Unlike Europe and Asia,
where servers are often paid a set of hourly wage or fixed salary,
the most common and accepted way to pay servers here in America is through tips.
It depends what States you are in.
It can be from $2 to $10 per hour.
If you are an aspiring server or currently a server who wants to maximize
their tips, then this video is right for you. In this video,
I'm going to give you 12 tips and tricks on how you can make more money as a
server. So if you're interested, then just keep on watching!
[Inaudible].
Hey, love. Welcome to my channel. My name is Rio from Rioworldwide,
bridging Filipino and American culture for today's video we have another episode
of how to become a server. If you haven't watched the first three parts,
I will link it down below and also put here at the card so you guys can just
click it. But anyway, for today's video,
I'm going to give you the 12 tips and tricks on how you can make more money as a
server. So without further ado, let's now jump into the video. Tip number one,
genuinely care to your guests. Be attentive, smile,
always check if they need anything or ask, how was their day?
You can also ask if this is their first time in your restaurant or in your
resort. And also you can ask them if they are celebrating something,
because most of the time,
if you are working in the resort or in an upscale restaurant,
they are most likely celebrating something because not a lot of people,
you know, will go to an upscale restaurant just for like a regular dinner.
Most of the time they're celebrating something special.
So what you can do is make their day extra special by asking them,
Oh, is there someone, you know, celebrating something,
an anniversary or birthday? So in that case, you can ask your manager, "Hi,
you know, my guest is celebrating their anniversary.
Is there any way that we can make their anniversary memorable?" That's like also
building your relationship with them. So it is really, really good.
I highly highly recommend it.
Not only they can mention your name in the GSS in a TripAdvisor,
but also they will give you a good recommendation through your managers and
we'll give you great tips. Tip number two, try to remember your guests faces.
So when they come back to your restaurant, you can recognize them.
And because when you can recognize them, guests feel extra special.
So that's another point for you, you can also call them by their last name,
for example. "Hello, Mr. Smith, welcome back again." "Hello,
Mrs. Smith welcome!" So how will you know their last names or their first name?
You can ask the host because sometimes,
or most of the time they will ask for their names.
So the host will have a record of their name. Also,
you can ask your managers if there are VIP, is that will be coming in today or,
you know, during your shift. So in that way, you know, who are the VIP's,
who are the people that you need to give extra care or extra time, you know?
And also just like in general,
I highly suggest to treat everyone like a VIP,
because when you take care of your guests, they will take care of you.
Tip number three,
It's never "I don't know" its "let me find out" because when you say no to
the guests tip number one, they will be disappointed or they will get upset,
or maybe they can understand. You never know,
especially if that is your first time encountering that guest.
So when they have special requests,
always make sure that you also confirm with the kitchen because sometimes even
though the kitchen can do it, but if you guys are very busy, most of the time,
the kitchen cannot, you know, like accept special requests.
So always make sure to check first with a chef, check with the manager,
and then inform your guests that you can, you know,
we are happy to inform you that your request can be granted.
So always make sure to never say, "I don't know, or no, no,
we cannot do that" Instead, let me find out,
let me double check with my manager. Tip number four,
always ask if they have any food allergies in that way,
you can take note of, you know, whatever with allergies, they have that.
That's also one way of protecting yourself from a disaster that can happen to
your guests. And also that is one way on saving your guests,
you know from dying, because someone can die from a food allergy.
So it is very important that you're always, always,
always ask your guests if they have any food allergies.
And after you finished taking all of their orders,
always try to or not just try, but always repeat their orders.
So you know, and they know that you guys are on the same page,
you'll hear everything, all of their requests, right? Tip number five,
greet everyone that enters your restaurant,
even though you don't introduce your name literally to them,
but because since you have your name, they can recognize your name.
And of course, specially put yourself in the shoes of a guest.
If someone is like, you know, you think that they are very welcoming.
They're very friendly. Don't you like wish that, Oh, I wish that this my server,
she looks very accommodating. You know what I mean? So if they know,
or if they recognize your name through your name tag or your personality,
that you are very accommodating or a friendly server, of course they will,
they will most likely to request for you.
Which also means that they can mention your name in the GSS or TripAdvisor.
They can recommend you to your manager. And if you are serving them,
they can give you more tips. Step number six, get the checkbook for your tips,
receipts, and order.
You need to have a checkbook or a check presenter when you are presenting or
giving the recipients or guests. Now, most of the time,
if you are in an upscale restaurant, of course they will have a check presenter,
which you can use.
But if your restaurant doesn't have a checkbook or a check presenter,
or some times, which always happened in our research during the busy season,
is that most of the time the servers have already, you know,
the guest is using the check presenter and there will be none left for you by
having your own checkbook or check presenter means that when you guys are
busy, you don't have to worry about the availability of the check presenter.
You know that you always have it and your guests can use it. For example,
this is the little booklet that you can give to your guests by the end of their
meal with their bill inside.
