Archive for the ‘Tips and Tricks’ Category

If you have ever waited tables, you know that sneaking food is a sport, a hobby or even many times a very fun game. You must dodge managers, tables, cooks and sometimes even other servers to be successful at this high stakes game of hide and eat. Read the rest of this entry »

Hey Jason and Amanda! I have a question! I have served for years and have done a great job, made great money, and had a great time. Then I finished college and went for the real job. Unfortunately, the real job has not been cutting it and I’m about to lose everything. So I’ve been applying at just about every restaurant where I live (there’s a lot). Unfortunately, so has everybody else. Apparently, the rest of my city is in the same boat as me and need an additional income. My question is, how can I stand out from the rest of these applicants and make sure that my application doesn’t just collect dust? Constantly calling in and checking has not been working for me. They just brush me off with some excuse for being busy or something. I am desperate and need a job. Please help me.

Are you the best at what you do? Do you know it for sure? When I walk into a restaurant to get a job, I am absolutely convinced that that restaurant would be better off if I worked there. Therefore it shows in my body langue and in my talk. You application or resume will never get you a job.  You are selling yourself.

It might be a good idea to call ahead and ask for the name of the manager that does the hiring of servers. Then find out what day he will be in. Make sure you are going in between 2-4 pm so you know managers are available. After you complete your application ask for the hiring manager by name.  If the manager is not available to talk with you then come back. Don’t call! physically come in and ask for the manager by name.

• Here are a few do’s and don’ts when getting a restaurant job…
• Don’t talk bad about current/past jobs
• Don’t ask to drink or smoke during your interview
• Don’t be overdressed
• Don’t cuss during your interview
• Don’t be overqualified (they will fear you leaving when something better comes around)
• Don’t be afraid to show them you are highly confident in what you do
• Don’t be overly “cocky”
• Do dress nice
• Do be clean shaven (ladies this applies to you to)
• Do follow up in person
• Do have any health/alcohol serving license
• Do research your restaurant of choice prior to your interview (managers love this)
• Do have a reason that you want THIS job other than money
• Do show them that you are a master of the lost art of customer service.(our e-book will make you that)
  

If all else fails, come work for us, showing waiter waitress shirts. You could make full time money working part time. I am doing well every Friday and or Saturday night and so could you.

If you will follow these few simple waiter tips, you will have a better experience waiting tables. Good luck.

Waiter tip # 1

Everyone knows that if you want to make better tips, you must slightly touch your guest at some point during the dining experience. The psychology is that your guests feel more connected to you. However, I recommend not touching their face, hands or private parts. This will help you.

Waiter tip # 2

I would never recommend telling your guests that you were in the restroom. This could come in the form of an apology for being late to greet them or just a general statement like “dude, I was in the restroom doing that thing we all must do from time to time”. Just act as if you don’t visit that place.  

Waiter tip # 3

I would never recommend you flirting with a table while they are on a date. It has a strong possibility of lowering you tip.

Waiter tip # 4

Make sure you never crop dust you own section, especially if you ate “the chef special” for lunch. However, crop dust other peoples sections as much as possible. After all, “crop-dusting is fun”. We are going to make a shirt that says that one day.

Waiter tip # 5

If you are one of those weird people that spit in peoples food, do it in the back. Nothing is worse than getting caught leaving a treat. lol

Waiter tip # 6

If you frequent the “bus tub buffet”, don’t kiss your spouse or boyfriend/girlfriend without brushing your teeth or at least warning your kissing partner. That would just be rude. I know my wife Amanda would not like a “bus tub buffet” kiss.

Waiter tip # 7

Wear slip resistant shoes. I know they are not stylish, but hey, they work. Nothing is worse than slipping and falling on your backside, right in the middle of the liquid funk.

Waiter tip # 8

If you drink alcohol on the job, drink it out of a “to go” cup and not a can or a bottle. Also don’t get drunk. Nothing is worse than a drunk waiter/waitress.

Waiter tip # 9

Never date the hostess, this always turns out bad. I know, she is cute and it’s easy to get with her, but I assure you bro this is a deadly path you are taking. Check out my full article on this.

Waiter tip # 10

Stay away from the real job trap. It’s just not worth it. You are better off where you are. Check out my full article on this subject.

Waiter tip # 11

Don’t ever; yell at your table for any reason. I know it’s tempting, just don’t do it. Ok let me rephrase this tip. Don’t ever yell at your table unless you are ready to go job looking tomorrow. In other words, yell all you want. Just don’t call me if you get canned.

Waiter tip # 12

Don’t ever, ever, ever chase your tables out to their cars and confront them about how much they tipped you. If you would have read the 86BadTips guide to getting bigger tips, you would not be in this situation anyway. Just get the e-book. Its only 10,000 words, you can read than in a couple of hours.

Waiter tip # 13

Don’t ever change the amount that the guest left you for a tip. This is not only un cool, it’s probably illegal. Again, if you would just get the e-book you would increase your tips overnight. I honestly believe that if you would utilize everything I teach, you could earn $40,000+ in any restaurant in any part of the country.

Well, I think these will get you started. Enjoy, what you do, and do it with enthusiasm. This is one of the most important tips I could ever share with you that will grow your tips like you can’t imagine.

