ARRIVAL
Arrive at or shortly before
the scheduled time according to the shift you are working. Times
will vary depending on the day and restaurant's business. Be on
time! There is nothing worse that starting a shift feeling like
you've just ran a mile because you ran in the door and clocked in two
minutes before your section opened. THE STANDARD IS TO BE ON YOUR
STATION AND IN COMPLETE UNIFORM AT THE SCHEDULED
TIME.
Server should arrive to work with the
following:
Wine opener
At least three ball
point pens (plain, no advertisement)
Complete uniform
Inform the
host/hostess you have arrived. Bring time card to M.O.D. for
sign-in.
Check your station assignment.
SETTING UP YOUR STATION
Check and
perform any opening side work duties, if applicable.
Check for during shift side work
station.
Check and set your assigned
station.
Check for all specials, soups, wines,
etc., of the day.
Check any items that may 86'ed for the
day.
Find out who your bus-person will
be.
TABLE MAINTENANCE AND SETTING
Silverware and glassware should be inspected for
cleanliness.
Chairs should be centered on the
tableside and should only be pushed in far enough as to let the tablecloth
hang straight down.
Flatware should be straight,
parallel
B & B should be 1" off the table
edge and centered directly on the left arm of the chair.
Napkins should be clean, starched and
folded. The napkin should be centered in the place setting and
placed about 1" from the table edge.
Salt and pepper should be full and
wiped down every shift. Position of salt and pepper will depend on
table setup. (Refer to diagram)
The cruetts - oil and vinegar - are to
be cleaned at all times. (Refer to diagram for placement)
Every table should have at least one
clean ashtray at all times. Position of ashtrays will depend on table
setup.
Silverware should be held by the
handles. Do not touch the eating surface.
Glassware should be held by the stem or
base. Never touch the rim of any cup or glass.
Set up the tables as though they are
for your personal guests. Make them neat, orderly and pleasant to the eye.
Put yourself in the customer's shoes. (Would I want to sit here with
the table looking like this?) Even a few crumbs left in what you
think is an obscure corner will be noticed by the guests.
GREETING THE GUESTS
When you
approach the table, smile. The first impression is very important.
Even though you might be busy or hurried, the customer will never know
this if you approach them smiling and relaxed.
You should greet your guests at the
first opportunity, but never more than two minutes after they are
seated. If you don't get to the table right away, let them know you
will be with them in a moment.
SELLING
Always stand with good
posture when next to the table. Please do not lean on chair backs or
tables.
Remember that the more you know about
the menu and items you are serving, the easier it will be to make
suggestions or describe items to the guest.
Your presentation of the various items
we serve is the key to the sales and merchandising success. Be aware
of your voice volume, your eye contact with your guests and the use of
your own personality in the presentation.
Teach yourself not to become an "order
taker", but develop your talents and knowledge to promote and sell the
menu. The guest is very comfortable with the server who is confident with
himself.
Suggest a cocktail, wine, appetizer, or
a special. Sometimes a simple suggestion is the only encouragement they
may need to say "yes".
If the guest asks you "What do you
like?" or "What is good?", be careful not to fall into the situation of
saying "Everything is good" or "I like it all". The guest does not
want to hear this. They become skeptical of this. After all,
who likes everything? Pick out one or two items and talk about
them.
Keep in mind that customer tip on the
total amount of the check. The more you sell, the more you
make.
PREPARING THE ORDER
Every table has
a north pole, or table setting that is the number one position. Positions
2-7 are followed in a clockwise rotation. List the number one guest
on line No. 1 of your note pad, and so on in a clockwise fashion. By
listing everyone in order on the guest check and using it while serving,
this allows you or another server to serve your table properly without
asking "Who gets the . . . ?" You must know who gets what
item. Never ask.
Take all of your guests' order in the
following order:
a.
Ladies
b.
Children
c. Men
Note any special request or reminders
to yourself. Note-taking pays off. Your guests will be pleased
that you remembered everything about the order. Use the guest check
for reference throughout the meals as you set up your party tray and serve
the table.
