338:; offering cocktails, specialty drinks, wine, beer, or other beverages; recommending food options; requesting the chef to make changes in how food is prepared; pre-clearing the tables; and serving food and beverages to customers. In some higher-end restaurants, servers have a good knowledge of the wine list and can recommend food–wine pairings. At more expensive restaurants, servers memorize the ingredients of the dishes and the manner in which the food is prepared; for example, if the menu lists marinated beef, the customer might ask what the beef is marinated in, for how long, and what cut of beef is used in the dish.
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than the minimum wage employers are required to pay for most other forms of labor to account for the tips, which form a significant portion of the server's income. If wages and tips do not equal the federal minimum wage of $ 7.25 per hour during any week, the employer is required to increase cash wages to compensate for the difference.
419:
In the United States, a tip paid in addition to the amount presented on the bill for food and drinks is customary. At most sit-down restaurants, servers expect a tip after a patron has paid the check. The minimum legally-required hourly wage paid to waiters and waitresses in many U.S. states is lower
396:
Restaurant serving positions require on-the-job training that would be held by an upper-level server in the restaurant. The server will be trained to provide good customer service, learn food items and drinks, and maintain a neat and tidy appearance. Working in a role such as captain in a top rated
133:
and sometimes in private homes, attending to customers by supplying them with food and drink as requested. Waiting staff follow rules and guidelines determined by the manager. Waiting staff carry out many different tasks, such as taking orders, food-running, polishing dishes and silverware, helping
342:
staff are specially trained to serve at banquets or high-end restaurants. These servers follow specific rules and service guidelines, which makes this a skilled job. They generally wear black and white with a long, white apron (extending from the waist to the ankles). At expensive restaurants,
400:
In the United States, some states require individuals employed to handle food and beverages to obtain a food handler's card or permit. In those states, servers that do not have a permit or handler's card can not serve. The server can achieve a permit or handler's card online.
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The head server is in charge of the waiting staff and is also frequently responsible for assigning seating. The head server must insure that all staff do their duties accordingly. The functions of a head server can overlap to some degree with that of the
264:
Expeditor, or "Expo", responsible for ensuring accuracy and completeness of orders. The expeditor is also often responsible for preparing the tray for the servers so they can bring all of the plates of that course to all of the table guests at the same
314:
333:
Such duties of typical waiters include the following: preparing a section of tables before guests sit down (e.g., changing the tablecloth, putting out new utensils, cleaning chairs, etc.), although typically this is a responsibility of
343:
waiting staff also keep blacklists of rude customers. Some waiting staff, are trained to deal with aggressive customers and how to restrain them, until security or police arrive. Also they are trained at first aid, specifically the
348:
404:
No food certification requirements are needed in Canada. However, to serve alcoholic beverages in Canada, servers must undergo their province's online training course within a month of being hired.
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for wine service, and occasionally a maître fromager for the cheese service. A host or hostess may be responsible for seating diners if there is not a maître d'hôtel.
349:
https://pos.toasttab.com/blog/on-the-line/how-to-train-restaurant-upselling-techniques#:~:text=It's%20the%20most%20cliché%20phrase,margin%20items%20and%20add%2Dons.
1090:
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staff. Owners require servers to actively “upsell” to increase sales; bringing higher check averages and increased commission for the server.
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1234:
1032:"U.S. Department of Labor - Wage and Hour Division - U.S. Department of Labor-Handy Reference Guide to the Fair Labor Standards Act"
989:
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In such restaurants, the captain is typically responsible for interacting with the diners and overseeing waiters.
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are generally used only within their historical context, and are generally seen as rude in the modern vocabulary.
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1076:
46:
885:
651:
42:
31:
961:
933:
Seymour, Diane (2000-06-30). "Emotional labour: a comparison between fast food and traditional service work".
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bus tables, entertaining patrons, restocking working stations with needed supplies, and handing out the bill.
