conversation before taking their orders is a great way to gain their confidence in your service.
If you are busy and can't get to the customers table as soon as they come in, make sure that you acknowledge that you have seen them and will be with them as soon as possible, this way your customers will not feel like they are being ignored.
As soon as possible, bring the customers their menu's and take their drink orders, usually by the time you bring them their drinks, they will know what they want. Make sure you write any little pieces of the instructions that differ from what is on the menu. Serving the meals the way they want them will ensure their happiness in their meal, making for happy campers.
As soon as their meals are finished, clear their dishes and ask if they would like dessert or if they would like more coffee or tea. This will show the customer that you would like to serve them everything they wish.
Bring their checks as soon after they are done eating as possible, that way they will not have to wait for or track you down when they are ready to leave. While taking their payment, make sure to ask if everything has been to their satisfaction, and wish them a good day. Make sure to invite them back with family or friends, this will show the customer that you have enjoyed waiting on them and would like to see them again.
Those are just a few things that I have done while I was working, that showed the customers that I cared about what they wanted. The customer will usually leave a larger tip than if they were waited on by someone who did not have their best interest in mind.