It is our policy not to present
separate checks. We do this because we feel we can offer better and
timelier service without taking the time for separate
checks.
Follow the current procedures for
entering your order on the P.O.S. terminal.
ORDERING
APPETIZERS - LUNCH AND DINNER
Turn in you
order.
The appetizer will take anywhere from
3-10 minutes to prepare. Continue with your work while waiting for
them.
Take the appetizer out when they are
ready.
Serve in the manner described in
serving the Order.
If the entire table is sharing the
appetizer's), be sure to bring out separate bread and butter for each
guest. A plate should be put in front of each guest and then you may serve
the appetizer's) in the center of the table.
Do not put food or cocktail trays on
the floor, against the booth or wall. Keep them in your hand or on
the jack stand.
Make sure that each time you are ready
to leave a table or your station, you check that your guests have
everything they need and the tabletops are cleared of everything not
needed.
Take your tray and jack stand back in
the kitchen. Do not leave it for the bus person.
Cocktails and wine by the glass are to
be served only from a cocktail tray, not a food tray.
Deliver your cocktails.
If the table had not ordered
appetizers, etc. before, now is the proper time to offer them.
If appetizers, etc. had been ordered,
return to the kitchen to check on their progress.
Remove empty cocktail glasses from your
tables when you serve a fresh round or when they are empty. Always
ask if you may remove it first.
Do not put cocktail trays on the floor,
against the booth or wall. Keep them in your hand.
Make sure that each time you are ready
to leave a table or your station, you check that your guests have
everything they need and the tabletops are cleared of everything not
needed.
ORDERING ENTREES -
LUNCH AND DINNER
Remember that the guest
has come to our restaurant to enjoy the food. The entree is the
primary part of the total meal.
Take one order at a time. Finish
with one person before going to the next.
Now would be the proper time to offer
more cocktails/wine.
Once you have taken the orders, pick up
all the menus and thank your guests.
If the guest's) did not want wine for
the meal, remove the wine list when you leave the table.
Follow the current procedures for
entering your entree on the P.O.S. terminal.
Check on the progress of your entrees
and adjust your timing, if necessary. You do not want to serve the
entree while the guest is eating their soup or salad.
It is important that you know the menu
composites and the time that it takes to prepare each item. This
will help you decide when to order or pick up the next course.
Generally, the time between the first
course being finished and the serving of the next, should only be a couple
of minutes at the most. The exception to this is when...
The guests have told you
they would like a leisurely meal.
When the entrees are ready, pick them
up.
Bid them a pleasant meal. (Bon
Appetito!)
Make sure that each time you are ready
to leave a table or your station, you check that your guests have
everything they need and the tabletops are cleared of everything not
needed.
Take the tray and jack stand back to
the kitchen. Do not leave it for the bussers.
It is imperative that you check on the
guests to see if they are enjoying everything.
TIMING
THE SERVICE
Be sensitive to your guests and
know how slowly or quickly they are finishing their course.
It is important that you know the
men's components and the time it takes to prepare each item. This
will help you decide when to order or pick up the next course. Keep in
mind that the order will be fired as soon as it is to the kitchen. Under
ideal conditions most...
PICKING UP THE ORDER
Check with the
kitchen to find out when your order will be ready, so you may further plan
your timing.
Before serving the course, know
the progress of the table.
A.
Have the guests finished their appetizer, soup, salad, etc...?
B.
Have the dirty dishes and glasses been cleared?
If the order should be ready, bit
is not, and you feel the guest has had to wait too long for his course, go
get the M.O.D. Explain the situation to the M.O.D. and he or she
will tell you know to continue. The M.O.D. will then go to the table
and explain.
While waiting for you orders at
the pick-up slide, straighten the area, throw away garnish scraps (Do not
put the scraps back into the garnish pan).
Be sure the tray you are using is clean
and dry.
While standing in line, look at your
order to find out what you are picking up. You will slow both the
kitchen and line if you are not prepared.
Pull and prepare the proper garnishes,
condiments, etc. that you will need for the course. (Spoons,
forks, etc.)
