We decided to find out in more detail how representatives of different professions actually work. To begin with, we asked a representative of the most popular profession among male and female students to tell about his work - a waitress.

I've been working as a waitress for about two years. There are many vacancies, and almost any establishment accepts people with minimal or no work experience, promising a good team, a decent salary and other pleasures. Three days of unpaid internship for three hours, and if you grasp everything on the fly, you are accepted.

Of course, at first it’s scary: how not to drop a tray with a mountain of dishes, not to mix up orders, not to forget to write something down. But it goes away quickly. In the first couple of days, interns do all sorts of menial work: helping waiters clean tables, polishing and carrying dishes, and so on. Then, when they get more or less used to it and figure out what’s what, they work on an equal basis with the “old men.”

The main rule in almost any establishment is that you must know the menu. In many places, the rate increases depending on how well the employee knows the menu - from the composition of the sauce that goes into the dish, to the method of its preparation and the type of serving.

Working as a waiter is very convenient for students: almost everywhere you can combine work with study - work either the night or evening shift. In addition, in addition to the standard salary, you can receive a decent reward from guests in the form of tips.

Some people don’t understand why tip waiters if that’s their job, for which they already get paid. But service is not only “took the order, brought it, removed it.” The waiter’s job is to serve the guest as efficiently as possible so that he is satisfied and comes again. Run to the kitchen, rush the cooks to quickly give the order, ask them to prepare a dish with “more mushrooms and no greens.” Trying to please everyone, even when you have ten tables, huge orders and not a minute to rest. Of course, it all depends on the place of work, contingent, schedule, and so on, but with tips you can get almost several times more than with your salary, which typically varies from 50 to more than 100 rubles per hour and sometimes includes percentage of bar or kitchen sales.

I worked with schedule 2 through 2 for seven hours a day after school and about 12 hours on weekends - and the maximum amount was 15 thousand rubles, on average - 10 thousand.

If you see on some website a vacancy for a waiter with a salary of 20 thousand or more, in most cases this will be money, including an approximate amount of tips, or it will be a full-time job.

Regarding the jokes that “it’s not the waiters who finish eating after the guests, but the guests after the waiters”: this is not true. In any case, I worked in several fairly decent and in great demand establishments in Khabarovsk (including chain ones) and have never seen anything like this. Although sometimes it is difficult to resist the temptation to steal one French fries from the plate, but nothing more. Moreover, one of the advantages of working in catering is that you never go hungry, especially if you are on good terms with the cooks. And no one will finish your steak at the sink, unless you haven’t even touched it.

As for sanitary standards, at least where I worked, everything was in order. In the kitchen, cooks must wear overalls and gloves, products with expiring dates are disposed of, and the workplace is cleaned several times every day.

To be honest, there are cockroaches almost everywhere. In any public catering establishment. Well, I can’t say about expensive restaurants, but in most popular cafes in the very center - yes. And they are poisoned regularly, but this is an infection that is not so easy to get rid of.

Many of the guys, especially those with decent experience, eventually begin to complain of problems with their legs and back. Not surprising, because you have to run constantly. On weekdays, it’s all right, although you don’t have to do it every once in a while, but on weekends there are so many people that sometimes during a full shift there is no time to have a snack. In addition, it is forbidden to sit in the hall in the presence of guests - you constantly stand at your “post” unless you are running around with orders.

When I first started working, even after just a five-hour working day, I literally collapsed from fatigue. Then you get used to it: your legs become like stone.

Business lunch is a separate topic. Here you run for three hours without a break. Many interns, having attended a business lunch on the first day, simply couldn’t stand it and left. There are a lot of people, everyone needs to be served very quickly, and, as a rule, there are not enough waiters. You quarrel with the cooks, who also have a busy time. There are practically no tips. In short, when bad waiters die, they end up in an eternal business lunch.