Aw, the real job. This is what so many servers are dreaming about day and night. Some unfortunate few actually momentarily locate this elusive dream called the real job. We sling our chicken fried steak while hoping for this real job. We take orders with a glimmer of optimism that we too will one day make it to the other side of this real job phenomenon. What is this real job? It’s that corporate ladder. You know that thing you never get to the top of, where you wake up before the sun (this is so unnatural) and get all dressed up in itchy, uncomfortable monkey suits, fight traffic like a pit bull with the rest of the other zombies, maybe even get to pay to park. MMMM, the real job perks. Have I sold you on this real job yet? Ok, hang on, here comes the good stuff. You get to sit in a cubical all day next to a guy named Teddy and be poisoned by the florescent lighting. Aw, this real job is sounding great, isn’t it? Are you sold yet? Oh yeah, did I mention you get an hour for lunch, that is if you are lucky. You might even get to go out to lunch with a group of coworkers that insist on having their server split the check because they can’t do simple math, or even worse, they don’t want to pay one cent too much. Oh, you recognize these cheap ridiculous people do you? You get the privilege of seeing them in action every day. Ok let’s get back to work; our lunch hour is almost over and we don’t want to be late punching the clock. You get back to work and you boring day picks up right where it left off just like it does every other day of your life. A trip to the bathroom sounds like fun because you are so bored stiff. You get to wait in line at the water fountain and fall asleep at your desk about 2:00 pm because they are playing Kenny G on the office radio. Wake up, it’s time to get back in that real job traffic so you can get home 30-45 minutes later. Yuck!

Did I mention that on the weekends, everywhere you go is completely filled with these real job people. I call them amateurs.

Oh yeah, another great perk, you get to pay taxes on what you actually earn, not what you “say you earn”. Uncle Sam will finally get his fair cut. (Side note, there is no law that requires Americans to pay taxes on their labor; we just do it because we love paying off the debt of the Federal Reserve, which is about at federal as Federal Express. In other words is a privately owned bank, run by private citizens for profit. Don’t believe what I am saying? Check out the documentary “America, Freedom to Fascism” by Aaron Russo).

Wake up people! At all costs, you must stay away from this illusion. Oh I know, you will probably want to test it out on your own a few times, but you will be back, they always are. Who wants a real job anyway when you can sleep late, have the mall to yourself, take a three hour lunch break, drive during the free flowing traffic times, get lots of exercise, hang out with cool people that aren’t so uptight, get discounts on great food, have the flexibility to do what you need to do. Leave the “real job” to the chumps and keep doing what you love.

Why do you think most of the people that are sitting in your section are so unhappy, bitter, and rude? It’s because they found this elusive real job and got stuck in it, like a roach motel, and wish they could get back to your care free, frivolous spending, late night lifestyle because they haven’t watched the sun come up from a stranger’s balcony on a Tuesday in years.

Come on guys, can’t you see that this real job is a trap? It’s time we make a decision to love what it is we do. Love the fact that we can meet new people every day and have the freedom to tell our boss what we really think and still have another job before the day is over. Who knows we just might decide to live in another state next week. Can a real job give you this kind of freedom? No way! Who wants to keep an updated resume and play office politics? Not me! That’s why I serve you! Hey why don’t you come work for 86BadTips.com showing our T-Shirts? At least I will help you get paid. 

Ok guys, I want to help you out a little bit, that is if you will listen. I want to talk to about why you should never date the hostess. Oh, I know, she is cute, she is sweet and she is young. Just your type! If I have seen it once I have seen this a million times. You are at a party and you spot her sipping on her Strawberry wine cooler from across the smoky crowded room. You make eye contact and head in her direction. I would like to give you a little friendly advice, never date the hostess. I know you probably won’t listen to me and have to learn it the hard way. Oh sure, for awhile you will be the man at work. Top dog! She will tell all her little hostess friends how great you are. She will tell them that you open her door and she can see herself marrying a man like you. Again I warn you, never date the hostess. You will be getting the favor from all the hostesses and they will giggle when you walk by. They will be sitting you with all the choice, business men tables, that is for the time being. They will help you prebus when it’s slow. They will smile when you walk by. You will hang out at the host stand and they will laugh at your corny jokes. As you walk away they will all miss you. I’m going to tell you again never date the hostess. It will backfire on you every time. It is inevitable, you will one day break up, and when you do, you will not be Mr. King Joke teller of the host stand any longer. If you would have taken my advice, never date the hostess, you would have saved yourself from what’s to come next. Remember how great it was? Now reverse that and multiply it. Now she will tell them how terrible you were. She will tell them all of your appalling habits. Don’t worry; she will exaggerate them to the extreme. She will advise them how rude and inconsiderate you are. By this time you will wish you took my counsel, never date the hostess. Oh yeah, all her hostess allies will growl at you every time you get within 20 feet of them. Not only this, but they will spread the vicious lies restaurant wide. Get the picture now? Never date the hostess. Want to make money in this town any time soon? Forget about it. They will give you every bad table they can come across, and enjoy every minute of it. By this point you will be wishing you took my advice. Never date the hostess. You life is miserable and there is only one way out. Quit and hope she does not find out where you work, or she will inform the next group and here we go again. Ok have you learned your lesson yet? I sure hope so because I would hate to see this happen to you. Find yourself a server, from another restaurant to date. Trust me on this bro.