This is to hold the receipts from completed transactions, cash tips,
and the pad of paper on which to record your order. Tip number seven,
leave a token of appreciation,
handing out a small token of appreciation like candy, mint,
or fortune cookie is a very simple way to increase your tip. Tip number eight,
learn the menu inside, out and backwards. Memorizing the menu,
both food and drinks will vastly improve the quality of service that you
can offer to your guests. Flip the script for a second. Imagine,
say you go out to eat or grab a drink with your friends and you ask your
restaurant server for a personal recommendation or the ingredients that is
included in the menu item. How would you feel if you ask, was met with mumbles,
a confused look and tell you, let me ask my manager. Annoyed?
Your guest will be too.
If you don't learn the menu as a restaurant server,
it is not only your job to learn the menu inside out and backwards,
but to be able to make recommendation for your guests.
Share all the available add ons and answer basic questions about common
ingredients or allergy risk. Guys,
I'm telling you that you should take this really seriously because it takes a
lot of effort to become a really good server. And if you really want to,
you know, to make more money or have more tips in your salary,
then you should give a better service and how you can do that?
By practicing training, learning, you know,
molding your skills and learning from others and learning from your mistakes.
Tip number nine, choose a password or an upscale restaurant.
Remember the higher the bill, the higher,
the tips that you can get from your guests.
The server in the Cracker barrel and the server in the fine dining
restaurants earns differently, even though they are both really good,
but because Cracker barrel is so affordable,
of course the bill is much less lower,
but if you're already in an upscale restaurant and you know,
and usually they will have a bill of $150
to $200 per table, their tips you know,
they give typically from between 15 to 20% of their total bill.
So the more affordable your food menu items are the lesser, like, you know,
the tips that they can give you. So the higher the bill, the higher the tip.
Tip Number, study and practice the steps of service. Guys.
I made the whole video step by step video about this.
I believe it is in the part, two of the episode, so make sure to check it out.
But anyway,
I highly highly recommend this because while I've practiced the steps of
service, it also, you know,
give me the opportunity to become the employee of the month.
So if you just not want, you know, a lot of tips,
but also to become the employer of month, I highly highly recommend it.
Tip number 11, always keep track of your paycheck and tip.
One of the most complicated salary are the tipped employee because each
restaurants,
each States have different laws and regulations and rules about, you know,
getting tip. So we have what we call tip pooling,
which is very complicated if this is specially your first time encountering it
because each hotel or each restaurants have different rules on doing this.
And also it depends what state you're in because they have different laws and
regulations about tip pooling. So for example, in the total bill of your guests,
the service charges hundred dollars.
So those hundred dollars will not go everything to your bank account,
it will be shared by you by your assistant server, by your food runner,
by your bar back and by your bartenders.
So it's still depends on the restaurant. Like what I said, I said,
so if you guys practice tip pooling,
always always ask your HR or your manager on how it works in your restaurant.
So there's also what we called sub minimum wage and tip credit. Now,
if you're not familiar with this, because this is very complicated,
I made the video before on how does, you know,
a tipped employees can really earns or how much can you really earn as a server
here in the United States. So I break down, like,
I go really the details on this.
And I don't want to repeat myself because it's really a complicated and you need
a lot of to pay attention on that. So I highly suggest to watch this video.
I will link it down below and also link in the description box below.
So you guys can just click it there and watch it there. Tip number 12,
choose your state wisely.
Now I know most of my viewers will be J1 or from another country.
And if you are watching this before your program,
choose your state wisely. Why?
Because every state has different laws about tIpped employees.
Every restaurant in California, Washington, Minnesota, Alaska, Oregon,
Nevada, and Montana,
has to pay every employee the same base minimum wage. So what do I mean by this?
For example, you are working in California and the minimum wage,
there is $10. Then even if you are a tip employee,
you will still get $10. But for example, you are working in Florida, in Florida,
they don't practice this,
so the tipped employees get less based on their hourly rate
instead of $7.25 before when I was working there, I only get around $5.25,
around that amount.
So just to give you guys an idea of how you can make the most money or how you
can make more money, and not just that,
on how you can really budget your income while you are here in the United
States.
Here are the top 10 highest income tax States for 2019.
First is California. Next is Hawaii, Oregon, Minnesota,
Iowa, New Jersey, Vermont, District of Columbia,
New York and Wisconsin. So if you choose to live in these 10 States,
then you should expect that your cost of living will be higher. Now,
there are only seven States that doesn't have personal income tax.
And that is Wyoming, Washington, Texas, South Dakota,
Nevada, Florida, and Alaska.
This way you guys can have now more ideas on how you can really make the
most of your money and how you can also save it. You know what I mean?
Because taxes are no joke here in America.
So if you guys want to know more about the budgeting expenses of a J1 interns,
you know, or just living here in the United States,
I have a lot of videos that I made here. I will link it also down below,
and also put it here in the card. So you guys can just click it.
If you enjoyed this video,
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