Sometimes you meet rude guests, and this really ruins the mood. These people order a dish that takes 40 minutes to prepare (which you warn them about right away), and after 15 minutes, not in the most polite manner, they demand that their order be brought to them immediately, because they are in a big hurry. There are problems when dishes are delayed - not because the waiter forgot about it, but because there is incredible fuss in the kitchen and there are not enough workers.

By the way, no matter how annoying such guests may be, no one will ever spit on a plate or do something like that. In any case, my colleagues and I did not allow ourselves to do this. Of course, if you ask for a dish “spicier” and then shout that it’s not spicy enough, we’ll smile and take it back to the kitchen, where they’ll turn it into fiery lava.

Sometimes dealing with emotions is very difficult. A year ago I worked in a pizzeria in the food court, where the bartender takes the order, and my job is to simply take it to the table indicated on the receipt. A couple of young people, having placed an order, moved to another table without warning anyone, and some boys about 14 years old sat in their place. There were a lot of orders, so I didn’t notice that I had brought pizza to the wrong people, and only when They started complaining about why they weren’t delivering the order for so long, and it dawned on them: the guys started eating someone else’s paid order, they thought that no one would notice, probably. The administrator could not solve the problem, and I had to pay for the pizza. Consider that I worked five hours for free. It was a very difficult day, and from resentment I became completely sour and burst into tears. Some woman among the guests, who was watching what was happening, came up, calmed me down and gave me 500 rubles. I still remember this as the best New Year's gift.

There are times when you don’t feel like going to work at all. When you think: “I wish this day would end soon.” Once, when guests were entering, I made a mistake: instead of “good evening,” I said “goodbye.”
In general, working as a waiter is not the easiest thing in this life.

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Hello friends!

How often have you had to type the phrase “waiter with no experience” into a search query? Do you think a person who has never worked in a restaurant can get this job?

Does a novice waiter have a chance to get into a good restaurant, learn the profession of a waiter and earn good amounts of money?

Let's talk about this today.

For the sake of an example, I conducted a small experiment and tried to find advertisements where you can find a job without work experience.

I don’t need a job at the moment, I’ve been working in the same restaurant since 2005, and I have enough experience after 17 years to get a job in a popular restaurant.

Since I logged in from Dnepropetrovsk IP, Yandex gave me results regarding my region:

As you can see, there are enough such advertisements, but it’s not a fact that the inscription “restaurant complex” will not turn out to be fake and instead of a restaurant you will see ordinary fast food))

The fact is that such advertisements exist, but, frankly speaking, not every successful restaurant will be able to hire a person “off the street” and even without recommendations and work experience.

How to find a job as a waiter without experience

I will say right away that if you decide to find a job in this way, you will have to search hard and devote a lot of time and effort to it. The main thing is to be persistent and not give up, those who seek will definitely find, these are not just words.

1. Get a job in a new establishment

As you know, several new establishments open every month in large cities; this is normal competition, as in other industries. So, quite often, managers prefer to recruit personnel who have not previously been “spoiled” in other institutions and fully train them according to their own scheme, according to their own rules of the game.

Indeed, entire networks of catering establishments are often now created throughout the country, and sometimes in several countries. They have their own values, requirements for employees, discipline, a system of fines, criteria for appearance, and so on.

There is a high probability that you can be hired at such an institution even without work experience, since training is included in the employer’s plans.

In the future, even if you are fired after a year, you will already have some experience and you will be able to find a job with less effort.

2. Start from the bottom

How do many people start out to become an experienced restaurant worker?

They started as cleaners, dishwashers, busboys or cooks and gradually became professionals.

This path is the longest, but reliable :) If you have an ultimate goal and perseverance to achieve it, charm and the ability to communicate with different people, then everything will definitely work out.

In every restaurant there are workers who came after college, or started out in combat, and after a while their management allowed them to serve guests.

3. Complete the courses, study the video course for waiters

In every city you can see announcements about courses that will teach you any profession: from a master of hairdressing to the best singer or dancer, there are certainly courses for waiters))

Just read reviews about them first, ask about their effectiveness, find out in more detail, and then sign up.

