Guidelines for Training

Restaurant Servers
  
Last updated on 5/09/2019
Regardless of a restaurant's size or style, the serving staff represents the face of
every dining establishment. These individuals have the most face time with your
customers during their visit, and positive interactions can go a long way towards
ensuring those same patrons return. Hiring the right employees for the
job from the start is always ideal, but the introduction of a structured server
training program can pay huge dividends for your business.

Server Training
By putting some thought and effort into a restaurant training program, you can
immediately emphasize your workplace culture for every new hire and lower the
turnover rate for your business. The following guidelines for restaurant server
training will help you establish an effective, knowledgeable staff. Choose any of
the steps below to read the section that most interests you:

 1. Create a Server Handbook

 2. Hold a Server Orientation for All New Hires

 3. Set Goals for Server Training

 4. Cross Train Your Servers

 5. Shadow an Experienced Server

 6. Hold a Menu Tasting

 7. Perform Testing and Roleplay

 8. Ongoing Training

 9. Create Incentives
1. Create a Server Handbook

If you don’t have a server handbook yet, it’s a good idea to get one created. This
restaurant training manual will serve as an important resource for new hires
learning how to be a server as well as the rest of your established server staff.
Provide a handbook to every server and keep one or two copies in the restaurant
so anyone can reference it in times of need. A server training manual should
include the following:

 Server Etiquette Guidelines - The scope of your etiquette may vary

depending on the type of restaurant you own. For instance, fine
dining has very specific guidelines that dictate every aspect of service.
But on the whole, any type of restaurant customer service should
emphasize politeness, humility, and the ability to anticipate the needs
of your guests.

 Server Uniforms - Outline all dress code requirements in your guide,

including expectations concerning uniforms, hair, jewelry, facial
piercings, and finger nails. Some of these details are small, but they
should be a large focus for any waitress training program. Make it a
 priority to discuss these things at length during servers' training and
ensure the appearance standards are clear.

 Server Scripts - How do you want your servers to introduce themselves

to each new table? By providing a script for your serving staff you can
help them to remember to share specific information about your
establishment.

 How to Upsell - Not everyone is a salesperson, but upselling is a skill

that can be learned. Share tips that will help your servers encourage
guests to order appetizers, desserts, and upgrade cocktails with top-
shelf liquor.

 Safety Policies - A busy restaurant is full of hazards and you can make

sure your staff is safe at all times by outlining all of your safety
policies. Stress the importance of wearing non-slip footwear and explain
safe methods for carrying trays, ice buckets, bag-in-box sodas, or other
heavy items. You should also include emergency procedures and fire
exit routes.

2. Hold a Server Orientation for All New Hires

As a busy restaurant owner, it can be tempting to skip this step or delegate it to
your managers. However, holding an orientation and meeting your new servers
face to face goes a long way to building a workplace culture that encourages
employees to work for you long term. These are some topics that you can
discuss:

 Mission Statement and Company History - As the owner, this is your

chance to share the mission statement of the restaurant with your new
employees. By passing on information about what your business stands
for and the values that you want to uphold, you can create a trickle-
down effect. You would be surprised how often servers get questions
 from customers about when the business started and who owns it. This
is your chance to make sure your servers are sharing your vision with
your customers.

 Restaurant Concept and Culture - You probably put a lot of creativity

and thought into your restaurant concept, but your new employees will
need an introduction into your theme and how they can help support it.
For instance, if your restaurant specializes in locally grown produce,
you'll want your staff to be educated about regional fruits and
vegetables. If you own a BBQ restaurant with a blues music theme,
you'll want your staff to have some knowledge and appreciation for
blues music.

 Tour the Building - By giving your new staff a tour of the restaurant
prior to their first shift, you can help put them at ease. When they arrive
on their first day, they'll know which entrance to use, how to find the
time clock, and where to keep their belongings.

3. Set Goals for Server Training

By setting training goals, you can create a standard that you'd like all servers to
meet. This ensures that your program is consistent and every server gets the
same level of restaurant training.

 Provide a Training Schedule - Before each server gets their own

tables, they should complete your serving training program. Create a
set schedule for your trainers to follow so that your new servers are
hitting each step in the program. A sample schedule might last one
week or two weeks, depending on the type of restaurant and style of
your service.

