Service at It's Best: Waiter-Waitress Training : A Guide to Becoming a Successful Server

Designed for results and accountability, this #1 competency-based training guide covers everything a waiter or waitress needs to know to be successful in the today's dynamic and competitive restaurant industry—all organized within self-contained chapters that flow in a logical sequence and establish a step-by-step procedure for understanding and learning appropriate server skills. Discusses the occupational advantages and disadvantages of the job, along with job qualifications and descriptions or advancement opportunities for servers. Explains basic table settings for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and includes 25 tips for proper table service, such as the correct procedures for loading and carrying trays and techniques of carrying multiple plates. Explains wine varietals, as well as other spirits, cocktails, and coffees, and presents step-by-step illustrations of correct serving procedures. Covers current technology applications and their benefits, including table service management, guest paging system, product management software, hand-held touch-system terminal, server paging system, two-way radio, restaurant web sites, and other software technology used in the business. Shares the successful experiences of ten servers from across the United States. Appendices offer a handy reference source for common menu terms, wine terminology, spirit brands and related cocktails, ales, lagers, and non-alcoholic beers. For restaurant food server training programs in the hospitality, travel and tourism industries; also a handy reference manual for specific service questions.

Ed Sanders is the founder and editor in chief of the Hospitality News Group, which publishes regional foodservice industry newspapers and an international education guide. He is a Certified Food Executive and a Certified Purchasing Manager; his professional career has included being chief operating officer for a regional chain of restaurants, an associate professor of business, and procurement director of a large-volume foodservice operation. He has a master of science degree in international management from the American Graduate School of International Management, and a doctor of business administration degree in management and organization. He was the co-founder and director of industry relations for the Hotel, Restaurant and Resort Management Program at Southern Oregon University. He is also co-author of Foodservice Profitability, A Control Approach, 2E (Prentice Hall, 2001) and Catering Solutions: For the Culinary Student, Foodservice Operator, and Caterer (Prentice Hall, 2000).

Paul Paz has been a career professional waiter for over twenty years. Restaurants USA, Restaurants and Institutions, Nation's Restaurant News, The Washington Post, Principal The Wall Street Journal, and several other publications have featured him in his WaitersWorld profession. He has also appeared on ABC's 20/20 news show. His column, "Tips for Tips," runs regularly in the Hospitality News Group of newspapers and he has written numerous articles for other publications. Furthermore, he is a hospitality consultant and has presented a variety of seminars throughout the Pacific Northwest. He developed a number of training programs for the Oregon Restaurant Education Foundation and is the only professional waiter ever to serve on the Board of Directors of the Oregon Restaurant Association. The Association voted him the 1997 Restaurant Employee of the Year. He also has served as president of the National Waiters Association.

Ron Wilkinson is the founder and CEO of Profit Power Systems, developers of FoodcoCost Control Systems and AIMHIRE-Employee Selection Systems. He is also the founder and director of the International Food Service Foundation. His forty-year career has included owning and operating quick-serve, family, and formal dining restaurants, and he has been a training director and vice president of operations for several large restaurant chains. He has developed and written operational and service training manuals and has taught college foodservice and restaurant management courses. He has also served on academic advisory boards for restaurant and hospitality management programs. He has presented numerous workshops at food shows, hospitality association conferences, and restaurant chain management meetings. He is a recognized expert at maximizing profit for foodservice operations of all types.