As an option, you can buy and study my course for waiters, especially since it is relatively cheap (), where I explain everything in detail and share secrets.

Alternatively, you can graduate from college as a waiter, but this is a long time, you won’t be able to learn in a month :)

I recommend everyone who is just learning to be a waiter to go to off-site banquets in order to:

• gain the necessary experience for further growth;
• meet colleagues from other cafes and restaurants;
• earn extra money that you can spend on your education.

Yes, they won’t pay you much if you don’t have enough experience, but you first need to earn a name for yourself. After meeting other colleagues, you can ask them about their place of work; they probably need workers in a cafe.

So gradually, through trial and error, you will definitely be able to find the place of work and the team that is completely suitable for you.

If you want to get a job in a prestigious restaurant and come to an interview based on an advertisement, that’s one thing. But if you are recommended to management before hiring, then the attitude towards you will be completely different.

So use this method as it is very effective.

Remember that during the interview with management you need to show that you need this job and you will try to learn everything as quickly as possible. If there is no sparkle in your eyes and zeal, then you will not get a new job.

What methods do you know or have already used to get a job in a restaurant if you have no experience? Sometimes a simple accident helps a lot. I ended up working in a nightclub as a waiter simply through an advertisement, completed a month’s training there and started working.

With respect, Nicholai

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About the author: Nikolay Vilkov

Since 1996, he has gained vast experience working as a waiter, bartender, and administrator in cafes, nightclubs and restaurants. I have experience working at banquets, buffets, outdoor events, I know many colleagues in the catering industry, and I am the author of a video course for waiters.

Answer

Lisa, thanks for the example!
Everyone is the creator of their own happiness, whatever you strive for is where you will end up.
However, in any business you need to gain fundamental knowledge, without which you will constantly feel out of place and sooner or later you will have to study it.
Good luck to you!

Answer

Fortunately, courses are available now. For mid-level institutions there are enough of them, and then it’s a matter of experience, desire and ability to learn. Now I work as a waiter in a restaurant in a hotel complex. I went through dozens of advertisements - all of them, in principle, required no experience, but the salary and conditions were low. I saw a vacancy on Avito with training, but higher entry requirements. She said that she worked in a cafe (when it’s small, they don’t even ask for the name, because it’s pointless, they understand the general level), I read information on the internet - that was all my preparation.

Answer

Today we’ll talk about such an important point in the restaurant business as the rules of waiter service. The golden rules of a waiter are based on one immutable law:

Usually what a person remembers is not poor quality food, but poor service.

Guest service in a restaurant is considered the most important factor in the success of the entire establishment. Any restaurateur knows that poor service can spoil the impression of even the best quality food. The success or failure of a restaurant menu depends on the presentation of the food. Not only experienced waiters, but also beginners should remember this critical point.

All preliminary work of the restaurateur, administrator, chef and other employees is entirely in the hands of the waiter. Waiter service gives restaurant guests an idea of ​​the efforts of the entire restaurant team. And this truth often remains unclear to restaurant staff.

Another important point that you, as a restaurateur, must convey to the consciousness of the waiters is that service not only increases the value of the menu offered to guests, but also distinguishes your establishment from its competitors. After all, the phrase: “Never set foot in this restaurant again!” - they say it not when the waiter brings cold soup to the guest, but when the client is faced with inattentive or rude service.

In a word, a restaurant is a kind of theater where sensations, pleasure and various pleasant services are sold.

The economic performance of a catering establishment is directly affected by any gesture, movement or word spoken by the waiter. It is ideal service that is a serious source of profit not only for the restaurateur, but also for the waiter himself. What should a waiter do to make the client like the service?

Waiter rules: what to remember

1. Remember that your restaurant needs customers more than the customers in your establishment.
2. Smart service is a source of good tips.
3. It is not the clients who should adapt to the restaurant, but the restaurant should adapt to the client.
4. Being a good waiter means thinking about every little detail.
5. Different clients - different service.
6. Customer-tailored service is the best service.