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38:
1121:
361:
255:
1203:
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258:, responsible for dining room as a whole, greets guests; sometimes acts as headwaiter and/or supervisor
152:
Many restaurants choose a specific uniform for their waiting staff to wear. Waiting staff may receive
435:
977:...as captains or servers or sommeliers, our job wasn't just serving food, it was playing a part....
251:
In large luxury establishments, there are often multiple ranks of waiting staff in the dining room:
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130:
351:
149:
estimates that, as of May 2008, there are over 2.2 million people employed as servers in the U.S.
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as a minor or major part of their earnings, with customs varying widely from country to country.
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https://www.tablecheck.com/en/blog/restaurant-upselling-strategies-tactics-dos-and-donts/
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153:
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1007:
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738:
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Hall, E. J. (1993). "WAITERING/WAITRESSING:: Engendering the Work of Table
Servers".
568:
450:
364:. Restaurants in North America employ an additional level of waiting staff, known as
142:
52:
1208:
904:
696:
644:
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restaurant requires disciplined role-playing comparable to a theater performance.
897:
845:
Frank J. Prial, "Restaurant
Tipping: The Captain, the Waiter, The Sommelier...",
765:
689:
388:
is often required of waiting staff, particularly at many high-class restaurants.
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878:
440:
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Bar back, who helps a bartender by bussing, and restocking glassware and alcohol
68:
56:
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722:
545:
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523:
122:
773:
730:
382:, to clear dirty dishes, set tables, and otherwise assist the waiting staff.
1182:
1126:
1111:
599:
445:
297:
665:"Waitperson – Definition and More from the Free Merriam–Webster Dictionary"
413:
323:
882:
The
American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
648:
The
American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
17:
1177:
327:
223:. The last two terms are gender neutral but rarely used, and the terms
37:"Waiter", "Waiters", and "Waitress" redirect here. For other uses, see
1116:
544:
U.S. Department of Labor - Bureau of Labor
Statistics (24 May 2006).
366:
335:
286:
1068:
654:, 2004, via dictionary.com website. Retrieved on 17 September 2007.
307:
277:
Back waiter, who helps waiters refill water, replenish bread, etc.
126:
73:
62:
51:
1147:
1072:
699:, via dictionary.com website. Retrieved on 17 September 2007.
546:"Occupational Employment and Wages - Waiters and Waitresses"
907:, Inc., via dictionary.com. Retrieved on 19 September 2007.
231:
are increasingly used for women too. Archaic terms such as
352:://www.thewaitersacademy.com/2021/12/upselling-techniques/
752:
Allan, Keith (2007). "The pragmatics of connotation".
888:, via dictionary.com. Retrieved on 19 September 2007.
865:"How to get on a restaurant's hit list - Macleans.ca"
827:
Pascale le
Draoulec, "Who's who in the dining room",
570:
Tips on
Tipping: A Global Guide to Gratuity Etiquette
506:"What is the politically correct term for waitress?"
1191:
1140:
1104:
669:
Dictionary and
Thesaurus – Merriam–Westbster Online
990:"Food Safety and Food Handlers State Requirements"
567:
412:Customs vary regionally regarding the payment of
918:"Uh, no offense, but do you still say 'busboy'?"
815:"The American Heritage Dictionary entry: Waiter"
935:International Journal of Hospitality Management
787:Siegal, Allan M.; Connolly, William G. (1999).
1084:
141:and among the most common occupations in the
30:"Waited" redirects here. For other uses, see
8:
790:The New York Times Manual of Style and Usage
1091:
1077:
1069:
283:Runner, who brings cooked dishes to diners
1059:USA Today article on wait staff treatment
574:. Bradt Travel Guides. pp. viii–ix.
481:"WAITING English Definition and Meaning"
520:"SERVER English Definition and Meaning"
472:
268:Captain, responsible for several tables
1064:Why is service still so bad in the UK?
296:There are also specialists, notably a
95:
596:"WAIT English Definition and Meaning"
432:, about organization of kitchen staff
109:
7:
326:, lit on fire, served by waiters in
793:. Three Rivers Press. p. 354.
