Pizza Today - November 2016 - 30

front of the house / SERVERS

THE FINAL WORD

Understanding server etiquette and how you can avoid the top faux pas
Dining Etiquette for Servers program.
Another confusing issue is that
etiquette-wise, the server shouldn't
remove any plates until the entire party
is finished-otherwise slow eaters will
feel rushed. But at the same time, some
guests dislike looking at dirty dishes
while their companions finish their
meal. This conundrum makes it even
more difficult for the server to know
when, and how, to clear the plates.
To help servers understand how to
overcome these challenges and create
a positive dining experience for guests,
training is crucial; restaurant owners
and managers need to offer servers a
basic overview of what to say, what not
to say, and how to "read" a table.

The words and phrases servers use to conclude the meal can
enhance the dining experience - or

leave guests with a bad taste in their
mouths. Here are the top three faux pas
to watch out for:

BY LINDA FORMICHELLI / PHOTO BY RICK DAUGHERTY

T

he couple seated at table 23 is
enjoying their meal: Not only
did they ooh and aah over the
appetizers, they also quaffed a couple of
glasses of pinot noir and munched their
way through an entire barbecue pizza.
The server walks over to take away
the multitude of used dishes. "Wow,
you cleared your plates!" he says. "Looks
like you were hungry. Here's the check."
The enjoyable date night screeches to
a halt.
Can you count the faux pas the
server committed?* Keep reading for
details on how servers can figure out
when to clear plates and when to bring
the check, without using awkward
3 0 / P I Z Z AT O D AY. C O M / N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 6

phrases or rushing the guests, so the
meal ends on a positive note -and you
end up with repeat customers.
Determining whether guests are
done with their meal, and doing

so graciously, presents a special challenge for servers in pizza restaurants.
"With pizza, the guests may not be
using utensils, so not everyone uses
the utensil signal (see sidebar, "Body
Language") to show they're done. And
some people are not crust eaters, so
the server won't know if they're done
if there's crust left on their plate," says
Robert Shutt, owner of RA Solutions,
etiquette educator, and creator of the

1. Comments that draw attention to how much the guests have
eaten. Phrases like "You cleared your

plate!," "You must have been hungry,"
and "Wow, didn't like that at all, huh?"
can make the guest feel self-conscious
and guilty - not exactly the best way
to end the dining experience. However,
if the diner left a lot of food on their
plate, it's perfectly acceptable to ask
questions to make sure they enjoyed
their meal.
2. Generic phrases. "You still
working on that?," "Want that last
bite or are you all set?," and "Can I get
anything out of the way here?" show
a lack of attention, according to Dean
Small, president and CEO of Synergy
Restaurant Consultants in Newport
Beach, California.
* Answer on page 32
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Pizza Today - November 2016

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