Q&A for How to Be a Great Waitress

Tables are usually numbered, so when you take the customer's order, you write down/tap in the table number. Over time you will learn to remember faces and the positions of customers too, as customers appreciate you remembering who ordered what. Or, simply write/tap that down as well.

That's OK, no one expects you to know everything all the time. You can write them down on a cheat sheet in your pocket or at the counter. When you don't know every ingredient, simply say "I'll check on that and be right back."

Smile. Introduce yourself by name, be prompt with service. Show you care about their experience.

You can but you could also save that question for when a person orders a meal you know has a food that can cause allergies. That way you won't ask unnecessary questions but you can double check orders that have common allergens.

If you can feel that your smile is uncomfortable, try to soften it a little. The best indicator is looking to see if anyone is giving you a funny look.

At high-end restaurants, servers can make well into the six-figures yearly including tips.

Of course. You can become the head waitress, the team leader, the maitre d', or you can even start your own business.

Wait till everyone at the table is finished to collect the plates, unless a new course is coming and the old and finished dishes are in the way.

Sure. Being a waiter or waitress puts you in contact with lots and lots of people, which is a good way to meet someone. Try to keep work and romance separate, though.

Practice at home! Maybe you can practice with a friend, family member, etc. Read the menu to them, then they pretend to pick something out. Go over the order again and again to get the hang of the menu. To be a good waitress, never say the costumer was wrong. In some places, if you get the order wrong then you will have to pay for the order instead of the costumer. Even if the costumer made a mistake, never say so, and nicely say you will correct it and go on with your day. I once had a waitress do that to me and complain in my face that she would need to pay for the food she made a mistake on, and it was not pleasant.

You should always start with the ladies first, beginning with the oldest of the ladies and ending with the youngest. After that, you move onto the men, starting with the oldest and finishing with the youngest.

One of the best (and least rude) ways would be to have them point to the item on the menu, or simply repeat what you think you heard and let them agree or disagree. It's more simple to hear "yes" or "no" rather than the full name of the meal.

Different restaurants may have different ideas of how to write down orders, but generally you'll want to have a list of abbreviations for different orders to simplify the process. For example, you could use "HB" for hamburgers, BP for baked potatoes, etc. You can come up with your own system that's tailored to the menu at your place of employment.

Most research says no. You get a salary, and tips can be great some shifts, but all in all, it doesn't pay much and you won't get rich doing this.

It depends on what position you have at the steakhouse and what you get paid at Starbucks. Starbucks would start you at around minimum wage, as would positions like dishwashing, prep cook, and expo at a steak house. You can look into exact wages in your area. You would definitely earn more waiting and bussing tables, and bartending in a steak house than you would at Starbucks. Many hostessing positions pay $10/hour, which may be more than the Starbucks starting rate (you would have to check in your area what that is).