Waiter Etiquette - Treat Others Right And Get Treated Right In Return

Waiter etiquette, in my opinion, is an often overlooked area of manners and etiquette. I see many people in restaurants that think that a waiter or a waitress is a lower level of person because they are serving other people. I think they are missing the boat...

I think people are missing out for a few reasons:

1. Employees at the restaurant remember their patrons. They remember who treated them right, and what goes around certainly does come around. 

2. When you treat people the way you want to be treated (yes, the Golden Rule still applies) they will treat you the same way. I have found that most people are a mirror of how they perceive they are treated. When you set the tone, that same tone will be reciprocated. 

3. People are watching how you treat others, and they are almost always watching when you don't think they are. If you want to learn something about someone, just watch how they interact with others. So, to impress people, you must treat others the right way. 

Waitress and Waiter Etiquette

One of the first things you must do is to ensure that you are dressed properly. Why does this matter with waiter manners? Because when your clothing and dress show you are successful and someone that expects good service, you usually get it. This is mostly subliminal, but you would be surprised how much better the service is than if you were not well kept. 

Secondly, give your waiter or waitress a smile and look them in the eye when they are speaking and when you speak. When you do not look them in the eye, some of them interpret that as what they are saying is not important to you. Give them respect and you will get it back. 

Even though they are serving you, "pleases" and "thank yous" go a long way. 

If you are going to a restaurant that requires reservations, take the thought to call ahead. There is nothing that will frustrate you and the staff more than just showing up when they are booked. 

If you are polite and pleasant to serve, the waiter or waitress will take better care of you. Rude people usually receive back the same feelings they are putting out. 

Remember that others are watching you. They will form an opinion of you based on how you treat others. Make sure that you are giving a good impression. 

Proper waiter etiquette also means to tip generously. They have a difficult job and if they have done well, it is important to let them know they did a great job by leaving a good tip. 

Use these tips to get the most out of your waiter or waitress that was serving you. These restaurant etiquette ideas will make sure that people form the right impression of you.