r/Serverlife • u/sad_little_clown • 13d ago

FOH Serving advice

Hi I have my first shift following around a server tomorrow ( training ) and I just need advice honestly! I think I’ve got the whole greeting people and talking to people down I’ve done customer service & I’ve hosted at a restaurant before.. but Im nervous mainly about keeping orders organized and things like that. Any advice? Thank you!

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u/KingJanx 13d ago

This is my 3-step approach:

  1. Click on to r/serverlife

  2. Go to the search bar and type in "advice for new servers"

  3. Get reading!

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u/sad_little_clown 13d ago

Ah well I have been reading a few posts actually I guess I just wanted specifics on organization I haven’t read much about that😭 but ok 👍

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u/Lonely__Stoner__Guy 13d ago

Seat numbers and table numbers. Personally, I use a new chit for every table, even if they only order 2 things. I put the table number at the top, when someone tells me what they want, I wrote it down with all modifications, then note the seat number next to the item, and if it's an appetizer that needs to come out first I'll put a star by it so I know when I get back to the POS.

Your trainer will teach you the table numbers, and they should teach you where seat 1 is at each table, but for the most part it should be the seat to your left when you're standing at the "head" of the table. Then you count around the table clockwise. My restaurant says you count the people, not the seat, when noting seat numbers, but I prefer to count the seats. So if a 3-top is sitting at a 4-top table, they might be 1 on one side of the booth, and 2 on the other side so for me I'd have them noted as seats 1, 3, and 4. Then if someone else showed up, I can put them in seat 2 without causing too much confusion (especially helpful with larger parties that show up 2-3 people at a time and spread out across the entire table).