Dining Room

General information for waitresses

A server must be hospitable by ensuring that every customer feels welcome, respected, comfortable and well assisted throughout the entire experience.
What a good waitress must do for the customer are the following things.

That you make eye contact
That you smile sincerely
That you greet them in a friendly manner e.g.(good evening, Welcome)
That they feel comfortable

what a waitress must not do is

Sighing while helping a customer / in the vicinity of the customer
Being on your phone while working
And lastly looking disinterested

Your body language is also important so make sure you also do the following things.

Make sure you stand up straight
Move calmly and in a controlled manner
Make open hand gestures
Keep arms uncrossed
Do not come across as rushed or stressed

Communication with guests

Speaking:

Use polite words e.g.(please, thank you)
Speak properly e.g.(no slang) to customers, colleagues
Listen actively to the customer.
Do not interrupt the customer while they are talking.

Listening:

Being attentive and observant
Ask clarifying questions
Show understanding with complaints

Attent en oplettend zijn

A good server:

Notices when glasses are empty
Notices when guests have finished eating
Asks at the right moment if everything is alright
Is present without being intrusive

It is a balance between:

Disturbing too much ❌
Forgetting the table ❌

Dealing with complaints

Always stay:

Calm
Respectful
Professional

Steps / What you can do:

Listen without interrupting
Show understanding
Offer an apology
Look for a solution

Never:

Start an argument
Accuse the guest
React with irritation

Personal grooming

Make sure you wear black clothing
Wear a clean apron
Wear neat shoes
Fresh appearance
No strong perfume
Clean hands
Tie your hair up

Discretion and respect

No private conversations at the table
Do not gossip about colleagues
Do not impose personal opinions
Respect for culture, age and background

Team spirit

Help colleagues
Support each other during busy periods
Stay professional under stress

In short a good server is

Friendly
Attentive
Professional
Respectful
Solution-oriented
Well-groomed
Patient