top of page
Lesson 3
Managing Your Section
How to Prioritize
Pro tip: View your section as a whole.
The Essentials
Managing Stress
Handling Problems
Triple Sat!!
Mistakes Happen
Difficult People
Managing Stress
Pro tip: Stop for a few seconds and prioritize if you are feeling overwhelmed. Find a spot out of view of your tables and get your thoughts in order.
Managing stress isn't easy for anyone, but these tips may help.
Leave your personal problems at the door when you clock in, but also leave your work stress at the restaurant when you clock out. When your shift is complete, let it go.
Engage in self care.
Be prepared for your shift.
Use the tips below to deal with problems, mistakes, and
tough customers.
Try to reframe your thinking for a positive attitude. View issues that arise as challenges rather than problems. There are many resources for attempting this change in mindset.
Mistakes Happen
Even the most skillful servers will spill something, drop something, submit an order wrong, forget something, or find themselves "in the weeds" at times. When this happens:
Be honest with your customer about the issue.
Let the customer know as soon as you realize there is a problem.
Work to correct the problem.
Apologize. Apologize. Apologize. An earnest apology goes a long way.
Don't hesitate to involve a manager if needed.
Triple Sat!!
Stop by briefly to let your table know that you are aware they are waiting and that you will be back in a few moments. Acknowledging that they exist will go a long way.
Enlist the help of another server or manager to help get drinks to your tables.
Try not to get flustered. You can only move as fast as you can move.
Handling Problems
When a customer brings a problem to your attention:
Respond quickly.
Thank them for bringing it to your attention.
Apologize.
Involve a manager if needed.
Difficult People
Some customers will be demanding, irritable, or impossible to please.
Dealing with difficult people can be a challenge. There are many resources on the internet for just this reason.
However, following the guidelines on this page and the other best practices and tips in Server Training 2.0 can lessen the impact of these individuals.
bottom of page