One of the biggest mysteries for newer servers is the world of cocktails. Most of us started out with a base knowledge of what jungle juice, Milwaukee’s Best, and Boone’s Farm taste like. The upper end cocktails and liquors however remain a mystery. For liquor questions I usually refer people to Teleburst’s blog. I wanted […]
Refuting Emmer’s Myths
(For my previous posts on Tom Emmer, click here) For those of you who haven’t been following the Tom Emmer story in the last week, let me bring you up to speed. Last Saturday in one of the most patronizing publicity stunts I have ever witnessed, Tom Emmer “waited tables.â€Â I put this in quotation […]
The Rules of Serving: Rule Five
Rule Five: Always recommend what is in the guest’s best interest, not yours.   (Note: There are many hyperlinks today that will send you to posts were I have previously addressed specifically issues that I address in this post.) This is the second time in two days I have sat down to write this […]
Selling, Upselling, and Integrity
I sat down today to write about rule five. As I did so I realized that a preface was in order. This morning I sat on my patio drinking coffee and reviewing the outline that I have scribbled on a legal pad. I began thinking about why this post was even necessary. It should be […]
Cherry Limeade Recipe
A brief break between shifts on a double today. I have worked exceptionally little over the last two weeks. This of course meant that it was too hot for anyone to sit on the patio this afternoon for my patio shift. A piece of Sockeye Salmon over a mushroom risotto with a white wine sauce […]
A Few More Thoughts On Emmer
I covered this issue in yesterday’s post, but have since ran across several interesting pieces of information I wanted to pass along. MN Gov Nominee Tom Emmer said in a recent stop at the Eagle Street Grille that the owners had told him three of their employees were making over $100,000 a year as a […]
Fighting For The Server Wage
A brief disclaimer: This is not a political blog. I am not looking to get into politics with it. I will only enter the political realm when it is specifically relevant to servers.  This is one of those cases. Tom Emmer is a State Representative in Minnesota and the presumable Republican Nominee for Governor. In […]
How To Sell The Bottle
There really is no greater subtle statement of status in a restaurant than having a great bottle of wine on your table. The surrounding tables all take notice. It is a declaration of class and announces to the dining room that you can afford the finer things in life. It is a reward. It is […]
How To Sell More Desserts
I suppose I should start this post by thanking all of the servers who are still reading after my six post series on management and motivation. I know it is a server blog, but I also recognize that a large portion of my readership is comprised of managers. I hope those who read it found […]
Coupons, Discounts, and How to Deal
The old adage says, “There is no such thing as a free lunch.†Whoever said this wasn’t looking hard enough. Today it seems every restaurant is offering some sort of deal. Prices are being slashed. “Buy one get one free†is a growing part of the lexicon. Restaurants that previously never would have thought of […]
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.