Don’t Be “That Guy” (Part Two)

The Evil Monkey can spot "that guy" from a mile away

Friday I began a countdown of the top ten things rookies should avoid saying to not be labeled “that guy.”  It is never easy to be a rookie.  It is also not easy to deal with a rookie who always seems to be in your way as a veteran.  These are the mistakes every rookie should make an effort to avoid in order to prolong the patience of the veterans on the staff.  This is a list of very easily dodged potential landmines in a new working environment.

The first items on this list were more related to things “that guy” does to annoy his coworkers.  This section of the list represents the things that are done to offend your coworkers.  Being annoying is significantly more forgivable than being offensive.  The first six items on this list could be considered minor infractions.  The top four features ways to permanently annoy your coworkers.  Any of these violations could result in you being labeled “that guy” forever.

Here are the top four infractions that could make you “that guy.

Read the full post at Restaurant Laughs

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Making Tips on To-Go Orders

Most servers do not deal with this topic on a regular basis.  Most servers do deal with the hosts and bartenders who do though.  For those who handle to-go orders often, these are a few helpful pointers.  For those who don’t, these are a few helpful pointers for the times when you help out the people who do.

Tipping on to-go orders is something even I struggle with.  Being in the industry I usually leave twenty percent to maintain good tip karma.  I often do so begrudgingly to a bartender or hostess who acts as if I am an imposition.  Both jobs can be extremely stressful and to-go orders can make it more so.  At the same time, the amount of time they have to put into my order for the tip is pretty minimal.  Putting the extra effort into to-go orders leaves huge opportunities for the person handling them to increase their income.

The key is convincing the person picking up the order that you are providing a service that warrants a tip.  Simply handing them a bag and making change is nothing more than they would expect at a drive thru with the added inconvenience of having to get out of their car.  Simply ringing up and bagging the order is nothing more than you expect in a retail setting.  People generally do not tip in either of these situations.  The advantage of being in a restaurant is that most people know to tip their server.  Therefore the key to convincing the guest to tip is in providing a service more akin to a server than a cashier.

Here are three ways to provide the guest an experience that makes the guest think of you as a server rather than a cashier.

Read the full post at Tips For Improving Your Tips