Let’s start this post with a quote from someone you may have heard of before.
“I love people who make me laugh. I honestly think it’s the thing I like most, to laugh. It cures a multitude of ills. It’s probably the most important thing in a person.” – Audrey Hepburn.
Today’s advice on how to increase tips is the benefit of making your guests laugh or smile.
What’s the point in trying to make your guests smile?
Because how good do you feel when you do?
If you can make your guests laugh or even smile then you have done yourself a good deed. If you’re the kind of server who can adapt to a guests personality and can use that in some way to tickle their funny bone (not the painful hit to the funny bone) you are going to do a few things:
- It’s a good ice breaker if you can make them laugh at the greeting.
- You are going to be more relaxed with serving this table.
- You are going to make your guests feel more relaxed and put them in a good mood.
- Your attitude will be lifted, also your energy and it will show when you’re serving your other tables in your section.
- It’s nice to know and it feels good when you’re responsible for making people happy.
Before you get all excited about making your tables smile or laugh you have to first gauge and read your table. The reason being is that if you dive in too quickly with a comment/remark or a joke before you get your first reading of your guests you may sink your own ship.
A simple compliment works really well also, be genuine when complimenting someone but know the limit. Don’t compliment some guy’s wife by saying “Wow you’re hot!”. Keep it simple with something along the lines of “that’s a cool shirt, I like it” or “awesome sneakers, where did you get them?”. Again just be genuine with whatever it is your complimenting.
I personally avoid telling jokes to guests that I do not know (I would only tell jokes to regulars or friends that I’m serving) because a joke can backfire on you.
Please also note that not every person goes out for a meal to be entertained or be engaged with their server (don’t take offense, sometimes it’s because people want to talk among themselves, are on business or are possibly just shy).
What would you do/say to a new table to get them smiling?
Enjoy your Wednesday.