Tips To Successful Waitressing

1. Always smile and keep a sense of humor. This might be the most important thing.
2. When talking to a guest, it's always helpful to squat near the table. This works for our taller servers, but also helps the guest realize you're there to help them.
3. Know your menu frontwards and backwards and drinks, salad dressings, etc.
4. Upsell. The bigger the check the bigger the tip. Offer appetizers, salad, dessert, etc. and be specific. Say "Would you like to try our buffalo wings or an order of our famous onion rings to start off with tonight?" not "Do you want an appetizer?" Asking if they want to try something sounds better than buy.
5. Repeat the order back to them. It will cut down on your errors in a major way, and helps in environments when misrings are common because of loud music, etc.
6. Drink refills -keep up on them, bring it before they ask if you can.
7. Take the unwanted dishes as soon as they are finished. Don't let them tell you when to take them.
8. You can ruin the whole experience by making them wait a million years for their check, but also don't make them feel rushed and ask if they want dessert.
9. If you make a sale with a credit card, thank the guest by name when you bring it back to them. It's a "Higher Touch".
10. Circle your name at the top of the check if it prints this way, and write "Thank you!" Smiley faces help, too.