FOOD/BAR SERVICE - How do you say "I'm worth it" without saying it?
Don't your customers realize how hard you work?
Do they not know what the current tip rate is?
Do they really even care?
I've been in food/bar service industry off and on for the better part of 15 years as a team leader and on management teams for several restaurants.
All of them in of themselves have done only so much to insure the welfare of their employees' interest when it comes to tip increase.
At the worst of times, making a grand total of $15/day at a local Italian eatery after grueling "double" shifts back in 2005, enter this guy I worked with for a time as my team leader, Gregory, who came in immediately making more than double what we were (his $150-200 to our $60-80/day average) working the same position, true story.
One night while having a beer after work, I dared to ask just how he was doing this. Gregory proceeded to tell me me how he'd worked fine dining for years and how it was so vastly different from "family" dining that all you had to do was offer that higher level of service and they'll pay you for it without even knowing exactly why. I simply had to have this skillset in my arsenal! So over the next 40 some-odd days, he taught me how to command a 40-80% tip increase!
Now, he also would drill and quiz me on everything, not allowing me to serve my own tables lest I could answer correctly or would find all these Kung-Fu masteresque ways of forcing my concentration until the method finally stuck. If I mis-served a Guest in any way, he would discretely dismiss me to take that table over, and even though I still was there attending and co-serving, I was not allowed tippange from that or any mis-served table until I got the 5 star service process down-pat.
My boss actually allowed him do this crap to me. Dangit, he was after all, team leader.
Yes I'll admit, it does differ from one, two or even three-star restaurant service methods. Heck, sometimes, it appears so vastly different to the traditional method that other servers actually sometimes get upset that they DON'T know just what it is that you're doing to get these types of results.
From then on, only he and I were in the money at that job, leaving others in the dust.
WHY did we not share this with the other servers? We did, but they thought that their way was better, so...
Once, while working at a local favorite sushi restaurant a couple years later, my boss all-but accused me of giving away food/drink for extra tips but after they checked logs and cameras, everything was proven accounted for and they soon made me team leader and onto management from THAT experience.
It for me, has clearly been the most helpful in getting the most out of my time with my guests and showing the value of "choosing me as your host/server".
The following is a way to extract the maximum tippage from any patron that you may have to serve.
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Fine Dining Protocol
Serve (v.)- to give, to offer or submit, to present in a prescribed order
REGARDING THE HOST/HOSTESS (GREETERS/HOSPITALITY)
In Fine Dining, the Server's tip-out gratuity to the Host/Hostess depends on their personality, graciousness and setup support.
The Host/Hostess is the pacemaker of the House, which keeps the Servers and the Kitchen
in clockwork order. It is necessary for them to remain in control of the Guests' rate of seating and the Front Of The House's needs.
Some of these tasks include:
Greeting and seating Guests
Phone/Reservation Duty
Processing to-go/pick-up orders
Collecting applicable “86 list” for the Service Staff (hourly)
Assist Service Staff with pre-bussing of tables
Initial “water-bearer” (pouring the first glass of water for Guests)
As a Host/Hostess in Fine Dining, there are certain protocols that insure Guest and House appreciation. A simple consideration can make all the difference in your pay.
Early 20th Century service industry professional
If you learn, know, do and master this format, not only will you receive transferable Fine Dining training, but you will also be able to maximize your earning potential
with minimal stress.
THE HOST/HOSTESS (GREETING)
If you should see Guests coming in, face them, even open the door for them and greet your Guests promptly, asking the number of Guests and their area preference for dining.
Take the correct amount of menus and wine list with you as you show them to their table (apx. 1min.)
This is your opportunity to announce their upcoming server "coming shortly" before closing your greeting process.
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REGARDING THE SERVERS (SALES)
"Server, I just sat you."
-Host
Good news, you have Guests!
They've been to all the other average eateries in town and had the "two-star franchise" experience, its now time to show them what makes this place so special. Any oaf with a pen and pad can take and fulfill an order but only a true professional can offer them an experience!
OPENING
Like any good commercial, the scripts maybe different but the product name is always dropped within the first eight seconds. Be sure to work-in both the venue's and your own name, specifying yourself as their Server.
According to Jim' n' Nick's BBQ restaurant policy, patrons are never to be referred to as “customers”, but rather “guests”. The term "customer" suggests more concern about their money rather than about their comfort (NLP/Hospitality tip).
Speak clearly, but in “hushed” tones. Doing so sets a calm pace and doesn't embarrass or intimidate the guest by attracting more attention to them than necessary. It also makes them feel like you're sharing a juicy secret with them, so they tend to lean in to listen more attentively.
NOTE: Smaller dining areas require less volume.