 Create Benchmarks for Training - Make sure your training schedule

has built-in benchmarks or small goals that each server should meet
 along the way. For example, after their first day of training they should
be able to recite the permanent beer list, recount the company history,
or memorize the table numbers.

4. Cross Train Your Servers

Cross training with other employees provides valuable insight into how a
particular restaurant operates. Before new servers start working with your
waitstaff training team, it can be very helpful to have them train with some other
key positions first.

 Cross Train with Hosts / Hostesses - The host team are experts on the
layout of your dining room, how to use your reservation software, and
how to rotate tables so guests receive the best service possible. By
spending a couple shifts working with the host team, a server will
quickly learn the dining room sections and the numbers of each table.
They'll also be capable of attending to any guests that walk through the
door, in the absence of a host or hostess.

 Cross Train with Food Runners - The next training session should be
with a food runner so that your new servers can apply the knowledge
they just learned about the dining room in a different application. They
should know where each table is and be able to deliver food to the
 correct guest. This training session is also an introduction to your menu
and what the different food items look like.

5. Shadow an Experienced Server

Before completing the training program, your new servers should perform a few
shadowing sessions with your most experienced servers. You can designated a
certain number of required training sessions, or rely on your trainer's judgement
as to how many are needed. During these sessions, the new server is essentially
an assistant and any of the tips that are earned go to the trainer. The trainer
should go over the following topics:

 How to Take Orders - After completing a training session with the

food runners, your new servers will have a better sense of the most
popular food items on your menu when it comes time to interact with
guests. They should practice taking orders for each table, with the
trainer acting as a guide if any questions pop up.

 How to Use the POS System - A big part of transitioning to a new

restaurant is learning how to use the POS system. Trainers should show
the new server how to use the system, then give them hands-on
experience entering all the orders for the shift.

 Sidework Rotation - In addition to serving guests, servers also have

sidework duties that must be performed during every shift. These duties
usually consist of prep work like cutting lemons, stocking the salad bar,
or stocking beverage stations. At the end of the shift they should make
sure all the tables in their section are clean and that condiments are full.

 Learn Where Items are Stocked - Servers will need to retrieve various
items from dry and cold storage during a shift. It's very helpful to point
out the location of items like glass racks, ice buckets, and take-out
containers so they can be found quickly.
  Restaurant Layout - During waiter or waitress training, be sure to
identify key routes to the most important parts of the facility.
Additionally, your staff will always want to be aware of the
surroundings, so point out potential problem areas as well. This can
include high traffic locations or places which could contain one or two
"blind spots" for servers carrying full trays of food.

 How to Close Out - The close out procedure includes everything a

server needs to do before they can end their shift. To close out of the
POS system, a server needs to print their sales for the shift and turn
their cash into a manager. They'll also need to use their sales to tip out
any bartenders, bussers, or food runners. Sometimes a server will be
designated as a sidework checker and will have to sign off on each
servers' sidework.

6. Hold a Menu Tasting

One of the best parts about server training is trying out the menu items. Servers
can't answer questions or make recommendations if they've never tasted the
food. At the conclusion of server shadowing, the trainer should sit down and do a
menu tasting with the new server(s). This is a great time to sample a variety of the
most popular food items, go over the most commonly asked menu questions,
and discuss allergen information. It's also a celebratory moment because training
is almost complete.

Even the most descriptive of menus still require clarification from time to time,
and your wait staff should be as familiar as possible with the menu. The best
serving staff should be able to not only explain in detail each menu item, but also
provide suggestions, recite any daily specials with ease, and answer a customer's
questions.

7. Perform Testing and Roleplay

The last step before a new server can work independently is to pass a final test.
For some restaurants, this test might be very lengthy if there is a lot of
memorization involved, as with extensive wine or beer lists.

 Written Test - This test could cover everything from menu knowledge
to policies in your handbook. It should include everything you think is
vital for your servers to know.

 Roleplay - Require the new server to wait on a manager before their

training is complete. With this method, a variety of common
interactions can be touched on, all within the span of just a few
minutes. In addition, this method can prepare new staff members with
the proper responses to complaints or upset customers.

