How to Increase Tips – Tip 6

Here we are at lucky number 13, let’s get right into it. This post on how to increase tips is all about presentation, not just your personal presentation but also how the restaurant you work at is presented. It’s so important to have an eye for detail and to try to stay on top of how you look, and how the restaurant looks.

I have read a few reviews from people who have had a great meal, great service and have felt warm and welcomed, however, they have been let down because of the cleanliness of the restaurant or the server. Let me ask you a few questions:

  • Have you gone to a restaurant and when your walking towards the front door, had to dodge some trash on your way in?
  • Have you been sat at your table and when you put your hands down they stick to it?
  • Have you noticed that the condiments on your table are caked with dry ketchup or mustard?
  • Has your server come up to and had a heavily stained shirt or apron?
  • Has your server come up to you and smelt like cigarettes or body odor?
  • Has your cutlery still has some of the “pasta of the day” sauce on it when you unrolled your roll-up?

If you answered yes to any of these questions above how did you feel about it? They are all issues that can be prevented and maintained, and though some of these points may seem like it’s “not your job” (not a fan of those 3 words) all it takes is a little time and a little pride.

Something I like to do when I’m starting my shift is to walk in the front door, and on my way in I look around to see how everything is, I pretend that I’m a guest walking through that door, but I have the advantage of knowing where to look (perhaps there is a certain area that always seems to be a mess, etc.), and compared to any guest just walking in to get a table, I will be looking with more detail than them. The reason I do this is that if I can notice something that looks dirty, untidy or out-of-place then so can the guest.

I’m sure you have heard the saying “people eat with their eyes first”. In my opinion, I feel that the same thing applies when it comes to service. If my server comes up to me with four different colored stains on their shirt it makes me think whether that was from today, or if it’s a shirt that is being worn for the third day in a row.

I’m sure you would all agree that if you’re a nonsmoker, one thing that is really off-putting is if a server brings you your food and they have the smell of cigarettes on them, hey, even smokers can be put-off by that too. I was managing at a restaurant a while back and I started smoking and did so for 4 months before I quit. Every time I came in from a cigarette I was so paranoid that people could smell it that I would scrub my hands twice with a gallon of soap, and throw half a dozen mints into my mouth. I ended up quitting because to me it was a silly thing for me to start in the first place if you’re a smoker and work in a restaurant then maybe you should consider trying something like an electronic cigarette as an alternative.

All in all, if you’re having a quiet shift then just have a look around, and if you see in plain view that something is dirty or there are napkins on the floor somewhere, just take the few seconds it takes to get things looking pretty again.

For the small amount of time and effort you put into your restaurant, and your own presentation, it pays off in the end for you and for the business. Your goal is to give all guests who come into the restaurant a great experience, it’s not just about speed, efficiency, personality, and knowledge (however these are also important), you need to put the whole package together.

It can affect how much a table tips you based on some of these factors, even if you give the greatest service of all time.

Thanks for reading and have yourself an amazing weekend.