Apart from being professional and friendly, waiters and servers at restaurants can receive a good amount of tips by utilizing some psychological hacks gleaned from psychological journals. Although serving is not considered a “real” job in most countries, the reality is that many people choose it as a career and make good money out of it.
However, relying on tips only can sometimes be frustrating, especially if the business is slow. This is where these waiters and servers make use of psychological hacks to ensure the best from you.
Putting up a smiling face for earning tips
It has been often observed that the larger the groups at a restaurant, the lesser they will tip. This is due to the shared bill effect. Since each individual on the table is handing out his/her share, they will expect someone else to take the fall for the tip.
As a result, a major chunk of the tip might be swallowed. As a result, many restaurants, therefore, add an automatic tip for large parties. In such cases, the waiters are not able to control the size of the group they are to serve. However, there are certain ways of ensuring that they receive a good amount. Several studies conducted back in the day found that simply smiling can increase your chances of doubling the tip.
At the same time, another study conducted in a restaurant found that waiters and servers introducing themselves by their names significantly increase their tips. Additionally, the payment method also makes a huge difference. People prefer to tip comparatively more using credit cards than on cash. In such cases, you need to make sure that your employers pass your tips to you. Even if they have paid the entire bill through a card, the chances of leaving a good amount of tip in cash are significant.
A slight touch of attention
Another psychological hack for earning tips is offering a slight touch of attention, which might not be appropriate at your restaurant. The concept behind this hack is that if you were to touch a customer slightly while taking the order or suggesting something, they are more likely to listen to you, especially if you are a waiter. Several studies have backed this hack over the years that share more or less the same findings.
The researchers argue that if you were to slightly touch the customers on the arm at some point, you will be focusing your entire attention on them. While smiling might help double your tips, this will also tremendously help put a positive impression.
However, you need to observe the environment and vibe of your restaurant. If your restaurant has a corporate or professional clientele, then you might want to throw away the idea. But if your restaurant mostly receives young customers, then you can offer them a slight touch of attention.
Staring the customer down
Staring the customer down might be a bit creepy, but most waiters and servers have shared that it is a successful hack to order more and receive more interms of tips. It is put into action as soon as a customer is ready to order. For instance, if a customer orders an iced tea. The waiter or server will ask whether they would like to try something else instead while staring them down.
This will make the customer feel as if they are not ordering enough for some reason and need to order more. As a result, the customer who had ordered iced tea might order top-shelf liquor during the process.
They will never look too busy
Waiters and servers try not to look too busy and indirectly always give you the idea that you are their focus of attention. Therefore, no matter how busy a waiter or server is, they will try their utmost not to look busy.
This is their way of making the tables feel that they have their full attention. Whether it is about small tasks or simply talking for a while, if the waiters and servers were to take some time out for discussions, they are always appreciated and generously tipped as well.
Since as a waiter or server, you are only going to be a call away as a waiter or server and will do anything irrespective of the task, you are going to make the customers believe that you are their top priority. This increases the chances of receiving a good amount of tips.
Giving out freebies
Every waiter or server knows that an upset customer is a bad news. But there is a way to uplift their mood and that is by offering them free food. It can be simply a drink or a starter for that matter. Since food is a great way to get to one’s heart and ofcourse the stomach, the chances of your tips being doubled will increase.
The reason is that the customer will realize that you are trying to make his/her day better by putting in a sweet effort. And while certain things cost nothing to make for the restaurant, you can simply throw them in to make the customer feel comfortable. This hack focuses on making the customer feel special while making them realize that they need to hand out a generous tip for the service.
Final Word
Psychological hacks for waiters and servers are mostly related to how they behave, act and treat the customer. Handing out personally written thank you notes is another way of increasing tips. The key lies in making the customers realize one way or the other that they are special to you. And since you are going pretty much everything you can to make their experience unique and worthwhile, you are going to leave with a good payday at the end of the day.
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