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What's Next?

Read the following information today and take the three simple quizzes at the links shown. I'll receive an email when you have completed those. Assuming I see those later today, we'll proceed to orientation as scheduled. Let's read on....

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1.  Introduction to Being a Server

Hello, I am Tom Aldridge, the author of this guide. It's based on my years of experience working at George Webb. I began as a dishwasher, then a server/cook, then managed a George Webb, and eventually an owner.

I learned a lot along the way. I still learn something new every day. Maybe I can learn something from you! In the mean time I would like you to do your work in the way that I prescribe. Why? It's because I have learned the fastest most efficient ways to do the job of being a server and cook at George Webb.

So please follow along and learn my way of doing things. If you do, I guarantee you will succeed.

Purpose

Our purpose here is to serve the customer in the fastest, most friendly and accurate way possible. Lots of restaurants have good food, so in today's world, if we are to compete, we have to focus on customer service at all times. We have to be super fast and friendly, and we have to show respect to our customers.

Focus

What is your focus? Is it just you? Then forget this job. It needs to be on the customer at all times, no matter what else needs to get done.

Fast and Friendly

People tip fast, friendly servers. The moment the door opens a genuine "Hello" followed by immediate service is mandatory!

Respect

Talking nicely and using good language shows respect. Use standard phrases when you interact with customers.

Can You Multitask?

To multitask is to take care of several things at once. A server must multitask. This is because it's a busy world and customers want instant service or they'll go somewhere else!

Customer Satisfaction is Job #1

Customer satisfaction begins with you. If you simply remember to follow our "5-Foot Rule", most customer satisfaction issues will take care of themselves.

5-Foot Rule

Our 5-foot rule means make eye contact with your customers when you are within five feet of the customer. By making eye contact you can determine if they are in need of anything.

"I am the customer, so look at me, smile at me, and take care of me!"

Indifference, Looses Customers

It's not the occasional lapse in service that results in us loosing customers, it's an indifferent attitude, such as failing to:

If a Customer Complains

Perhaps you were a little late in getting to the customer, the food took too long, or you forgot a beverage. It doesn't matter whose fault it is, resolve the matter quickly instead of wasting time standing your ground.

Steps to Recovery

Follow this simple process in order to "recover" from such a situation. Depending on the situation say:

2.  Introduction to Being a Cook

Basics

As orders come into the kitchen, we do the following:

Count up

The first thing before placing any food on the grill, count up the individual food items needed based on the current orders. For example, count up the number of hamburger patties, fries, hashbrowns, orders of bacon or sausage, etc. Get it all out prior to placing food on the grill.

Set Up

Plan where the food will go once it's been cooked. Get the plates out and up on the board, the bun tops on the grill and the bottoms on the plates before putting any food on the grill.

Cook

Cook food in accordance with your training and use the kitchen tablet as a guide if you have any ingredient or plating questions

Timing

Time the cooking of various food items. Some items, such as hashbrowns, omelets or grilled sandwiches take longer than other items such as hamburgers, fries or sausage. Start orders by putting the items on the grill that will take the longest and leave the faster cooking items for later.

Communicate

When workloads require two cooks, communication is important. The second cook is the runner or egg/toaster person. This person should count and setup by saying, (example): "We need four hashbrowns, two orders of bacon and one order of sausage." The cook will concentrate on handling the grill and reviewing the tickets. Then as the food is coming off the grill, the runner (egg/toaster person) will place eggs on the plates and say things like "hashbrowns go on this OE, sausage on this OM".

The Rush

There will be periods that are so busy that orders keep coming in, wave after wave. When this occurs, prepare batches of tickets. Take an appropriate group of tickets (4,6,8) stopping at a logical point so as not to break up a group seated together. Count up the food items for the current batch.

Teamwork

A successful cook works effectively with the servers in order to quickly fulfill the customer orders. The cook also delivers food orders when necessary, and washes dishes.

3.  What Else the Job Consists of

Stay Busy

Between customers, we don't stand around, we stock and clean, do dishes, and other work.

Dishes

Servers and Cooks alike do dishes. It's a matter of sorting the dishes, running them through a dish machine and putting them away. The cook is closer to the dishes and therefore can turn around and do dishes just as well as the servers can.

Shift Duties

Servers and Cooks alike have various daily duties according to a posted schedule. Included are:

Test Yourself on the Job Introduction - click here

You're back. Continue...

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Learn the 10-Steps to Service to Service

Test Yourself on the 10-Steps to Service - click here

You're back, and almost done. Continue...

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Lastly, the Menu

Study our simple menu below, and specifically the six items in green. Then take the simple quiz on those.

Test Yourself on the Menu - click here

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