The secret of the CrazyWaiter
I made a presentation to show in a comprehensive way my secrets
"Why did the CrazyWaiter become as one of the employees who were cited most as 'outstanding'? A personal vision about Service and the quality of it by someone on the workfloor"
“How to manage the CrazyWaiter” – for dummies
I'm working already 20 years in the restaurant business and I think I can say I know how to do it. I'm very easy to manage, but even better if you keep the following things in mind! I guess it doesn't work only for me, but for most of you - so feel free to reuse it!
- First of all: never ever use the imperative. You absolutely don't have to beg but at least ask friendly
because I'll do it anyway - Say what I have to do and try to avoid explaining how to do it
- In 90% of the cases there is a reason when I do something in a different way as usual
- Try to collect as much tasks as possible and give them in one time. It is annoying if you keep giving a new task after I completed the former task. When given the complete to do-list I have (also) an overview and I can combine things and make priorities
- Don't stay immobile watching after giving orders. Help me, do something else or walk away
- Most of times I know what and how to do. If I don't do it immediately I'll see it a moment later or something else has a bigger priority to do
- Don't give feedback when the heat is on
- Give me the chance to work as independent as possible. Just let me do my thing.
- Don't worry, when I need help or don't know anything I won't be afraid to ask
- I'm not blind for the interests of other stakeholders but never ever forget that the guest is the central point in (almost) everything I do!
The fifth chair
An interesting story about hospitality:
"On this premises I'd like to tell you a little story that occurred to me a short while ago when I was visiting the beautiful city of Trieste with my wife and few friends. (..)
Our research soon produced a typical trattoria owned by an old couple, with 25-30 seats, husband in the kitchen, wife is in the room - and you immediately notice it. The interiors' decorations, the courteousness were a clear sign of a woman's touch hence we felt at home the moment we walked in. But something weird caught my attention. Sitting at the rounded table set for four people, I noticed something unusual: five chairs for four people…I couldn't figure out why was that and when I looked at the rest of the room I was really intrigued since all the tables presented the same layout. That's not a mistake - I thought - there must be something related to the service."
Read the whole story at Serving is a supreme art.
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Unexpected Acts of Service
Nowadays everybody nows the "random acts of kindness". Let's translate that to our business and call it "Unexpected acts of Service". It's doing something small that gives joy to the guest (and yourself) so that the service quality experience is higher. And happy guests are returning guests
It can be very simple. The secret is looking and listening very careful to verbal and above all non-verbal comunications. The best thing is when you do the act of course unexpected with a smile and when possible walking away without saying anything like nothing happened.
For your inspiration some examples of UAoS:
- Bringing a gluten free dessert when the birthdaycake is coming for a girl (*)
- Looking for some color pencils if you see that those from the guest are broken
- Bringing some wet towels when people have to shake a lot of hands with a condoleance or wedding
- Giving a glass of water when you see that someone is very very thirsty
- Adding some honey if you bring tea to singers
- Bringing a plate with small cookies if you hear that people are discussing who has to take the last cookie
- Indicating the way to the toilet if you see someone looking for it
- Serving grated cheese if you hear a kid complain that there is no cheese on the pasta
- If you see that a guest (almost) didn't eat anyting, ask 'whether you can do something for him' (never:'something is wrong?') or even bring another alternative dish unasked (with possible with sit-down dinners)
The management has to create the opportunities for making the UAoS possible, because some acts might cost some time or other resouces. But the added value is immense!
Do you have other examples of UAoS?
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One, two… THREE
CrazyWaiters Drinks Calculator
This weekend the CrazyWaiter spent his time spending assisting a friend who threw a party. Of course I concentrated myself on the food and beverage with serving his guests and friends. When J. asked some weeks ago for help to plan how many drinks he should buy for his party, I made a calculator. I'm happy to share it with you. You enter the values in the yellow and the blue cells, and the list to buy will be visible in the pink cells.