Waiter Rules: Service Procedure

Service to restaurant guests begins at the moment the guest arrives and ends at the moment he leaves the restaurant.

Restaurant service procedures– these are the ways and times of serving guests.

The first thing you should think about is controlling the flow of customers. This is done simply - with the help of a hostess girl. She must meet the client at the very entrance and hand him over to the waiter. This procedure will help to give each guest the necessary attention, and, equally important, reduce the waiting time for food to be served.

What questions can the waiter ask the client?

• Is this your first time with us?
• Who recommended our restaurant to you?
• Are you not hot (not cold)? Maybe adjust the air conditioning?
• How would you like to sit comfortably – in the common room, or do you like silence?
• Are you in a hurry?

Of course, this is not a complete list of “introductory” phrases. The waiters are free to improvise - the main thing is to show concern for the guest, and what words are appropriate - the employee must decide on the spot. After all, different clients require different approaches.

How to serve the menu correctly?

How a waiter should serve a menu according to the rules of etiquette?

As soon as the guests are seated at the table, the waiter comes to the left side of each client and offers him the restaurant menu. The menu can be served open or closed - this is not so important. The main thing at the first stage of service in a restaurant is not to leave guests unattended and to approach them as quickly as possible to familiarize themselves with the menu and take their order.

The menu is served first to ladies, then to men. When a family with a child comes to a restaurant, the waiter first of all offers the child food. While the baby is busy studying the colorful booklet, his parents can calmly get acquainted with the menu for adults and choose dishes for themselves.

In what sequence to take orders from customers in a restaurant??

The waiter takes orders first from women, then from men. If there are children at the table, the order should be taken from them first. But most often the mothers or grandmothers present at the table order for the children.

Who should be served first?

Having delivered the dishes to the table, the waiter first of all serves children and ladies, and then serves the dishes to men.

If during a meal a restaurant guest accidentally drops a device on the floor, the waiter should immediately replace it with a clean one.

Waiter Rules: 7 International Laws

1. Which side does the waiter serve dishes from? Serving and clearing dishes should be approached from the left side of the guest and use the left hand.

2. How to pour drinks to customers in a restaurant? Drinks are poured by approaching the client from the right, using the right hand.

3. All cutlery should be taken by the handles, and not by the “working” surface.

4. Glasses are taken by the stems, and not by the edges, which the client touches with his lips.

5. To fill a glass, it must not be taken from the table. Fill glasses standing directly on the table.

6. When serving food, the plate should be held as follows: four fingers are under the plate, and the first (thumb) finger rises slightly above its edge. Do not touch the inside of the plate!
7. Plates cannot be cleared until all customers have finished eating.

Any waiter must know these rules and strictly adhere to them.

Of course, some may have their own opinions about customer service rules. Minor technical errors in maintenance are not that important. A much more significant point is the general atmosphere of the establishment and attitude of staff towards restaurant guests. And the “beauty of the movements” of the waiter is sometimes not noticed by people - so there is nothing to worry about if the waiter suddenly approaches the client from the wrong side.

Warm, humane service always compensates for minor technical shortcomings in the work of waiters.

We talked with waitress Anya from St. Petersburg about hard physical labor, little tricks that save you from overexertion, and the horrors that the kitchen hides.

How did it get here?

I didn’t intend to build a career as a waitress, it just so happened that I needed money and a job that could be combined with studies.

Waiters are always in demand, so I quickly got a job in a restaurant in the center of St. Petersburg, with an idyllic name, a decent reputation, a flexible schedule, a decent salary and, as they said, a good attitude towards the staff.

Everyday work

The working day begins at 10 am: you do the cleaning, check whether there is enough sugar, pepper, children's menus, bring cutlery, cleverly fold textiles (an invaluable skill that they will teach you) and in every possible way prepare the hall for the arrival of guests.

Before the start of the day, you should definitely look at the “stop list” - a wildly important document that hangs in the kitchen. In it, cooks write down those dishes that for some reason are currently unavailable or they cannot prepare. There is another way to notify waiters through sound: “Pumpkin soup on the foot!” - some woman Galya shouts every now and then. It works great in the middle of a working day, when everyone is running back and forth like they’re scalded and forgetting about the stop list.

