What do you do to make sure you get tipped really well? I served my first table ever last night and got about a 25% tip. I want tips on tips. Thank you in advanced.
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@littleblessings: I haven't waited tables in more than 10 years, so this is old information. BUT I always made higher tips with both women AND men when I wore more makeup. In my state, you either have to have chin length hair or wear your hair back. I always felt less feminine with my hair back and in the ugly waitstaff uniforms, but putting on lipstick (which I don't typically wear) would cancel some of that out.
Also, when I cut my hair shorter and could wear it down, my tips were higher.
Otherwise, people don't want you to hover, but they DO want you to be quick, check in immediately after food is served to see what else they need (more sauce, more silverware, more napkins, more drinks). And then watch for when they are finishing and drop the check quckly--no one likes to wait forever to get their check when they are ready to leave.
In big groups--people like to be told what to do. I had a more experienced waiter tell me this and it was true. It used to be a shit show every time I had a big party (like more than 10 people)--especially when it came time for people to pay out, where everyone wanted to pay separately, and I suddenly had to find a million dollars of change and run a million credit cards--eventually I learned that I would just take control and tell them how it was going to happen. Like, I would get the whole party's attention and say, 'If you are paying with a card--I'll take those first. If you are paying with cash, I'll give you a few minutes to get that together--if you need change, I'll come back after running these cards and then go get change".
Seems simple, but keeping people informed of what you are doing behind the scenes keeps them happy (instead of wondering why it's taking you so long to figure all the change, run the cards, etc).
Good luck!!
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Perceive what the customer wants before they ask for it, so they don't have to ask. Bring them the things they want right away or before the meal. If the lady wants ranch with her burger, make sure it's there. I always tried to set it on the table BEFORE the food came out. It's what I personally like. I appreciate not having to ask for soda and water refills; when it just happens, I am happy. When i have what I need to eat my meal, I am happy. And then I tip well. I don't know what kind of restaurant you're at, but now that I have E, i also appreciate when people are kind to her and bring her crayons and stuff, too. And i know it's mostly fake--kid tables are the worst
I had a pretty crappy waitress last night. We were at a brewery and when someone at the table asked for a dark beer recommendation, she said "i don't drink dark beer" and couldn't even suggest one. That was pretty pathetic. So the classic "know your shit" goes well. I always appreciate someone who can recommend a good beer/wine/food item to me, particularly if I'm debating between two. And don't be afraid to say, "you know, I don't like that particular item, but I like this one a lot". People do appreciate some honesty if you can be helpful with it.
Being confident and in charge always boded me well versus being meek. I made a ton of money waiting tables, so I must've been doing something right! I totally agree with just taking control.
And just accept that some people are just shitty, shitty tippers.
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@blackbird: Yup about the shitty tippers. It's hard but you have to be kind of zen about tips--it all evens out, usually on the up side, at the end of the night. But you WILL have bad tippers when you did everything right, but you know, sometimes you will mess things up and you still get a good tip, so it evens out.
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Just be nice and attentive! I don't like people hovering and asking me a million times if everything is okay or not, but I also don't want no one to swing by for a long time when I need more water, etc. I feel like I always tip well if the person has a smile on their face and are upbeat!
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These are the things that are important to DH and I. He is extra picky because he waited tables for a long time.
1. Don't let drinks get empty. I HATE waiting for a refill.
2. If an appetizer is ordered do not bring the main meal out right after. Allow some time between the stages of the meal.
3. Don't make people wait long. I expect my drink order to be taken within a few minutes of sitting down.
4. Check back but don't hover.
5. Know the menu
6. If the food is taking forever, check on it before the customer says something. -
I've never been a server but I've done a lot of customer service so I have sympathy and always try to tip well. Rarely do I leave less than 20% even for not so great service, but I don't go to really expensive places.
All I want is for the server to be attentive, nice, and get my order right. The last time we went out the place was not that busy but the waitress was a mess. I witnessed her and another waiter get super confused when an order came up and they couldn't figure out which table it was for. D'oh! She asked if we wanted condiments when she brought our food, then never brought what we asked for. Then I gave her ample time to give me change after paying the check, but she never came back and I had to hunt her down.
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My main pet peeve with eating in a restaurants are when I have to wait for refills, and when the check takes forever. If I'm ready to go, I'm ready, especially with a toddler. I can't stand when they clear away plates, bring the check in 10 min, the come back for the card in 10 min.
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Just a few comments to add that haven't been said:
1) Write down the order. even if you can remember, write it down. I hate an order to be wrong.
2) If you are allowed, accommodate substitutions and write it down.