THE ORDER
Immediately offer a beverage or cocktail. This takes the edge off and gives guests a chance to adjust.
Guests are more agreeable when they have a refreshing drink in front of them, especially if they had to wait a bit longer than usual.
IMPORTANT:
DO NOT ask "yes or no" questions. Instead, ask "choice-specific" questions.
Example:
DON'T SAY: "Would you like some wine with your entree?"
INSTEAD SAY: "Would you like white or red wine with your entree?"
This skips their permission to make a sale, and will cause your guest to choose an option easier than asking them a question that's fun for them to say no to.
Other examples are asking "cola or lime-pop" (for soft drink sales), "beef or chicken" (for food sales), "fruity or chocolatey" (for desert sales). You can do it using anything, but it overrides the tendency for a Guest to readily opt out of your offers.
SET UP THEIR FIRST COURSE:
Offer up to three appetizers by name (if you can). Don't list every item verbally unless asked. The less information for a guest to process, the easier it is for them to decide.
An appetizing description sells, so use colorful and descriptive adjectives just like I did here with this sentence.
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DO NOT take food "personally". Everyone has their own preferences in what they do and do not like and why (food allergies, disagreeable tastes, religious/philosophical prohibitions, etc.), but when Guests dine, the last thing that their selection/experience should be is an "issue" for anyone other than themselves.
Even if you do not eat a certain food on the menu for whatever reason, "pigeon-hole"-ing it from referral keeps food from being sold, costing The House money and subsequently stifles your gratuity potential via low food sales.
If nothing else, you can refer a certain dish in order of its rate of sale.
Example:
"The _______ is a little too bold/tame/punchy/spicy for my tastes, but everyone else seems too enjoy it a lot!"
Courses
In Fine Dining, each dish is served in shifts or “courses”.
Delay the next course of the meal by apx. 7-10 minutes (or when Guest is half-done with the appetizer, and/or salad).
For the guest, it allows digestion from the previous course. For you, it provides time to casually reset their tabletop for the next course.
THE SERVE
RULE: In cases of having to serve a couple or a whole family, both enter their order tickets and serve them in this order: Children first, then any elders, then the mom/woman, and then the dad/man.
Why? Because if the adults get food first, then it will upset the children. If the parents get theirs before any elders, then they'd feel obligated to either wait to eat and risk cold food or don't wait and appear rude, and G-d forbid if the lady should gets her food last. Besides, any complaints from them are going to be reported to you mainly by the dad/man anyway, who has to tip you depending on the playout of this experience.
You will have upset a subconscious harmony that's almost impossible to undo, so let's side-step that whole array of tangled hiccups by both entering and serving them in that order.
Feed the children FIRST!
RULE: When serving exclusively women or men, the ruling is "age before beauty", meaning to serve the elders first, then the younger.
Carry only one large plate per hand (smaller plates and saucers may be carried in pairs, per hand).
Also, serve the plate with the meat closest to the guest. This makes the serve visually more appealing, and makes the most valued portion of the meal appear larger.
Carry cups/glasses at the bottom, and stemware by the stem, never by the tops, which causes fingerprints and compromises sanitary presentation.
Serve dishes over guest's Right shoulder. Collect/bus dishes over the guests' Left shoulder.
Assisting servers are called "Hands" or "Buddies" who follow the lead of the table's "primary server" (PS).
Singular Serve Method
When reaching a table, Buddies should standby in line, so that the PS can direct the Serve to the table.
After the dish is taken, by the PS, the Buddy is thanked and relieved, one by one.
If additional help is needed, the Buddy can be delegated while still in line, to bring
any remaining dishes.
Benefits:
A Singular Serve Method eliminates multiple runs back to the kitchen for more dishes, and "auctioning" food (having to ask "who had what") at the table.
NOTE: Alternative serve methods include Hands/Buddies surrounding the table and making a simultaneous serve. While an acceptable method in larger restaurants, this causes customers to feel rather bombarded in smaller ones.
All servers are expected to assist when asked (and within reason). This includes refilling water glasses at/pre-bussing other servers' tables.
However, wine and cocktails must be refilled only by the PS because they need to be itemized on the bill, whereas water and soft drink refills don't.
The PS has the greatest understanding of the table's needs from course to course, so all table requests should be reported to, executed or delegated exclusively by the PS. This keeps the PS from inadvertently appearing "inattentive" when attending to other necessary tasks.
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DO NOT over-converse with Guests. They dine to socialize with each other during their allotted time. Unless they initiate and insist on your input, don't interfere/interject, nor take it as an open invitation to just chat away. For you just may chat away your gratuity as well.
A fine dining server should be, almost, invisible.
