Culinary Connections

The foodservice industry offers plenty of places to dine, but one rule applies to all: Provide great customer service so they keep coming back! Whether you are a restaurant, bar, hotel, or catering company, you want to make sure your customers enjoy their dining experience while visiting your establishment. We're going to share with you a few pointers on sharpening your service skills. All of these are important, and are not listed in order of priority.

• Timely and pleasant greeting- First impressions count, so acknowledge your customer as soon as you can, and pleasantly greet them or inform them that you will be with them shortly.
• Build a relationship- Welcome the customers, offer them beverages, and acknowledge any questions or special requests that they have. Try and get a feel as to whether they are in a hurry or are leisurely diners. Let them set the pace and then proceed accordingly, being aware that this could change during the course of their stay.
• Recognize all of your customers- If you have one table or six, be sure to scope the status of all of your tables. You will have some tables that require more work, but if you service them all according to their needs, the results should be favorable for all.
• Anticipate needs- Serve commonly requested condiments when appropriate. If you bring ketchup and mustard to the table before or when you serve burgers, you won't have to make that extra trip or have the customer have to ask you. Offer side sauces or side orders when customer orders; offer drink refills when appropriate; these practices will once again save you steps and remind the customer you are focused on
• Don't be afraid to ask for help- If you get overloaded or behind and have several requests that need to be handled quickly, ask a manager or co-worker to help you out. You're part of a team and ultimately, the customer expects service from anyone on staff that can help them. Trust me, every one of your co-workers has had a similar experience and may require your help sometime.
• Always have something in your hands or on your tray- If you are heading into the kitchen, you should have plates or glassware that you have cleared, credit cards that need processing, condiments no longer needed, menus, or anything that does not belong in the dining room anymore. Don't leave the kitchen without food, condiments, coffee pots, etc. The fewer trips you make back and forth will increase the efficiency of your service and let the customers know you are constantly focused on service.
• Communicate with your customers- Listen to them, keep them informed, and be willing to answer their questions, honor their requests, or locate a resource that can better help them. If you are unsure what they are asking or ordering, clarify before you walk away from the table.
• Use "Please" and "Thank You"- Need I say more? Politeness goes a long way, and these phrases are grossly underused.
• End experience on good note- Thank your customers for dining with you, and let them know you care by acknowledging that they had a good experience, or that any issues had been properly resolved. You want them to leave happy and spread a good word about your establishment.

These tips just touch the surface of good service. Organizational skills, speed, patience, problem resolution skills, humility, and diplomacy are some of the tools needed in the skill sets of a foodserver. Possessing these attributes can help you mange life in general as well.


Superior Products Restaurant Equipment and Supplies offers a variety of products that can help promote good service. Having the right foodservice supplies on hand will help enhance your customer's dining experience. We offer waitstaff tools such as table crumbers, wine service products, tip trays, and serving trays. These are amongst the 11,000 + restaurant food supply products offered on our website. Arming yourself with the right tools, the right attitude, and a pleasant persona will yield great results for you and your customers alike!