As always with calculatingmodels, the quality of the output depends strongly on the input. If you enter 40 guests during 6 hours, don't be surprised that you can bring back 75% of the stock to the shop when there are only 25 guests during 3 hours. Luckily we could get the money back, but what a pity that we had to spent this money on a parking fine - never felt so stupid
BTW, when I entered the right data, the shopping list was very close to what the people had consumed in reality :proud:
The party was nice, but it is over now, so here it is...
CrazyWaiters Drinks Calculator
(Disclaimer: use it wisely and at own risk. CrazyWaiter is not responsible etc. etc. etc.)
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100 skills every Crazy Waiter should know (part 1)
Inspired by this list our own list! Take it as serious as you think it should be! How many points do you have?
- Holding 3 plates with food in 1 hand and one in the other (1 point)
- Taking orders in 3 langues (1 point)
- Taking orders in 4,5 or 6 languages (2, 3 or 4 points)
- Handling complaints (2 points)
- Inventing your own lyrics on existing songs (1 point)
- Singing a song with a random word (1 point)
- Flirting with beautiful young (not too young though) Italian girls (1 point)
- Flirting with ugly old woman (3 points)
- Pre-bussying (clearing) a whole table of four in one time (2 points)
- Stop young children who cry and if possible make them smile every time you pass (2 points)
- Opening a wine bottle with a opener (1 points)
- Changing a beerfust (1 point)
- Serving the plates together with a collegue in a synchronized way (2 points)
- Make a Margherita (2 points)
- Knowing the difference between the production of red and white wine (1 points)
- Knowing the difference between sparkling and not sparking wine (2 points)
- Influencing the hostess, so you get the best tables (1 points)
- Influencing the hostess so you won't get the latest tables so you can see your 'girl friend' (2 points)
- Debrassing 10 plates in one time (2 points)
- Cleaning invisible the knives while they are already on the table (2 points)
(the other 80 skills will follow in part 2, 3 4 and 5)
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Remarkable CrazyWaiter… part 2
Also this year your CrazyWaiter is one the employees who are cited the most as remarkable. (I believe ca. 60 certificates out of >5.000 employees, 2 in every restaurant.) It's always nice and inspiring to get some appreciation, even when it's for the second time. It shows that you're doing something well...
Although I hope there will be a hattick (also one of the most cited for the third time next year), I won't be sad when another colleague will get this honour next year because there are so many nice, friendly and good waiters in my workplace. (no names... you know who you are
Serving twice
The tables are seated twice in the restaurant where I work, some tables even three times. This is for me one of the hardest part of the job. In the time I learnt some tricks how to make it easier for myself thus improving the quality. Of course I'll be happy to share these tricks with you:

- Pre-bussing (taking empty glasses, bottles and cuttery away) the table (without giving the feeling that the guest has to leave) is essential!
- You spend most time in the chain emptying the table -> going to kitchen -> emptying your tray -> going back -> redressing the table with middle three steps. So I try to empty as many tables as possible at the same time to save time.
- The hardest moment is when there are guests who leave and want to pay and new guests arrive and want to give their order. My manager and hotesse won't be happy to read this but the easiest way to avoid is to wait with redressing the tables untill your station is completely empty (or the guests left don't have to pay in the first couple of minutes). Of course you stay active and try to empty the tables and put the material on the table (so if they really need it, it's easy for the hostess to redress it) but this secret method saves a lot of stress. In my opinion being flatseated is more efficient (you take all the orders at the same time) than doing 2 payments and 2 orders mixed. I realize that the guests have to wait longer for their table but I prefer that above confronting them with a freaked out CrazyWaiter!
- Even if the table isn't ready for the guests, I try to take care that there is already bread, spoons and glasses on the table. Our collegues seat the people as long as there are two knives, two forks and a napkin on the table but missing items as mentioned cause a lot of stress because the guest will ask for it. Pan and cuchara are the first Spanish words I learned for this reason!
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The real me
Et voila, this is the real me! Seen by Katie.
Sometimes I have real artists in my restaurant
Yesterday a girl was drawing and I told her:"I need a new Facebook profile picture" and gave her a paper. Katie draw this impression of me.
She's not the only one who draw the CrazyWaiter in the past so I set up a galery-page to honour all the efforts made by my little lovelyguests.







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