At 11, guests begin to arrive - it’s breakfast time. Until one o'clock in the afternoon you can be a kind of flâneur, especially if you work in the back room, where visitors usually do not reach. But it’s better, of course, not to show that you have nothing to do: you can pointlessly wipe some bottles for the hundred and fiftieth time, while doing powerful internal intellectual work, on a dissertation, for example.

From one hour onwards the restaurant turns into a branch of hell, as it is business lunch time. People hungry for food want to eat as quickly as possible and run to work, then they are replaced by others, and then by others. In addition to being stressful, lunches are also notorious for low tips, so lunches suck for the waiter, but are almost impossible to avoid. In the evening, everything becomes more bearable, except for the fact that you have been on your feet for more than 7 hours, and the shift lasts 14.

$

750 rubles per shift (14 hours). Tips are usually 1,000–1,200 rubles per day; on holidays and just lucky days, tips can be 2,000.

Team

The number of people who work as waiters in St. Petersburg are mostly part-time students and those for whom being a waiter is a dream. Jokes aside, such people also exist, and there are quite a lot of them. They are the ones who fall into ecstasy from feeding people and cleaning up their dirty dishes. Everyone else is masking their lack of enthusiasm for the job with varying degrees of success.

By the way, managers do their best to cultivate excessive smiling and stupidity in waiters. 10 times a day they will tell you that feeding people is great, and that you need to be cheerful and a little crazy.

Kitchen

The kitchen is the most interesting place in the restaurant. While the waiters' work is visible, the kitchen is always shrouded in darkness, and who knows what's really going on there.

And the following is happening there: the cooks of the hot and cold shops receive orders from the hall: checks, called “chips,” where the number of dishes, order and simultaneity are written. For example, it is advisable to serve dishes from different departments of the kitchen to one table at the same time, so that one guest does not chew napkins and toothpicks while the second happily chews the salad. It is the waiter's job to keep track of all these nuances.

Thanks to the Revizorro program, everyone already knows a lot about what a gloomy place the kitchen can be and what surprises may lie in wait there. I was always afraid that evil cooks or waiters would spit in the food, but, as it turned out, this is impossible to do, since there are always quite a lot of people near the food and everything is in plain sight.

Everything seemed to be in order with sanitary standards in our restaurant: everything was clean, everything was in its place, the food was fresh, there were no foreign odors. But this is only if you do not take into account the fact that I did not have a health certificate and, apparently, not only me. Of course, I understand that I looked healthy and fresh as a morning rose, but this did not negate the possibility that I had a couple of tasty diseases.

Also not a particularly pleasant moment is when you see the cook licking his fingers. Where he puts these fingers next is a big question.

Tricks

Summer is the busiest time for a restaurant: the summer terrace opens and there is more work. To create short breaks for rest, the guys did the following: they called and reserved a couple of tables, and then, of course, no one came to these tables, so they could take a lunch break or simply avoid a very terrible mess.

Conflicts

During my work, I have never observed any conflicts in the hall, but the waiter-kitchen conflict has already become a classic one. If everyone in the hall is nice and friendly, then the kitchen is hidden from view for a reason: there you can hear the most selective swearing with or without reason and boorish passages addressed to you. Judging by the style, citizens who recently left the zone work there.

A conflict can happen because you didn’t take food to someone else’s table, forgot to bring a glass for a cocktail, or are too actively interested in the degree of readiness of the order. Kitchen workers can be infuriated by anything, and usually they are told to simply ignore them.

In general, even if everything looks mi-mi-mi, there is an owl hanging over the door, there are flowers in pots, books and magazines about art are placed on the shelves - do not flatter yourself: the food is still prepared for you by women in quilted jackets.