Be sure you are picking up your order,
not someone else's. Check your ticket!
Remember that as a food server, you are
responsible for quality control. If any order does not look complete
and presentable to you, call it to the restaurant of the chef or
M.O.D. Do not compromise. Ask yourself, 'Would I be pleased if
this were served to me?"
Pick up cold dishes first and have them
garnished and ready to serve before picking up hot entrees.
When picking up the order, inspect each
plate for being hot, correct ingredients, portion size and
presentation.
A. The
food should be on the inside of the inner plate rim.
B.
Plate rims should be clean of any sauces.
SERVING
THE ORDER
Before serving the next course,
always be sure that the previous course has been cleared from the
table. You do not want to serve a course while the guest is
still eating another course.
Whenever possible, serve the food to
the left and remove from the right. With booths or tables against the
wall, this will be impractical.
Whenever possible, serve beverages to
the right and remove from the right. As with the food, this will be
impractical to do with booths and tables against the wall.
Each guest deserves his/her own
service; do not serve more than one plate at a time.
Never reach in front of a guest when
serving. Of course, common sense should prevail - i.e., a pillar or
a wall that would make serving unsafe.
Set the plate on the table with the
entree facing or closest to the guest. Be sure to inform the guest of hot
plates, if appropriate.
Do you need to offer condiments for the
course?
You should only serve food courses to
one table at a time.
Do not put cocktail or food trays on
the floor, against the booth or wall. Keep them in your hand or on
the jack stand.
Make sure that each time you are ready
to leave the table or your station, you check that your guests have
everything they need and the tabletops are cleared of everything not
needed.
CHECKING
BACK
The most important part of the meal is
asking if the guest is enjoying their meal. If you fail to do this,
you have failed as a server.
AVOID: "How's
everything?" "Is
everything O.K.?""Any problems here?"
When asking about the meals, make eye
contact with the guest and be sure to get an answer. Be sensitive to
others who may have a problem. If you have recommended a particular item
to someone, you should ask if they are enjoying the recommendation. When
the guest has answered, bid the table a pleasant meal and leave them to
enjoy themselves.
Should a guest have a complaint, ask
the guest about the problem. Graciously, pull the item from the table and
ask the guest if he/she would like a new or different item. Tell
your guest that:
"I will take care of this right away
and be right back."
Under no circumstances should you argue
with a customer. Never handle a situation alone. Go inform the
M.O.D. immediately of the problem. It is extremely important that the
M.O.D. be informed of any problems, big or small, as they happen, not
after the guest leaves. The M.O.D. will always deal with any problem
you may have on the floor. He/she will tell you where to proceed
next.
The next step would be to return to the
table and inform the guest of the anticipated wait, if any.
It may seem hard to handle, but the
customer is always right.
We expect you to know whether or not
your guests are happy and your service is good. Keep the M.O.D.
informed!
PRESENTING THE DESSERTS
Before offering dessert, be sure the
table is cleared of all dirty plated and empty or dead glasses. The
only items remaining should be clean teaspoons, water, full wine glasses
and coffee cups.
Also, offer after-dinner drinks.
Again, this is the perfect time to use your knowledge and sell.
COFFEE/TEA SERVICE
When bringing coffee to the
table, separate the cups from the saucers on your trays. When you
reach the table, place the cup on a saucer, and then place the cup and
saucer (together) in front of the guest.
Always place the coffee on the table to the right of the
guest. The handle should be pointing right and at 4:00. If you
have noticed that the person is left-handed, reverse this.
Only fill creamers half
full. Always ASK if your guests would like cream or sugar before
bringing them to the table.
Be sure sugar bowls look
attractive. Don't serve any that are half-empty, soiled or without
Sweet 'n' Low.
When serving tea, pour hot water
into a teapot and underline with a plate. Put the teabag on the side
of the plate, not in the teapot, as you would with coffee.
PREPARING THE CHECK
Check with the
guests to see if they would care for anything more.
Follow the current procedures for
totaling the guest check in the P.O.S. terminal. Have you remembered
all items?
Did you ring all coffee, tea, milk,
etc.?
