While the food service industry may not be the most glamorous, waitressing has allowed me to make great money as a student while working fewer hours than many of my friends. I have worked in a restaurant for almost five years now, and I am going to share my biggest tricks that have helped me to maximize the amount of money that I take home at the end of every shift. I know that every dollar counts when you are trying to make money in college, and this is how I do it.
- make a connection with your table
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I went into my waitress job not feeling confident about my ability to hold a conversation with strangers. However, I quickly realized the importance of making a connection with your customers, as it gives them a more memorable, enjoyable experience. My go-to is usually giving a compliment to someone or picking up on a conversation as you approach the table. When people like you and see you trying to make an effort, they are much more likely to tip you well at the end of their meal. Personally, this has become one of my favorite parts of the job, regardless of the money, because I get to talk to so many different kinds of people.
- Own up to any mistakes you make
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Mistakes are inevitable in this job, and no matter how small or large they are, it’s important to take responsibility for your actions so that your customers respect you. Being a waitress forces you to run around trying to do a million things at once, so it’s easy to have an occasional slip-up. It’s usually pretty transparent if you try to blame a forgotten side of french fries on a kitchen error (coming from experience), so I have found that being honest and offering solutions is the better approach. The customers will most likely be forgiving and appreciate it in the long run.
- always look busy
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Customers don’t want to see their server leaning against the wall and scrolling on their phone, because it gives the impression that you have no interest in providing quality service. Even if things are slow, it’s important to show that you are still working hard to give your table a good experience. If you do want a break, make sure to step away from the main dining area. Making yourself busy shows a better work ethic that customers will appreciate and remember when the bill comes.
- Watch out for empty plates and glassware
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If you are working at a more upscale restaurant, it is important to be aware of resetting your table between courses. Customers feel special when you are aware of little things like refilling their drinks or replacing dirty silverware before their main course. If you remember to keep an eye on the details throughout the night, even when you have other tables to worry about, your table will feel like you made an extra effort for them.
The CW - upsell, upsell, upsell!
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If you haven’t heard of upselling in a restaurant, it refers to offering complementary items that will increase the bill. For example, if someone orders a steak, you could suggest a nice red wine to go along with it to get them thinking about additional purchases. Even on a smaller scale, this could be offering bacon on a burger, putting chicken on a salad, or a scoop of ice cream on their dessert, which adds up in the end if more than one person decides to do it. This is why it is important to know the ins and outs of your restaurant’s menu so that you can feel confident making suggestions that will boost your check averages.
I enjoy working in restaurants for more reasons than just the money, but it certainly helps me out as a broke college student. Once you get confident in the general steps of taking orders and managing multiple tables, you can figure out your own strategies and see what works for you.
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