566:Reg Butler; Carole French (2011).
25:
923:. Retrieved on 19 September 2007.
916:Schmich, Mary. (24 August 2007.)
901:Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
693:Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
137:Waiting on tables is part of the
960:Edward Frame (August 22, 2015).
994:www.foodsafetyonlineclasses.com
671:. Merriam-Webster, Incorporated
374:, increasingly referred to as
121:(AmE) are those who work at a
1:
947:10.1016/S0278-4319(00)00009-8
184: is commonly called a
766:10.1016/j.pragma.2006.08.004
598:. Lexico.com. Archived from
522:. Lexico.com. Archived from
483:. Lexico.com. Archived from
289:, clears tables, sets tables
921:Chicago Tribune Web Edition
1251:
723:10.1177/089124393007003002
147:Bureau of Labor Statistics
36:
29:
1235:Food services occupations
47:Waitress (disambiguation)
886:Houghton Mifflin Company
652:Houghton Mifflin Company
548:. US Department of Labor
202:member of the wait staff
78:A Swedish waitress, 2012
43:Waiters (disambiguation)
67:A waitress in a hotel,
39:Waiter (disambiguation)
962:"Dinner and Deception"
330:
79:
71:
60:
1204:Restaurant management
754:Journal of Pragmatics
322:
77:
66:
55:
711:Gender & Society
436:Chamberlain (office)
966:The New York Times
851:, March 12, 1979,
625:Collins Dictionary
430:Brigade de cuisine
331:
80:
72:
61:
27:Service occupation
1217:
1216:
1105:Dining area staff
830:Los Angeles Times
800:978-0-8129-6389-2
581:978-1-84162-210-1
380:server assistants
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174:waiting at tables
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16:(Redirected from
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1230:Restaurant staff
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1008:"Why do we tip?"
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835:October 24, 2007
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760:(6): 1047–1057.
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461:Flight attendant
386:Emotional labour
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59:waitress in 1973
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602:on May 15, 2020
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1053:External links
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362:maître d'hôtel
345:Silver service
340:Silver service
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287:Busser, busboy
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166:waiting tables
164:An individual
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1039:. Retrieved
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673:. Retrieved
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645:"Waitstaff."
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630:12 September
628:. Retrieved
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604:. Retrieved
600:the original
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550:. Retrieved
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524:the original
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485:the original
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392:Requirements
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81:
1173:Pastry chef
1036:www.dol.gov
675:22 December
441:Hospitality
241:serving lad
182:waitressing
160:Terminology
69:North Korea
57:Miami Beach
1224:Categories
1168:Dishwasher
1041:2017-04-26
1017:2016-10-27
971:August 23,
898:"Busgirl."
690:"Waitron."
606:2022-08-24
552:2006-12-31
530:2022-08-24
491:2022-08-24
467:References
414:gratuities
408:Gratuities
217:waitperson
170:waiting on
123:restaurant
105:waitresses
1183:Sous-chef
1127:Sommelier
1112:Bartender
879:"Busboy."
774:0378-2166
739:144249565
731:0891-2432
446:Soda jerk
298:sommelier
206:waitstaff
178:waitering
1192:See also
877:(2004.)
424:See also
372:busgirls
324:Saganaki
198:waitress
18:Waitress
1178:Saucier
376:bussers
367:busboys
336:bussers
328:Chicago
221:waitron
129:, or a
119:servers
91:waiters
32:Waiting
1132:Server
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853:p. B13
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304:Duties
271:Waiter
229:server
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186:waiter
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117:), or
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735:S2CID
247:Roles
239:, or
219:, or
176:) or
127:diner
1163:Cook
1148:Chef
973:2015
795:ISBN
770:ISSN
727:ISSN
677:2013
632:2023
576:ISBN
265:time
227:and
168:(or
154:tips
125:, a
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943:doi
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.