From Dolph Lundgren to Jennifer Lopez, many people began their careers by waiting tables at restaurants. Working in the restaurant business is dynamic and lucrative, provided you have the right approach and develop the necessary skills. If you are good-looking, reliable, and good at multitasking, serving food in a restaurant could be a great opportunity in both the short and long term. Follow our general recommendations or find answers to specific questions in the sections below.

Steps

Acquiring the necessary skills

Be charming. People come to a restaurant not only for food. A restaurant is also an experience, and the staff is the most visible part of this experience. Can you chat up even the most dull and unsociable person at a party? Do you easily empathize with other people's feelings? Do you joke and smile easily? If the answer is yes, you have what it takes to wait tables.

• You are not required to be a stand-up comedian, but the ability to communicate is a must. Quiet waiters are often no worse than talkative ones, they just need to communicate using facial and body language, do their job efficiently and listen as carefully as possible.

1. Be quick. Are you good at multitasking? Can you easily remember a list of things? Can you quickly adapt to change and new situations? The waiter must take orders, communicate with the restaurant staff and be the “face” of the restaurant for visitors. This is a difficult task, but for a restaurant to run properly, you need to be able to do it quickly and efficiently.

   Be strong. Carrying around a tray of lurching glasses and plates of fried chicken wings without ever spilling or knocking anything over is hard enough on its own, but what about doing it at the end of a long shift or while serving noisy football fans? It can be absolutely debilitating. If you are fit and healthy, being a waiter is much easier. You don't have to be a bodybuilder, but it's great if you're comfortable moving quickly and confidently through a crowded room carrying a heavy tray.

   Write legibly and know how to use a computer. If the kitchen can't read your orders, problems may arise. Tracking information and accurately recording orders are critical to the restaurant's operations. The whole process starts with you.

   • The specific restaurant will tell you the specific details and how the system works, but in general you should have an idea of ​​the basics.

Hiring

1. First, try to get a job in restaurants that will teach you the basics of the profession. Upscale downtown bistros likely won't hire waiters without experience. If you've never worked as a waiter before, some restaurant chains are a good place to start, providing the training and experience needed to land a good job with big tips. You will learn a lot about running restaurants and how to be a good waiter.

   Prepare your resume. If you don't already have one, focus on the skills needed to work in a restaurant. You must be able to communicate with visitors, work in a team and work quickly. Highlight your work experience that illustrates these traits.

   • If you've never worked before and are hoping to get a job as a waiter, you can highlight your academic achievements and teamwork (such as on a sports team) in which you performed well. Be positive and sell yourself. This is what the work is all about.

2. Talk to the manager. When you find a location hiring, ask to speak with the manager in person. A resume given to a bartender may get lost, and besides, it is not the bartender who is hiring.

   • Bring your resume and enthusiasm with you. Say that you would like to talk in detail about the position and that you are ready to start working immediately. Since much of a waiter's job consists of making a good first impression, treat getting the job like the job itself. Make a good first impression.

3. Prepare for interview questions. Preparing answers to questions you'll likely be asked during an interview will help you avoid being embarrassed by the manager and help you think ahead about your job responsibilities.

   • Some managers may ask: “What is your favorite dish from our menu?” or “If there was no fish left in the kitchen, what would you suggest as an alternative?” Familiarize yourself with a restaurant's menu in advance by using the restaurant's website or restaurant review sites.
   • Be prepared to answer tricky questions. Some managers may ask, "A customer gives you a fake ID to buy alcohol. What will you do?" or more directly: "The customer is unhappy with the food. What should you do?" Think through similar scenarios and give a thoughtful response.
   • Think of your own questions. Usually a good question like “What does it take to be successful here?” can leave a very good first impression. Managers often give candidates the opportunity to ask questions, and this chance should not be missed.

Table service

1. Approach the table with a smile and greet customers. In some restaurants it is customary to introduce yourself, in which case say your name clearly. “Good afternoon/Welcome. My name is ___. Here's your menu. Would you like to start with a refreshing drink from our bar?” Also greet visitors with a smile when they enter.