Are there any items to be
deleted?
Has management or another guest bought
part of the check?
Make sure the guest check is clean and
easily legible.
Do not fill in the total amount of the
check on the guest's receipt. The guest might want to complete this
himself.
It is a nice touch to sign your name
and write a simple "Thank You" on the back of the check. This is one
more gesture that will make your guests feel "at home."
It is important to thank the guests at
this time. You have waited on them the entire meal period and you
want to let them know that it was your pleasure serving them. (Don't
catch yourself plopping down the check and saying "Thanks" as you walk
by.)
Once the guest check has been
presented, do not hover over the table waiting for the guest to pay.
If the guest is in a hurry, he or she will possibly offer the payment as
you offer the guest check. If not, check back in three or four
minutes. Do not rush the guests by asking if they are ready to
pay. Simply glance at the table and see if any payment has been
presented. Do not rush them.
Your job as a server is not finished
after you have presented the check. There is payment to be handled,
of course, but it is extremely important to continue to give your party
the attention and service they deserve.
Make sure that each time you are ready
to leave a table or your station, you check that your guests have
everything they need and the tabletops are cleared of everything not
needed.
HANDLING GUEST PAYMENT
As the
server, you are completely responsible for the completion and accuracy of
the guest payment.
As the server, you should be aware at
all times of the progress of payment. A guest should not have to go
and ask a bus person or a hostess where to pay a guest check.
The following are acceptable forms of
payment: MasterCard / Visa / American
Express
When the guest pays with cash or
Traveler's Cheques, you should take it to the bartender for tendering, and
return proper change to the guest. (You should return all change to
the guest unless he or she specifically tells you otherwise.) If the
check total is $19.95 and the guest pays with a twenty and a five, assume
that the guest would like change for the five, and of course, the change
from the twenty.
We do not accept personal checks or
business checks.
When a guest pays with a gift
certificate, use cash tendering procedures.
If the guest pays with any of the
charge cards: MasterCard, Visa, American Express...
Obtain the appropriate voucher and run
the charge card and voucher through the imprinter. Next, run
the charge card and guest check through the imprinter. Be sure all
numbers and information print correctly on both.
Call in for the authorization code. The
procedures will be explained to you. All cards must be called
in.
On the charge voucher, fill in your
name, check account number and the authorization code. Be sure these are
in the appropriate boxes. Fill in the check total (the single figure
should include tax) and list this on the voucher.
If the charge is declined for some
reason, do not tell the guest about the problem. Inform the M.O.D.
of the situation and he or she will handle it.
Return the credit card, voucher and
receipt, with a pen, to the guest. (Do not return the guest check to
the table.) Do not wait for the guest to fill in the amounts. Go about
your work and give the guest some time to sign. When finished, you should
make sure that the voucher is signed and that the guest gets the
appropriate copy.
Under no circumstances should you
adjust the tip or the total on the charge voucher. This is grounds
for immediate termination. If there is an addition error on the voucher,
inform the M.O.D. He/She will correct the problem.
If the payment is left on the table and
the guest leaves, you are still responsible. Be sure to verify all
payments before the guest leaves.
If you have any problems with guest
payments, do not handle the problem alone. Inform the M.O.D.and
he/she will help you.
Whenever possible, pay your checks out
as they are paid. This will prevent errors.
Under no circumstances are you to
question a guest about a perceived inadequate gratuity. This would be
considered grounds for immediate termination.
SPECIAL
SITUATIONS
If you should have a guest who
is unhappy, for any reason, get the manager. Remember, it is your
responsibilty to keep the M.O.D. informed of guest reactions, comments, or
problems that may arise. For example, if you spill something on a guest,
help wipe it up or whatever is necessary. Tell the guest that you will get
the manager. Then inform the manager what the situation is before he/she
goes to the table.
Due to the nature of our clientele,
walkouts will be a rare occurrence. However, should a guest walk out
without paying, inform the M.O.D.
If you should ever have to leave in the
middle of your shift because of illness or an emergency, cover the
following:
Receive management
approval.