3) You don't have to hover or ask 100 times, but as long as I see you around our table, I can kinda make eye contact or flag you down if I need something.
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@babynumber1: yes!!!
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Oh yea if you see I have a kid with me, bring me a STACK of napkins. I will try my best to clean up after my tike, but if you just give me silverware and a single napkin, that is darn near impossible.
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Making sure they don't have to wait forever for the check is definitely a big one! That's my DH's biggest pet peeve. FWIW, we have never changed the tip amount over that (I pretty much always just tip 20 percent) but maybe others would?
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I don't have a lot to add to the above; there are some really good ones there. (I hadn't thought about the taking control thing, but I agree that as a customer that would make me feel better in a complicated paying situation.) But one thing that DH, having had many years in the restaurant business, really hates is when the waiters/waitresses come off as really tip-grabby. Like there's one restaurant I only go to for the all you can eat soup and salad. One waiter there *never* charges me for that, he only charges me for one bowl of soup no matter how many I get. DH feels like he's hoping I'll be appreciative and make up the difference by tipping him better. He's overall a crappy waiter, so that makes it worse, but I generally tip him slightly lower than I would normally (still quite a bit, but less). DH is also willing to give a lot of grace when someone is clearly having to cover a lot of tables or a difficult one, but he gets super angry if they're NOT busy and still take forever on things like drink refills.
Also, if you smoke, try really hard to do so as little as possible while working. I HATE having a waiter come to the table smelling like smoke.
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@Torchwood: Curious as to why that seems tip grabby? Does he say something? I would be appreciative if someone did that for me and probably would tip them better, because in the end, I'd be coming out ahead!
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@mrscobee: Because he's cheating the owners or of money (it's not a corporately owned restaurant) to line his own pockets. FIL owns a couple of restaurants, so DH is more sensitive to that side of things. He's said he would fire that waiter on the spot if he was the owner and found out about it.
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@Torchwood: Oh, got it. That makes sense, and you are totally right! I guess I was thinking about a corporation. Not that it is any more ethical. But sometimes, I appreciate little one off things like that (giving the customer the pickle, if you will). But totally get what you are saying and why he would be sensitive to that!!!
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no waiting tables experience here but as a customer, we always tip really well when people are nice to LO and helpful - like asking if we want his food or part of it first (if possible) etc. and when its just the too of us being around just enough but not too much if that makes sense! it seems like some waiters can just sense when we need something without hovering and refilling water that is already 90% full etc.
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@mrscobee: It's also that he's done it more than once. One time, and maybe he just felt bad for having been a crappy waiter, or maybe if I only ate two bowls it's not unreasonable. But he always does it. DH and I both hate feeling manipulated, and that's how it comes across. Like he's trying to trick us into giving him more by acting like he's doing us a favor.
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We usually tip well. The thing that will cause us not to is a waiter who is either completely inattentive, or one who does not apologize when something goes wrong and is just rude about it.
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@Torchwood: Makes total sense. I think doing it once or twice if you have two bowls is different than doing it all the time and constantly cheating the owner.
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@Torchwood: I'm confused... if it's all you can eat soup and salad, shouldn't you only be charged for one soup, regardless of how much you actually have?
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@Adira: The price for all you can eat isn't the same as the price for just ordering one bowl of soup and nothing else. He's giving me the one bowl price, not the all you can eat price.
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@Torchwood: Ohhh, gotcha! Now I get it.
Although if he ALWAYS charges you the single bowl price, maybe he just doesn't know any better??
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I've not been a waiter, but I go out to eat a lot lol
Biggest pet peeve, hands down - If I need a refill and you bring me a new glass instead of topping off my old one TAKE THE OLD ONE AWAY!! I want to scream when we're trying to eat and there are 4 cups on the table. DH drinks after like every bite, so he needs a lot of refills. Take the cups away. Please.
And when someone is ready to go, they're ready to go. Don't make them wait for you to ask if they want a to-go box, and then wait for the check, and then wait for you to pick it up. When we're ready to go, we want to go! Especially if LO is with us lol
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so I'm not waitstaff but I can answer as a customer! We usually give 20% if the service includes - friendly waitstaff, pays attention to us (notices if we need something or we're looking around for him/her), keeps up with my insane water intake :P, doesn't take a year and a half to bring the check when we're ready for it. on the flipside, I've also had a waitress who when we flagged her over she handed us the check and we were going to order dessert...so we just left and stopped for froyo on the way home. She also never came back, so we had to ask a manager to break a $20 at the bar for us - and then she magically appeared, pissed. Well, too bad, you were ignoring us! I felt like she wanted us out the door.
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@Adira: He makes a point of telling us every time, so pretty sure he does.
