I’ve never worked in the food industry. I think hosting might stress me out. I don’t have enough strength to wait tables. It’s not the job for me. The New York Times recently published a very helpful article entitled “100 Things Restaurant Staffers Should Never Do.”
Here are some important ones that I’ve weeded out myself:
17. Do not take an empty plate from one guest while others are still eating the same course. Wait, wait, wait.
51. If there is a service charge, alert your guests when you present the bill. It’s not a secret or a trick.
56. Do not ignore a table because it is not your table. Stop, look, listen, lend a hand. (Whether tips are pooled or not.)
77. Do not disappear.
88. Do not ask if a guest needs change. Just bring the change.