8. Ongoing Training
Several of these guidelines, such as your restaurant layout and the menu, may
change over time, so it's important to use all of these teaching points as part of
ongoing training sessions for all your servers. By implementing an ongoing
training program, you have the opportunity to increase productivity, update
policies to comply with new industry regulations, and improve job satisfaction in
a work area that's often high in employee turnover. Some specific things to make
part of long-term training include:
  Learning which menu items are most popular, least expensive, most
expensive, etc.
 Acquiring knowledge of weekly or daily specials
 Successfully selling guests on appetizers or desserts
 Finding the right balance between too much and too little interaction
with guests at their table
 Improving awareness and multi-tasking skills
 Reading personalities/attitudes and determining exactly which kind of
service the guest desires

9. Create Incentives
Make sure your serving staff stays engaged by offering incentives for
performance. You can reward servers that participate in ongoing training sessions
with free meals, preferred parking spots, or raises. Keep track of server wins like
the highest alcohol or appetizer sales and give out a gift card to the winner each
week. There are many ways to incentivize performance and create a fun work
environment for your servers.

Single-event training can often be forgotten or seem overwhelming for a new

employee on the first day. By creating and following a detailed training program,
you can set your new employees up for mutual success. Ongoing training allows
for employers to evaluate and follow-up effectively in order to get the most out
of their staff. This type of restaurant server training can help propel your
operation to the next level of professional, award-winning service.

Tips To Deliver A Stellar Restaurant Customer

Service
Restaurant customer service is not too tricky. While you can train your staff day and night, it
ultimately comes down to little things that can win a customer’s heart. Small gestures go a long
way in ensuring that your customer service is flawless as it makes your customers feel that you
are really trying and going out of your way for their comfort. Here are some tips for you to
follow.
1. Put Yourself In Your Customer’s Shoes
Before beginning your operations take a minute and walk into the restaurant as a customer. You
will see what the customer sees when they enter, you will feel the energy that a customer may
feel. Though it feels like it hardly makes a difference, humans are subconscious beings and the
way of entering your restaurant has the capacity to determine how the entire experience will be
for them.

If you enter your restaurant and notice that your staff does not smile while greeting the customer,
no matter how polite they are it can be upsetting. The key is to set the pace of experience from
the beginning.   

2. Evaluate How You Would Want To Be Served

As unfair as it sounds the correct service standards according to a restaurateur can be vastly
different from the service standards according to a customer. As a restaurateur, you may feel that
you are doing everything right and are following the book but for a customer, these standards of
service may be lacking or even overpowering.

To get past your bias, first, evaluate how you as a customer want to be served. Jot down the
major points that you feel must be present, that you failed to notice but made your experience
worthwhile and even gestures that made it overpowering for you. The key to a stellar restaurant
customer service is to strike the perfect balance between the two opposite ends.  

3. Start From The Greeting

The way you greet your customers is very important for the experience that they will have.
Greeting sets the mood of the experience and gives the customers an idea of what to expect.
It is safe to assume that a warm greeting will set a happy mood for your customers whereas a
merely formal greeting will put them off.

Smiling is a very important part of the greeting and is mostly the difference between a warm,
welcoming hello and a merely courteous hello. While etiquette is important it is significant to
note that most people in the states appreciate a friendly greeting. Be polite but strike a familiarity
with the way you greet your guests.

Also, make sure that the guests are greeted as soon as they enter the restaurant before being
shown to their table. Titles like Sir, Miss, or Mrs should do fine when coupled with a proper
greeting at the proper time.    
4. Mind Your Manners
Make sure that your servers are trained in proper service manners. For a casual dining or a self-
service restaurant, this step is not as important for an extraordinary customer service experience
but as you move towards fine dine restaurants, service etiquette can make all the difference.
Some things that you should not forget are:-

 Food should be served and cleared from the diner’s left.

 Drinks should be poured from the right.
 There should ideally be no need for a server to interrupt the guest but if such a need
arises, then the server must be polite.
 The guest should not have to ask the server to clear the plates or process the bill. All this
must be done by the server in a timely manner.
 Train your servers to look out for details so they can get little things to the diners without
them having to ask, for example bringing extra napkins or refilling glasses.
 If food needs to be served to the guests on the plate, then serve the women first, then the
oldest men and then the children.
5. Don’t Let Them Wait Too Much
One sure thing that customers feel when they rate their service experience as bad is having to
wait too much. No one likes to wait especially in a restaurant. Yes, waiting is a part of the
process but there is a time limit to it. If you really want to deliver a great customer service
experience in your restaurant, don’t make your diners wait too much.