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@Torchwood: Oh, that's kind of annoying then.
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Very limited food service experience, but as a customer I love when drinks are replenished constantly without asking. I also like being checked on and having my requests (more napkins/extra ranch/etc.) delivered right away. I try to tip 20% for regular service and if it is above average, or we make a huge mess, I aim for 25% to make up for the people who tip like shit.
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@Torchwood: don't you just tell him that he made a mistake and have him make a new bill? We always point out mistakes, even when it is in our favour.
To answer the OP I can only answer as a customer- bring waters and menus quickly and don't take too long to bring the bill- I really detest trying to flag the server 10-15 minutes after we are done because he/she thinks they are "done" with us. Bring it right after clearing the table and just say, "no rush, take your time." Also, if the table has kids and they ask for napkins, please bring lots! I usually use the napkins to clean up messes on the floor/table.
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@Freckles: It's not a mistake. He specifically tells us he did it, with a "wink wink" sort of attitude.
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Another regular customer with a mommy perspective. If I get there with my kids, ask if you can put there order in early or if we would like their order before the rest of the meal. Often the kiddos get impatient and having their food come out fast is a blessing.
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@Torchwood: ugh.
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My family always tips bigger when the server is on top of keeping the water glasses filled. Sometimes that's you, sometimes that's the bussers, but keep an eye on it.
As a former server, I would encourage you not to spend too much time focusing on your tips. Count them at the end of the night, sure, but I always thought, when I saw coworkers carefully counting exactly how much each table had left them, "you'd make more tips if you spent this time attending to your tables!" If the customers see you doing it, it looks really tacky, too.
Also, find a few favorites on the menu that you can recommend with confidence. There are customers who really appreciate a tip from the server. And pay attention to the regulars, but not too much. Some of them can get territorial and demanding, so accommodate them, but don't get into any bad habits that will take you away from taking care of your other tables.
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I find this super fascinating - tipping isn't a culture down here in Australia (because our base salaries are higher, so it balances out) so travelling internationally & figuring out tipping was a bit of a challenge.
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I waited tables for six years, but here's what I've for for ya--
If you want to make money, turn tables quick, but don't rush your customers.
Don't ever serve a customer a drink while holding it from the top, that's just disgusting. Always hold from the side.
If there's a daily special, keep it short and sweet. Offer an appetizer off the top.
Smile! I can remember having some of the worst days including a day when my house had just been burglarized and then having to put on a smiley face was soooo hard. Being friendly without over the top brings better tips.
Always check on the meal within a minute or two of being served.
Keep drink full always before customers have to ask.
Make sure silverware is clean and tables are set properly, booth or tables are clean as well including highchairs.
Don't bring food out not on a tray, even if it's just two plates.
Never just hand a guest their check after the me has been served. Have the check preprinted in your apron so you can hand it to them whenever their meal is completed. Always offer dessert so you aren't rushing them out the door.
If they order alcohol and it's taking long at the bar (sometimes it does) give an update on the meal.
Do lots of walk bys to check visually if they need anything (napkins, extra silverware, straws, crayons for kids etx). You want to interrupt their conversation or meal as little as possible.
Know the menu inside and out and items that can be made that aren't on the menu.
Never be seen chatting to other servers or just standing around. There is NOTHING that ticks me off more when I go to a restaurant and see servers talking to other servers, hanging out, on their cell phone, etc. There's always tons of work to be done in a restaurant and learn every position you can to make yourself marketable. Hosting, expo, prep, etx. Good luck! -
These are all great tips! Another thing that I always like is when the server acknowledges my baby, waves at him, or tells me he's cute in a genuine sounding way.
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@MrsTiz: haha, we had like 8 cups on our table the other night...a lot were empty!
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I agree with those who say when we're ready to go let us go quickly!
I also tip more for people who are helpful in some way with lo's needs, because I feel that's going above and beyond (her food is the cheapest but she is the one needing extra accomodation) especially in the days before we paid for a kids menu plate. If they are nice but not super chatty, and quick, that's ideal.
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My late MIL was a wonderful woman who loved eating out at nice restaurants-a rare treat for her. According to my husband, one of her pet peeves was when the waiter/waitress asked, "Are you still working on that?" In her opinion enjoying a meal out wasn't "work," and she felt that saying so by the server took away from her enjoyment. The servers who asked "Are you still enjoying?" or "Is everything still tasting wonderful" *always* got a good tip from her. I now make it a point to leave a great tip whenever I'm not asked if I'm still "working" on my food. Yes, it might sound silly, but in her beloved memory I wanted to add her tip for good tips;-).
Although if he ALWAYS charges you the single bowl price, maybe he just doesn't know any better??
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