-
Review with the M.O.D. and
relief server the stage of progress of each table in the station.
-
Inform your guests that "Bob"
will be tending to them now and that you have enjoyed waiting on
them. (Never leave without telling your guests.)
We try to conform to all requests made
by our guests. Just because it isn't on the menu doesn't mean that
we can't prepare it. Ask the chef if we can prepare the item that
day.
The primary duty of the bus person is
to clear and set tables. If their duties were put in order, they
would be as follows:
Keep in mind that the bus persons are
not servers. They are here to do their specific jobs just as you are
here to do yours. Please do not take advantage of their time.
Preparation of food items is the service person's responsibility, not the
bus person's.
If the guest asks you if they may
change tables, first check with the hostess. If there is another
table available, help the guest to the new table, bringing any cocktails
or appetizers they may already have.
Do not take any of the table service to
the new table. The new table is set with new service. If the
hostess does not have another table available, talk to the M.O.D. before
returning to the table.
If the customer asks for a menu to take
home, we will offer menus to take home. Check with the
hostess.
Techniques for Controlling Your
Station
Get one table to order, suggest
second round of cocktails to another. Check entire station before
going to the bar or service area. Avoid unnecessary repeated
trips. Consolidate your energies.
-
On a busy night, motivate sitters by
asking them if they would care for anything else. Avoid third or
fourth coffee refills unless requested.
-
Ask another server to help out or
inform M.O.D. and ask for help.
CLOSING DUTIES
Each server has
certain assigned side work duties to perform as determined by the posted
list and the manager's special assignments. These items must be completed
before leaving your shift.
After completing your side work duties,
you should prepare your closing revenue report. Once you have
verified all amounts are correct, then turn in completed revenue report to
the bartender.
You must have the M.O.D. sign your time
card before leaving your shift.
You should change into your street
clothes after you have clocked out.
It is the duty of the person using the
employee restroom and changing room to keep them picked up, clean and
organized at all times.
Once you have clocked out, you are
considered finished with your shift. Unless you are going to eat a meal,
you should leave the restaurant after clocking out. If you do have a
meal, then you should leave the restaurant after you have finished
eating.
JOB
GUIDELINES
It is the server's
responsibility to provide and maintain the proper service standards as
outlined in both the Server and Bus person "Standards of
Service".
One of the server's responsibilities is
to know what is happening at the table at all times. You must be
able to "read" a table.
The management is on the floor for
three reasons:
Although it is hard to understand at
times, remember, the guests is always right.
Do not use endearing words (love,
sweetheart, honey, fog breath, etc.) for your guests.
Keep the service station and your
station clean and neat. Clean as you go. When you drop
something, pick it up immediately.
Be efficient. You should always
be thinking ahead to your next move. Make sure all of your moves
count. You should never make a trip empty-handed.
When you have a minute and your bus
person is swamped, give them a hand. You are quite capable of
clearing and setting tables.
Keep the noise and conversation to a
low level when on the floor and in the service stations. Don't talk
about guests, dates, ski trips, etc. where the guests can hear you.
There is nothing worse than having a guest hear what you did last
night.
Grin and bear it when confronted by an
obnoxious or nasty guest. You will meet them and it is unpleasant,
but that is part of the job. If you have someone that pushes you too
far, let the manager handle it.
Always keep in mind that you are
working with human beings. Human beings are much like pillows...they
need fluffing from time to time. Tact should be used in dealing with all
of your fellow employees. When you see someone making a mistake, help out
and see that it is corrected, but do it gently.
Stay on the floor where you can serve
the guest, not in the service station where you will just be in the way of
your fellow employees.
"The Show Must Go On" even when you
prefer to hang up the "Closed" sign for the day. Please try to leave
your personal problems at home. Sometimes your shift is just the break you
need to help solve your problems.
To help the flow of traffic, always
walk to the right.
If at the end of the shift, you feel
your bus person has done a good job, don't keep it a secret. Tell
him or her! It is nice to be complimented. On the other hand, if you
feel that their job was not up to standard, let the M.O.D.
know.
|
