Kansas City Food Blog

​We've all got a mental checklist of things that servers can do to improve or ruin their tip. The New York Times blog You're The Boss has created a two-part list (the second half will run next week) of "100 things a restaurant staffer should never do."

The first 50 suggestions all seek to put the needs of the guest first, to keep the restaurant running smoothly and to avoid value judgments.

The list feels a bit like Miss Manners for restaurateurs -- a formal and slightly outmoded advice guide that still has some relevance and truth. It includes suggestions such as: plates should not be removed before everyone is done; the specials should be announced clearly; and personal recommendations should be held back, particularly if there's a special on lobster. These might fly in a white-coat steak house but would seem out of place in a fast-casual spot.
Offering professional advice for a restaurant staff isn't wrong, but it does involve trying to stifle some creativity -- it's essentially saying that people come for the food, not a server's personality. But the list can't be dismissed entirely because nobody wants a wobbly table (#5) or to wait to be seated until the entire party has arrived #(3).

It would be more valuable and realistic to have flexible rules based on the establishment. If you're required to sing for birthdays, odds are it's fine to introduce yourself by name to the table and you don't have to worry about wine presentation. But if you work at a place with an expediter, busser and sommelier, you have to think about the image you're projecting as a server.

Either way, this is the kind of list that will make you want to slap the author or shake his hand. What's it going to be servers and diners? Do we need more formality in dining establishments or should we all just relax and enjoy the service so long as the tableware is clean and the food comes out hot? 
 
[Image via Flickr: howard n2got]