How to Give Good Customer Service as a Waiter

Audra Lowe: For the hot topics now I’m joined by Margie Greenberg and Abbey Alpert the mother-daughter duo and the authors, co-authors of the flower path Christmas cookie book. They’re here with us now to do our hot topic which is a little hot today. Welcome back ladies. Margie Greenberg: Thank you. Abbey Alpert: Thank you. Audra Lowe: There’s a man who wrote an article talks about 50 things the restaurant staffers should never do. And he’s talking about, hey if I have a restaurant these are things that my waiters and waitress they should not do. I went to a dinner last night and I think that half of the waiters and waitresses is they talking we’re at the restaurant that I was at too. Now, you guys are from Philly, right? Margie Greenberg: Yes. Abbey Alpert: Uh-huh— Audra Lowe: And you have different opinions about the restaurants or maybe the service in Philly versus New York. But the first thing that he says is never refuse to sit three guest because the forth one hasn’t arrived. How annoying is that when you’re waiting for one person and everyone has to stand, how do you feel about that? Do you think they have a right to ask you to wait? Abbey Alpert: I think that you should be seated and order a few drinks I mean there’s some comfort involve and being able to sit-down and just—s Margie Greenberg: Especially if you’re waiting in the vestibule and then you get shoved wait over here, wait over here and the other people are being taken. Audra Lowe: Which brings to another point here, he says if a table isn’t ready within a reasonable e length of time you should offer a free drink or an appetizer something that keep people a little busy— Abbey Alpert: Definitely-- Margie Greenberg: Definitely-- Audra Lowe: Because they didn’t do anything wrong it’s not their fault— Abbey Alpert: Right. Audra Lowe: Right. Abbey Alpert: There’s not a lot of effort involve on the restaurants part and just bringing out a little appetizer or something like that. Audra Lowe: What about this, when the waiter comes over to you, you’re having a conversation let’s say the three of us are chatting we’re ladies we’re going to chat and they come over and just interrupt they don’t wait but they interrupt to recite the specials like robot. Does that bother you? Margie Greenberg: Yes, it does. Abbey Alpert: Yes that’s my pet peeve, I can't stand that. Audra Lowe: That’s his pet peeve too because it’s on his list as well. Abbey Alpert: Something similar is we were recently out for a big family event and somebody was tossing and asked somebody was somebody who was tossing they were going around and clearing plates. And the next time we had something like that I said to the manager I said please make sure during a toss that everything is—there are no interruptions of any kind. Audra Lowe: Exactly. Margie Greenberg: It’s one thing to just—it’s one thing to say excuse me. I know that they want to get their job done and they can go excuse me. But they’re not saying excuse me they just come right in and just put right in. Audra Lowe: What about the waiters or the waitresses who inject their personal favorites, they’ll say here’s dessert, menu I did it and I really like this and I really like that. You don’t know them from Adams so how do you know that because it’s your favorite— Margie Greenberg: Right because our taste is the same— Audra Lowe: But our tasting can’t be the same unless you ask them. Abbey Alpert: Right, if you ask then that’s a different story he can recommend. But yes, I don’t need to know the favorites of— Audra Lowe: I don’t care— Abbey Alpert: Right I don’t care. Audra Lowe: Okay, what about this one, don’t hassle the lobsters, he says even there’s just two left it’s peoples pet peeve to hear, hey we only have two left, you feel pressure— Margie Greenberg: So rush— Audra Lowe: Yes it’s a rush to order the lobsters and sometimes I don’t know if they’re really telling the truth if they’re just saying it just to push them on. Margie Greenberg: Right, the high price to take it off. Audra Lowe: Exactly. Okay, the glasses, when they come and they set the glass down but their handling it with—by the rim. Abbey Alpert: I guess what I hate the most is when you see somebody coming out and the plates are stocked and the plates are kind of stocked on the food— Audra Lowe: Yes— Margie Greenberg: But they’re just side of the plate and touching the other one food, you know? Abbey Alpert: I mean— Margie Greenberg: But we also work in the kitchen so we do know what goes on. Audra Lowe: You know what goes on behind the scenes, right? Margie Greenberg: We do. Abbey Alpert: Well, I don’t know it’s just my pet peeve but I hate when you— Margie Greenberg: And there’s also the spitting in the food. Everybody is worried that they waiter is going to spit in their foods. Audra Lowe: That’s true so you have to be nice and tell at least you’re a very end then you tell the manager, I learned that that guy—well you guys were a lot of fun thank you so much. I know the waiters and waitresses will have a whole different opinion about this. You can send us some message, send your message on Twitter, BTV host Audra would love to know what you guys think. Thank you ladies, thank you for joining us. Abbey Alpert: Thank you. Margie Greenberg: Thank you very much. Audra Lowe: We’ll be right back.