Being a Waiter is easy, right?

Being a waiter is easy, right? You just take orders and serve food. Not much to it, right? Granted, it’s not rocket science, but it’s not quite as easy as it looks. The key to being a good waiter is making it look that easy. That’s why there is a world of difference from being just a waiter to being a professional waiter. Time, dedication and attention to detail, just of the qualities required to be a professional waiter. Do you have what it takes?

So after some waitress training, I hit the floor and took on some tables. My first night went well. Really well. I was feeling confident.

Real Life Waitering Experiences

Second night came along and the wheels came off right at the get-go. I landed a grumpy customer – obnoxious, unpleasant, rude and cantankerous. To make matters worse I made a blunder on the drinks order, to which I got severely yelled at. I rushed off to correct my mistake with my heart pounding and on my return just prayed that I didn’t spill anything along the way with my hands shaking as they were! I managed to serve the grumpy asshole his drink, apologised for the mistake and asked if they were ready to place their order for their meal.

“No, I’m so pissed off right, just give me some time to cool off!” he growled and glared at me under his bushy eyebrows. “Certainly Sir,” I said and quickly scurried away, heart pounding even more. The manager went over to speak to him, then came over to me and assured me my mistake was not that bad. That he knew this couple and they were always unpleasant and always complained about something. Still, I felt rattled because it was a stupid mistake and I don’t like making stupid mistakes.

Customer Cool Down

I gave the couple some time to cool off and then headed back, smiling and trying to be cheerful in spite of the situation. “Sir, Ma’am – are you ready to order?” To show their disdain at the service and my perceived incompetence, they simply got up, pushed past me and walked over to the cash desk to pay for their drinks and in disgust swung themselves out the door.

I could have burst into tears. Two of the other more experienced waitresses came over to me to ask me if I was okay. “He is just a horrible customer,” they consoled me. “You mustn’t take it too seriously”. They assured me that they all made mistakes as a trainee and some customers are just nasty and nothing you do will please them.

So, I learnt a valuable lesson about life as a professional waiter. It’s not as easy as it may seem.

Physically Demanding

*  Firstly, it’s physically quite demanding. You spend hours on your feet. After my 6-hour shift, I came home in agony! My feet were killing me. If you’re a desk jockey who sits in an office all day and you suddenly go straight into a job where you’re on your feet for hours at a time, it’s quite a shock to the system!

*  You need to know your menu and products. In the case of this restaurant, the menu is quite large and you need to know which questions to ask with which items. A customer will instantly lose confidence in their waiter and become irritated if that waiter is unable to answer questions when asked about certain items or forgets to ask the necessary questions on orders and has to go back to ask them.

*  Knowing how certain items should be presented. Which spoon goes with which dessert, how to serve drinks properly and professionally, which sauce goes with which burger, for instance.

*  Being adept at taking orders down quickly and accurately – a lot harder when dealing with large tables. Trust me, seasoned waiters make this look so easy and they remember which customer ordered which meal by the time they take the food to the table. As a trainee waitress, I can assure you, a large table can be quite daunting when customers are rattling orders off quickly and you’re still trying to come up with a form of shorthand to take them down quickly.

Season Surges

*  Then there are crunch times. Those periods in the industry (holiday time, Christmas time, etc.) when it is crazy busy and you end up spinning. This is when things can go horribly wrong. You’re trying to juggle several tables at the same time and accidentally let one order slip through the cracks. It’s madness and can mean mistakes are made and customers become angry. Not to mention the stories of waiters who’ve slipped on wet spots on the floor sending plates, glasses and food flying into the air while landing painfully with their bum on the ground! Painful and embarrassing.

*  Then there is, as with my experience the other night, the nasty, mean customer. The customer who just enjoys making your life miserable, simply because he can. Makes me wonder why some people are that way. Is it a case of misery loves company? They are unhappy, miserable people and perhaps they cannot really take out their unhappiness anywhere else in their life, so going to a restaurant is where they can really lash out. Being a good waiter means knowing how to handle complaints and an angry customer.

Customer Service is Paramount

*  Remembering to always keep customer service in mind. From the minute the customer walks through the door, being friendly and enthusiastic. As a waiter you want the customer to be happy. You feel good about the job you’ve done and you get a decent tip

So while it can be tough going, fortunately, there are also the nice customers. The customers that are chatty, smile at you and give you a good tip. At the end of my shift that night, I landed one of those nice couples – friendly, cheerful and chatty. They knew I was a newbie, and they went out of their way to make me feel comfortable and relaxed. Plus they gave me a 17% tip (which is higher than the standard 10% that is usual in the UK). Aah… and so my shift that began badly that night, ended on a good note.

And that is the life of a waiter. So next time you’re at a restaurant, spare a thought for the humble waiter!

The Importance of a Professional Waiter

Being a professional waiter is something that most restaurants and eating establishments demand, but actually knowing what one is can be quite tricky. You expect a certain standard of service. It is a logical expectation to have when one steps into an eating establishment. But what does this mean?

So what does a professional waiter mean? What does one need to do, what characteristics do they need to possess, and why are they so important? Let’s look at the last question there, because it’s something that most restaurants don’t quite understand.

Professional, Discreet Waiter Service

 Most people expect a certain standard of service when they go out to a restaurant. As the owner, it is your responsibility to hire people who will help you to meet that standard. People who have completed the professional waiter course that we offer are prime candidates for this.

They have all the training that you could need for success. Because they have been successfully doing the course, they have the knowledge necessary to be professional and discreet. They can easily take orders, carry food around, clean up after themselves and make sure that everyone in the dining area is content.

Crisis Management

There will be situations in the workplace where something happens that isn’t normal. There might be a medical emergency or a physical altercation, to name two examples. In these situations, it is important to have staff who are ready to deal with the problem as and when it happens.

These staff members are those who train to manage crises and when they happen. They are good waiters because they are not afraid to react during situations which aren’t ordinary. They are your best tools for working out there in the middle of all your customers because they can handle the problems.

Formal Training For Tough Places

Some restaurants hold themselves to a higher standard than others. They expect more from their staff so that they can give a better standard to customers. When you’re someone who has a need for formal training, you’ll want to look for people who have been to do these training courses.

They can operate a higher level of proficiency than others, and you will learn that when it comes to getting the best experience possible, those with formal training are the optimal choice. In fact, they often outclass conventional waiters and waitresses in a considerable way.

So overall, these are just a few of the different options which you have available to you when it comes to the importance of professional waiters. Having a pro on your side will always be a recommended course of action. They are well-trained and capable of providing you with the support you need to get the results you desire. Because they’ve taken the time to undergo courses in order to better themselves, they stand apart from the conventional crop of people. They are ready to deal with crisis moments, they have a high standard of service to provide, and they make sure that your restaurant does well.

The Training Terminal Professional Waiter Course