How to be an Awesome Waiter

It occurred to me recently that I have over 40 years’ experience with waiters and waitresses. I mean ever since I was a kid I would go to restaurants with my parents. However, I probably never really noticed the service until I got a bit older and especially when I got out on my own and was paying for myself did I really notice the service. You probably remember times with great service and times with horrible service; there is no in between. It is either great or horrible. Why would any waiter want to just give good service? 

I am going to use the term waiter as generic for both male and female in this article. The waiter can make or break the meal for me. With so much mediocre service out there, my expectations have dropped to an all-time low so when great service comes along I am like wow! It should be the norm and not the exception in my opinion. So, let me give you waiters out there a lesson on how to be an awesome waiter. After all I have a lot of experience with this.

First impressions are critical! If you walk up and mumble your name and try to look friendly that does not work. Walk up and state your name boldly and clearly making sure everyone hears you. Don’t just look like you want to serve us, make our dining experience awesome.

Write it all down please! Waiters that take all the orders from memory does not impress me at all. In fact it makes me nervous that the order will be wrong and possibly delay my meal. Just write it in detail and make sure the orders are right from the get go.

Tell me about specials! If I walk in a restaurant with a sign at the door with the daily specials and the waiter doesn’t tell me about them in more detail, how would I ever order one? Go over the specials and tell me the price and ask if there are any questions about them. At least mention them in your presentation to me.

When you bring drinks always include straws and napkins at that time. I get tired of a waiter dropping off a drink and walking off with the straws in their pocket and no napkins for sweaty drink glasses. Just leave them from the start and you will make a great first impression, like you know what you are doing.

Write the orders down please! Again, taking orders from memory does not impress me one bit. Get it right and keep me informed on the time before the meal is served. While waiting for the meal, check on me.

Once the meal is served, make sure and ask if we have everything we need and that all the orders are correct. Ask if the food is cooked right for me. Don’t assume and walk off.

After a few minutes of me starting me meal, check back to make sure I don’t need something else. There is nothing worse that needing more butter or something and I can’t find the waiter. On your first trip back to check on me, always bring extra napkins. 

Don’t wait too long to check on drink refills making me eat part of my meal without a drink I have already drank. I see this a lot where drink refills are slow or non-existent.

Sell me on your deserts! Don’t just ask if anyone wants dessert without a description or temptation. More than likely I buy a dessert when they are presented and a good sales job is made. 

Even though I may want to sit and relax after the meal, bring the check and get that out of the way so I don’t have to wait on you for a while or can’t find you when I am ready to leave. 

All these things would make a great waiter for sure. I know that is a lot to ask but you are working for tips and tips come from great service. Large tips come from awesome service! NO tips come from bad service. What would make this an awesome meal for me is for the waiter to be very attentive, over friendly with casual conversation during the experience, but not too much. Act like you got to know me expecting me to be a regular customer from now on. Above all smile! Put your grumpiness aside while you work in the public. Have fun and enjoy your job and it will certainly show to the customers you wait on. Have a little fun! Joke! Tease! Its OK for you to get to know me!

The suggestions I have listed come from the times I remember my waiter being awesome and I left a large tip. I left having fun and enjoying the time at that restaurant and want to come back. I left knowing the name of my waiter and I felt special. That is what I am talking about!

Your comments? Your suggestions?