The first thing that any waiter or waitress must do is to dress for success. While you cannot wear suits to work, you can make sure that your outfit or uniform is clean and pressed properly. It is also important to make sure that you are groomed properly as well. It is also important for the ladies to make sure that they are not wearing too much makeup or too much perfume, especially since some people can be irritated or allergic to the perfume. In fact, it is probably best to avoid all offensive smells, such as the smell of cigarettes.
A waitress and waiter have to remember to keep a smile on their face. It is important to make sure that your customers feel as though you are happy to see them and that you are pleased to be able to help them with their meal. If you are a grumpy waitress, you will not find yourself getting many jobs. Of course, it is hard to be happy all of the time at work, especially if you were having a bad time at home but you have to fake it and appear happy at all times. This will ensure that you are a waitress that will earn great tips and be eligible for many jobs.
Another good thing to do is to have the menu memorized. This way, when you are taking customers orders you will be able to answer any questions that they have about the various dishes. This will make their time more enjoyable and it will make your job a lot easier. Be sure to always have a few recommendations in mind for new customers who have never been to your restaurant before.
Once you have delivered the food and given your customers some time to begin eating, you will want to check back with them to make sure that they are fine. You want to double check to see if there are any additional condiments that are needed and if the food was prepared to their satisfaction. As any good waitress or waiter will tell you, timing is everything.
It is also very important to make sure that you are giving them the check at just the right time. When the check is given to the customer too soon, they may feel as though you are trying to rush them out of the restaurant. When you wait for too long before you hand over the check, your customers may end up bored and frustrated, which does not lead to very good tips. Also, make sure that you ask whether or not they would like any dessert before you hand the check over.
A waitress who does not ignore her customer is a waitress who does a good job. If their food is taking a little longer than it normally would, make sure that you are not hiding from the customer. You should kindly let them know that their food is just going to be a few more moments. Even though they may still be frustrated with the amount of time it is taking for the food to get done, they know that you are not at fault as you are not the cook and since you are kind enough to acknowledge them, you will most likely still receive a good tip. If the food is taking a very long time, make sure that you kindly apologize without adding to the blame game.
When you apply yourself and you make sure that you are following all of these tips, you will become a great waitress. Since most of your income as a waitress or a waiter is your tips, you want to make sure that you are putting your best foot forward at all times. The nicer you are and the more proactive you are, the better your tips and your overall income will be.
