A Murphy bed is probably something most of us are unfamiliar with by name. It is the name for a bed that folds down from the wall for sleeping and can be folded up into the wall after the occupant awakes. It was designed originally by the Murphy Bed Company. In 1989 an appellate court […]
Kicking the Cat
Let me begin this post with a story: An animal rights activist was driving down the highway in his VW Microbus. He was happily thinking about what a beautiful day it was. He was so caught up in these thoughts that he didn’t notice when he drifted into the next lane and cut off a […]
The Rules of Serving: Rule Nine
Rule Nine: Never Get Just One Some of the most influential philosophers of the last five hundred years have done some of their greatest writing on the concept of a “social contract.â€Â Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Rawls, and many other have written at length on the subject. The notion of a “social contract†pertains to the […]
The Rules of Serving: Rule Eight
(Note: One thing that became apparent to me when I wrote “The Best of Tips for Improving your Tips†last week was that I really need to wrap up my “Rules of Serving†series. This week I am going to post the final three rules.) Rule Eight: Never count your money until you run your […]
Have You Done Your Rollups?
Last night I was thinking about rollups. Over the course of my serving career I have done a few rollups. I started wondering exactly how many I had done though. I opened up an excel spreadsheet and set out to determine how many I had done over the years. The answer surprised me. I have […]
The Best of Tips For Improving Your Tips
Welcome to the final installment of “best of†week on The Hospitality Formula Network. Today I am looking back to where it all began. Tips2 was the original focus when I began blogging. It is still the largest blog on the network and in my opinion the one that can have the most impact on […]
Please Remain Calm
It happens every year. There is a phenomenon that I have never understood that is taking place. It defies all logic, but occurs annually like clockwork. It can only be summarized at a collective freak out that sweeps most of the nation simultaneously without anyone acknowledging it. People stop eating out for the first two […]
How To Sell The “Add On”
This is a topic that I have been debating writing about the “add on”  for a long time. It is an incredibly important topic that can improve both the satisfaction of your guests and increase your income. It is also one of the least popular topics amongst servers. Managers often preach the benefits of selling the […]
One Liners For Servers
We all know that a good joke can really lighten the mood with a table. Most servers are also aware that we are not stand up comedians. Standing in front of your table and telling a two minute joke is not your job. It is a fine line for a server. You need a joke […]
And This Is How It Ends
Four years ago, I took a big step up in restaurants to start my current job. A co-worker’s girlfriend recommended me to her boss. I interviewed and was hired on the spot. I still remember the way it felt walking into the restaurant for that interview.  How impressive the building was. How professional the staff […]
Is Running Hot Food Always The Priority?
I have worked for a number of companies and managers over the years who repeated a similar mantra: ‘Running hot food from the window is the top priority.’ This is often echoed by managers, kitchen staff, and expediters. It has been emphasized so frequently that it’s generally accepted as fact. While this is an important […]
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.