Rule Six: Never spend money you haven’t made.  I am glad July of 2010 is behind me. I cannot recall a month that was less lucrative in my serving career. My income dropped by well over 50% last month. Unbearable heat combined with a disproportionate number of patio shifts took a chunk out of […]
Tag Archives | how to be a better restaurant server
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 […]
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 […]
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.