Speak and be friendly-
..then, go away. Stay unobrusive, but keep a watchful eye from a safe distance as to insure their privacy yet be available to them at a momen's notice.
DO NOT make Guests nervous with hectic activity.
Be prompt and on one's toes, but don't walk hard nor run (floor and tables tend to shake from speeding servers) lest Guests become tense from Servers' zooming and hovering.
After serving the table's dishes, offer any extra condiments that maybe needed to start their meal.
Remember to return to the table within two minutes to make certain that all is well. Otherwise, delaying your return could cost you minutes more to correct whatever they had to wait to tell you.
Pre-bus, Pre-bus, Pre-bus!
Take away all used plates, utensils, glasses bottles and debris from the table as soon and often as possible, no matter how small. Pass by the table and grab whatever looks like trash or a finished dish.
Anticipate the table's needs before they become aware.
Water and soft drink refills should never have to be requested. If they are, then that means you may be moving a bit too slow.
Dropping The Check
Upon "dropping the check", there should only be the Guests' drinks left on the table.
This is evidence of a well-served table and will be blatantly evident to them as they determine your gratuity.
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If your table looks like this by checkout, YOU HAVE FAILED. |
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Your guests' table should end up almost as clean as it began. |
Although it may take an extra moment to completely clear the table before the final transaction, do so quickly. Too long of a delay here may cause your gratuity to go into default/"sudden death".
DO NOT assume who is paying when serving a couple.
Instead, place the ticketbook at the edge of the table, inbetween the couple and then leave so the Guests has privacy to chose both who's paying and how. This also keeps you from triggering potentially awkward "bad date" moments, at the Point Of Sale.
THE CLOSING
When closing out a table and delivering the ticketbook with change or for signing, thank the Guest for their patronage using his/her last name if possible.
Many times, Guests will use a credit card to pay, where the paying Guest's last name is present.
Reminder: Do not abandon the Guests' needs after the transaction has been completed.
Often, Guests will linger to talk and digest, sipping their drink until they're ready to move on.
Refill their glasses until they dismiss you or they get up to leave.
Sometimes, they may get a second wind and make another order.
As they leave, give a final and friendly farewell while simultaneously inviting them to return for another fantastic dining experience.
Saying things like "see you next time"is a good example of subconciously planting the seed in their minds that we are already familiar with them and that we expect to see them here again.
Like in the greeting, express your name and the name of the restaurant to not only insure return general patronage, but also secures preferred clientele to return to that restaurant to be served by you specifically.
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Congratulations, you've just successfully executed
a Fine Dining Service Presentation!
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SUMMARY: TOP EARNER SELL-POINTS
Refer to guests, by last name (Mr./Ms./Mrs. ____)
Get the Guest a drink right away.
Offer options by name.
Do not list every item verbally.
Simple info = easily made decisions.
Upsell using names and appetizing descriptions.
Ask "choice-specific" questions.
DO NOT take food "personally".
You can refer a certain dish in order of its rate of sale.
"I don't know" is never an acceptable answer, rather "I'll find out".
DO NOT over-converse with your table.
Be almost invisible.
DO NOT make Guests nervous with hectic activity.
Delay each course of the meal by apx. 7-10 minutes.
Circle back to the table within two minutes after serving a course.
Pre-bus, Pre-bus, Pre-bus!
Anticipate the table's needs.
Remove all but the Guests' drink from the table before "dropping the check"
Even after check closing, keep refilling and selling.
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BONUS RULES OF THUMB
Concerning Wines
Suggest wines that match the meal. Know the wines' names, type, regions, vintage and descriptions:
White (Chardonnay, P. Grigio, Riesling, Moscato) = Chicken & some Fish
Red (Merlot, Cabernet) = Beef & some Shellfish
Rosee' (P. Noir, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon) = Beef, Veal, Venison, General Seafood
Moscato or Riesling (White) = Desserts
Concerning Cocktails
No Well Drinks. "Well" drinks (cocktails made with cheaper bottom-shelf liquors) maybe simple to say and easy to order, but they rarely 'please'.
Always offer a Guest 2 brands of liquor to choose between for in their drink. This insures their satisfaction (on your end) when the cocktail arrives, and also keeps them from opting for well by default.
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ATTENTION:
It is not enough for only one or two servers within an establishment to adopt this format, but all servers must make a concerted effort to learn, know, do and master these techniques, especially in the age of "tip pooling" where your more inconsistent co-workers may benifit from your disproportionate added value.
Even the interaction/conferral between servers should be looked upon by Guests as a well-choreographed performance which appears effortless yet cannot be easily imitated. Nowadays, they call it having a strong work "culture".
Good fortune to you all!
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