When it comes to running a successful restaurant, it’s all about the details. You’ve probably made sure that the ambiance is just right, and that your menu is on point. The final detail comes down to selecting and training the wait staff for your restaurant, and this is one area that you don’t want to skimp on. Restaurant Rockstars offers comprehensive restaurant consulting that includes an online server training system that will enable your staff to serve, sell, and wow your customers! Today, we’ll take a look at three areas that absolutely cannot be overlooked when it comes to training your wait staff.

Knowledge

Training your staff to be knowledgeable about all aspects of their position will pay out dividends in the end. When your staff knows the menu inside and out, he or she can answer questions about various dishes, preparation methods, and potential allergy concerns. Guests will also often ask where the restroom is and maybe even about the history or vision of the restaurant. Because your servers are the primary customer-facing employee of your restaurant, training your staff well in these key areas is the biggest step to ensuring your guests enjoy their visit.

Etiquette

Knowledge is nothing without etiquette and manners. A proper server training system will recognize this and aim to teach skills that allow your servers to be socially engaging, approachable, and able to anticipate the needs and preferences of guests. While these skills are very important to learn, they cannot be learned without the opportunity to practice them. Role playing can be an excellent means of encouraging your servers to practice their newly-learned skills.

 

Appearance

Lastly, training your servers in the way of proper appearance is also vital to the success of your restaurant. Because your staff is customer-facing, everything from poor posture to a wrinkled shirt or heavy perfume can make or break a guest’s first impression of your venue. While formality can vary from one restaurant to another, there are some tips that are applicable in any professional server position. When training your wait staff, ensure they understand the importance of a clean well-kept appearance that will let diners know their time and business is respected.

For more information on Restaurant Rockstars and our online server and staff training, contact us! We’d love to help you turn your dream of successful restaurant ownership into reality!