   • Maintain balanced eye contact, but do not look too closely at the visitor. This makes some visitors feel uncomfortable, and they come to the restaurant in different moods. Answer accordingly. By seating customers at a table, you can strike up a casual conversation as you take their drink order. If they are not in the mood to talk, do not insist.

2. Take orders clockwise, starting from your left. If there are children at the table, take their drink orders first, then the women's and finally the men's, going from left to right.

   • This is also a good time to discuss the dish of the day and the specials the restaurant is offering today.
   • After you've served their drinks, ask customers if they have any questions about the menu. Don't rush them unless they are late, but even then do it with gentleness. If they are ready to order, take the order clockwise, starting with the person to your left and closest to you. If they are not ready, move to the next table.

3. When the main course is served, be sure to ask:“Would you like anything else?” and give customers a second to think. Approach them again five minutes later with the question: “Are you enjoying everything?” Ask separately about the head of the table’s dish: “How do you like your steak?” Listen to their response and pay attention to their facial expressions and gestures: many people are embarrassed to complain and may blame you when it comes to tipping.

   • Bring your entire order. Never bring out a dish for one guest before others unless you are specifically asked to do so (this may happen if one or more members of the party plan to leave before others). In most cases, there should be no circumstances that would cause part of an order to be ready much later than another. If in a particular case you think this might happen and cause problems, briefly explain the situation and ask what the client would prefer.

4. Remove current food plates as soon as it is clear that the customer wants them cleared. Always remove all plates containing the previous dish from the table before bringing plates of the next dish.

   • Before removing plates from the table, be sure to politely ask if you can take them away. Your manner and tone should suit both the atmosphere and the client. Usually the question is: “Can I pick this up?” Don't ask this question unless the client has clearly finished eating. If the client is busy talking while he has uneaten food on his plate, do not interrupt him. Wait a moment and come back with your question.

5. When you have cleared the main course plates from the table, ask:“Do you want to see the dessert menu?” Customers can then re-order without asking for it separately. If you ask them this question, they are more likely to order dessert.

   • Before dessert, remove the bread and/or soup served before the main course from the table.

6. Accept payment. Tell customers you will prepare the invoice, give change if paying in cash, or accept credit card payment. Never ask if a customer wants change or assume that the change is your tip. Change the bills and quickly return with the change/receipt.

   • When you return to the table, thank the customers and say something like, “It was a pleasure,” “I hope to see you again soon,” or, if customers are lingering after their meal, simply say “thank you.” They may be considering a supplement.

Getting a good tip

1. Before you go to work, make sure you look presentable. Always arrive to work at least 15 minutes before the start of your shift, neatly dressed and wearing fresh clothing, clean shoes and socks. Hair should be clean and neat, nails clean, and uniform/clothing clean and modest. Avoid wearing too much makeup to look natural and fresh.

   Follow the signals. If a visitor needs something, he will start looking for you. Learn to be alert to such signals as you walk through the room, without looking closely at each table. Most clients will make eye contact to call you out. This can give them the feeling that you are paying attention to them without being pushy.

   • When the delicious food and conversation come to an end, customers will begin to look around or at the walls. This is a signal that it’s time to clear the plates from the table, offer dessert, or bring the bill.

2. Talk less. Don't bother your clients. They can't stand being watched or constantly interrupted while eating or talking, while at the same time they need something from time to time. Maintain a delicate balance.

   • Learn to quickly assess your customers' mood. If, for example, a couple is tense and perhaps arguing, now might not be the right time to ask, “Are you celebrating something today?” or other question typical for starting a conversation. If everyone at the table looks like they're having a great time and aren't eager to leave, offer drinks or coffee. If they are in the mood for a little chat with you, chat casually for a minute. Otherwise, don't interfere in their conversation.

3. Don't assume that the man will necessarily pay the bill. If at any point it becomes clear who will pay, you can place the bill on the edge of the table next to that person. Otherwise, leave the bill in the middle of the table. Always place your check face down. If it is inside a special case, place it flat on the table.