Restaurant Tips for Servers

I eat out a lot with my wife. A lot. Which means we get to observe very good servers and some not-so -good servers. We know that it is not a glamorous job and some customers can be tools. But, as a customer who is rooting for a good experience, you are on the front line of how customers like us think about the place you work.

   Which leads me to last night when we were waited on by a server who was training a brand-new server. Before it is too late for the new server, I offer these tips (in addition to at least 20% in gratuity for reasonably good service) to you. You can do better than your trainer.

1) We actually do appreciate it when you tell us your name. So try to avoid sneaking up on us and barking your name like a sea lion with ADD.

2) If we are your two-top and you are also serving a party of 8 or more, please let us know that. It will help to explain the 30 minutes of absence from the time we ordered our drinks to the point at which they arrived.

3) Do not sit down with us to take our order or crouch down to be at our eye level. This does not ingratiate you to us. It does creep us out.

4) If you take a drink order on a slow night and then later on ask "what were you drinking, again?" It reflects badly on your short-term memory. Even if you venture a guess, it still makes us feel better about you.

5) When a diner has not had a chance to take a first bite of their food, probably you should hold off on asking "how is that first bite tasting?" Also asking a person how food is tasting is dumb. It tastes like food. If it tastes like crap, you won't have to ask--we will readily volunteer that information.

6) Most people go to a restaurant to enjoy eating, so please try to refrain from inquiring "Are you still working on that" when there is a good sized portion still on the plate. It reflects poorly on you and possibly your kitchen staff if it feels like work to be there.

7) Please do not ask "Did you save room for dessert?" Nobody I know is that planful at a restaurant. Bring a desert menu or, better, a dessert tray--it is amazing how stomach space opens up when you  see the options.

8) Please don't drop the check off and say "I'm just going to leave this here. There's no rush. A) I think we both know you are wanting us to move on. B) There is a rush. If the table is open, there is another tip in the offing. If you just say "May I leave you the check?" That let's us both know that the show is over and we will gladly skedaddle.

9) Please do not tell us that the person who is with you is a trainee. We can see by the fact that you are doing all the work and you aren't happy about it that it is the case.

10) And this, above all else. When you bring back our credit card or change, do not tell us to "have a good one." We do not know what this means. But, a simple thank you or "we're glad you came" will be much more appreciated.