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 […]
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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 […]
Skill Focus: Creating Regulars
I am kind of a pain to go eat with. When I make reservations or arrive at any number of restaurants I have a conversation with the host/hostess. Before being seated I have to determine if certain servers are working that night.  Then we all have to wait to get a table in their section. […]
Skills Focus: Building And Maintaining Rapport
Learning how to build and maintain rapport with your guests A friend recently sent me a message on Facebook before his shift. He is fairly new to the serving game, but from what I can tell he is improving quickly. He told me he was heading into a shift and needed to make good money.He’s […]
Skills Focus: Spotting The Complaint
Let’s be honest for a moment. I am about to make a statement that is often acknowledged as truth, but seldom spoke aloud. No one in the industry will really doubt this statement. It is too controversial for most people to acknowledge on the record. Today, I am going to go into uncharted territory by […]
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.