Rule One: If you worry about the guest, the money will take care of itself.
Rule Two: If you worry about the money, the guests will not take care of themselves.
Rules one and two are corollaries of the same basic principle. Your focus as a server must be on the guest and not the money. We all know that the reason for serving is to make money. No one should pretend they are altruistic enough to wait tables 40 hours a week just for the fun. At the same time, the key to making money is to not focus on making the money, but the process by which you make it. Focusing on the guest is the key to insuring that at the end of the shift you have made the money you want.
There is no denying that focusing on the guest can still lead to disappointment. The odds of you making what you need are infinitely more in your favor though if you focus on the guest first and the money second. The only thing you can do to control how much you make is to make every guest as happy as you can. Guest counts, guest spending, and the amount the guest leaves are beyond your control. Instead focus on the guests and trust that it is the best way to make the money work out in your favor.
Here are three commonly violated guidelines to keep your money on track:
Read the full post at Tips For Improving Your Tips
May 12, 2010 @ 17:23:19
You are absolutely right about this.
My most successful nights are when everyone tips at the register. That way I don’t see what they are leaving and I don’t get discouraged or mad about a $3 tip on a $100 ticket, which then transfers to my other tables. Likewise I don’t get cocky about a $30 tip on a $100 ticket. It would be nice to never even see any money until the end of the night.
Jun 02, 2010 @ 09:03:32
Just like in basketball: don’t get pumped up about making the 3’s, and you won’t be so mad about the occasional air-ball. Your job is to serve; it’s not who you are, it’s just what you do.
Here’s my take on it:
http://sorrynotmytable.com/2009/10/08/im-rubber-youre-glue/
The Index « Tips on improving your Tips
Jul 29, 2010 @ 13:01:20
The Rules: Rules 1-10 « Tips on improving your Tips
Jul 29, 2010 @ 14:11:51
The Rules of Serving: Rule Three « Tips on improving your Tips
Jul 29, 2010 @ 14:40:32
The Rules of Serving: Rule Four « Tips on improving your Tips
Jul 29, 2010 @ 14:51:41
Clip Show: Starting a Blog « Tips on improving your Tips
Jul 29, 2010 @ 14:54:04
The Rules of Serving: Rule Six « Tips on improving your Tips
Aug 02, 2010 @ 14:59:44