One of the first posts on this blog explained my fascination with cherry limeades that pre-dates my Arnold Palmer affection.  I wrote of the benefits of pitching every table a “mean cherry limeade.â€Â Eventually, I even posted my recipe for a cherry limeade. A funny thing happened with my most recent job change. I was […]
About David Hayden
Author Archive | David Hayden
What If I Don’t Like My Guests?
Recently, I wrote a skill focus post on the importance of developing a positive rapport with your guests. In the post I emphasized the importance of letting the guest know that you liked them. Remember that one of the easiest ways to make someone like you is to let them know that you like them. […]
Skill Focus: Selling As A Server
Of all of the concepts I have introduced on this blog and in my book, this week’s sales focus deals with the topic that I feel most strongly about. This is the one area I am most disappointed with how it is addressed by the restaurant industry. So many restaurant companies now refer to their […]
Skill Focus: Don’t Be “The Serverâ€
Several years ago, when I was starting my previous serving job, I had a moment of server panic. My new restaurant had just been voted the best restaurant in town. It was busy most every night. My sales were significantly higher than at my previous job. The problem was that my tips were virtually the […]
About The Author
David Hayden was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri. He took his first serving job in 1996. Since that time, he has worked for over a dozen different restaurant companies. He has held both hourly and salaried positions at independent and corporate restaurants. He has waited on over 100,000 guests and trained hundreds of servers. He has been named "Best Server in Kansas City" the last three years by the local weekly paper.