Make sure that they are promptly seated as soon as they enter. Process every order fast and if
they have ordered something that will take time, be forthcoming about it. Don’t take too long in
processing the bill as well. If the entire dinner has gone great, having to wait 20 minutes for the
bill to arrive can ruin the night.

Longer wait times do not only hurt you in the form of displeased customers but also decrease
your table turnover rate. Speed and efficiency in restaurant customer service are cardinal not
only to customer experience but to restaurant operations as well.       

6. Learn How To Keep Them Busy

Now that we have established that customers should not be kept waiting for long, the next part is
keeping them busy when waiting is inevitable. At the time when the meal is being prepared,
engage them in a conversation if they are not conversing already.

Have options like wifi and board games. You can even have an in-house library for your
customers. It is also a good idea to have live music to entertain your guests while they
wait. Helping your customers kill time instead of just waiting will make the wait time seem
shorter and the food more worthwhile.   
Customer engaged in Beer Pong At A Restaurant

7. Be Immediate With Problem Solving

Restaurants are run by humans and humans make mistakes, it is fine but the mistake not getting
resolved or not getting resolved in time is a bigger turn-off. Be it spoilt food or a delayed
order, solve problems quickly and immediately. It will make your customers feel like you
acknowledge them and care about them. Try to resolve their problem as soon as it comes, give a
freebie or a refund if necessary. Your profit should not be more important than your customer’s
discomfort.  

8. Recognize Your Regulars

Did you know that most of a restaurant’s sales come not from new customers, but from repeat
customers? Your regulars are the brand ambassadors of your restaurant and will vouch for
you whatever the case. As a result, they also expect a higher level of service from you.

The least that you should do is recognize your regulars and know their favorite orders. Apart
from that, know about the special events in their life, send them a personal message or give them
a discount once a while. Be friendly with your regulars, make them feel like it is their place they
are coming to- such customer service will go a long way for your restaurant.  
9. Ask For Their Feedback
There is nothing that makes a customer happier and more confident in a restaurant’s customer
service than the restaurant asking for their comments. It makes them feel that their opinion
matters and if they faced any grievance it will be resolved.

Asking for your customers’ comments will also let you know about the gaps in your service
that you didn’t even know existed. What is more, it may tell you about the things that you have
been doing which please your customers but you had no idea about it. In the end, asking for
comments will improve your own restaurant customer service and allow you to evaluate
yourself.    

10. Leverage Technology

Invest in a POS that comes packed with features that you can use to improve your
restaurant customer service standards. These are some features that your POS should have for
a stellar restaurant customer service.

1. Online Restaurant Reservations

Having a facility with which your customers can book a seat at your restaurant online will not
just be profitable for you but also very convenient for your customers. With reservation
management, you can view all your guest information on a single interface. Apart from that,
you can also quote accurate wait times for both your walk-in customers and those who made
prior reservations.

2. Tablet Ordering System

A tablet ordering system consists of a cloud technology wherein the customer order is punched
directly in the tablet which shows on a kitchen display system in the kitchen while
simultaneously being fed to the POS so the manager or the cashier knows exactly what is being
ordered and at what table. A tablet ordering system can improve your customer experience by:-

 Reducing wait time

 Eliminating chances of manual error in communicating the order
 Speeding up the billing process along with other restaurant operation

3. Customer Relationship Management

Especially good for managing and reaching out to your regulars, a centralized CRM technology
enables you to gather, maintain and use customer data related to the contact details of the
customer, birth dates and other important dates, the frequency of visits, order preferences and
average spend per visit.

A POS integrated CRM can give you great insights into customer behavior at your restaurant.
This can let you improve your restaurant customer service based on a deep understanding of your
customer behavior.   

4. Customer Feedback Management

As mentioned earlier asking your customers for their comments is important. Using technology
to collect and analyze that feedback will help you review your own performance based on
specific parameters against which the feedback would be taken.

Itemized-level reporting also helps you identify the performance of the dishes on the
menu. The Feedback App automatically updates the customer details in the CRM, thus
eliminating the need for manual updating of data and the scope of errors.

In the restaurant industry today, serving good food is not enough. As competition is rising and
consumers are treating going out as more of an experience, customer service is becoming more
and more important. Follow our guide and you will definitely see a difference in your restaurant
customer service standards!