If you've been pre-bussing correctly, the final bus should be simple.

You pre-bus heavy so when the guests do finally leave, you or the host or the busser can quickly grab the last few things off the table, re-set it, and get another table in.

As with everything covered in Real Server Training, this is all to optimize for volume.

I heard something in one of my first serving jobs that stuck: you have 100's of little tasks in a given shift. If you can shave a few seconds off each, it may not seem like such a time savings, but they multiply out across the shift into real time. You can these use that time to serve more guests, offer more drinks, etc, etc.

Because here's the truth: most people are going to leave about 20% regardless of how amazing you were. Thus if you want to make more money serving, you need to find a way to sell more food/ drink to each table, turn more tables, or preferably do both.

And time is what makes that possible which you gain through efficiency.

This is really quite pointless to do if not done correctly. So take note.

I learned this way of polishing silver in my very first busser job in a Mexican restaurant from some gangster Mexican restaurant people.

This is THE correct way to polish silver efficiently. Period.

And now you know so you can impress your coworkers with your high-speed output.

A couple ways covered here: with and without a tray.

Both work - trays are actually highly efficient and if anyone told me they'd like something to go, I'd sometimes even bring a box out with my tray - put their food into a box for them, then pre-bus all the plates in one shot.

Most of the pre-bussing I've done in my life - and I've done quite a bit of it - has been without a tray using the technique shown in this video. I demonstrate two ways to handle silver: piling on one plate (often setting knife in between prongs of fork) and putting all silver into one hand. After many years, I now default to gripping all silver into one hand as it's more secure.

Main thing I would change here is how I handle apps/ desserts.

I write those to the side next to the seat number of the person that ordered it. Then when the table inevitably asks for checks to be split up, I can easily assign the orders to whoever ordered them.

Other than that, this is my tried and true method. I see people with complicated server books full of lines and boxes and thin little sheets of paper that start getting ripped... no sir. Not in this house.

I use proper card stock, go to home depot, have them cut up like 100 sheets, and I'm good for a year.

Final note: I consider my memory to be excellent - but I still write everything down always. You know why? Because committing orders to memory takes up unnecessary space in my mind that I'd rather devote to handling my section and chit chatting with coworkers that I like.

This is a surprisingly useful skill in real life too.

Ummmm not much to say here, you really just need to watch the video to get it.

Even if your restaurant uses trays for service, you'll need this technique for bussing.

It legit bewilders me that so many servers don't know this. This may be the most important fundamental skill to learn for both serving and impressing your family at dinner.

On trays, I'll share this. 1) they really do make good sense if restaurant has space for it. 2) Don't be afraid.

I used to be pretty afraid of trays - and still don't like using them for serving drinks.... but here's how I got over it:

I started at this restaurant where trays were super necessary. I had anxiety that'd I'd drop 4 massive plates of food, the whole restaurant would laugh at me, and the kitchen would hate me.

Then one day I envisioned all that happening, and saw that it'd be an issue, but then it wouldn't and life would go on. And in that moment, my fear went away never to return.

The end.

Some fundamentals with the lovely, pretty girl Sydney.

Look clean, style your hair a bit, wear clothes that fit.

That's pretty much extent of what's covered. You're welcome.

The main thing here is this: you need guests to feel like they're in good hands.

They need to trust you, respect you some - this is what's going to allow you to more easily guide their decisions, command the table (i.e. control the flow instead of them just bossing you around), and ultimately just have a more pleasant experience serving them.

If you look like a slob child that doesn't know anything... they can't really take your lead.

You look reasonably put together, kinda like you take care of yourself and have good taste... big difference. Trust me.

All Real Server Training content is or will soon be free. You can go through it here on the site or via YouTube playlists.

This site provides structure and additional context.

Using this site

• Main navigation: use the top menu to choose a series
• Left sidebar: once inside a series, jump between sections
• Next / previous arrows: move through the training in order
• Search: use the search bar to find specific topics

Availability

Available now

• Real Server Training — In-depth, practical training for higher-volume, semi-casual restaurants
• Steps of Service — Full casual-dining walkthrough breaking down each stage of dining with guest
• Real Server Tips — Clear instruction on all the basics for getting started in restaurants

Releasing soon

• The Dining Experience — Nuanced instruction with POV footage for higher-volume, semi-upscale dining

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REAL SERVER TRAINING

Our programs are designed for servers in higher-volume restaurants to include both semi-casual and more upscale venues. This is the majority of restaurants and thus applies to the majority of servers.

Much of our training is pragmatic: how to carry plates, interact with guests, etc, while some is more conceptual: how to manage your workflow and operate more efficiently.

Serving is largely a game of output – the more you can handle and execute, the more you can earn.

A better angle of approach

Neither of us claim to be the ultimate authority on serving, but we were both good at our jobs, made good money, and had a good time.

This is the general attitude that worked for us.

Let our training serve as a template and adjust as necessary to your specific restaurant, standards of service, and clientele.

Think in stages

This is not the most perfect instruction or example of dining service ever. Its purpose is to demonstrate how each stage of dining flows from one to the next.

The primary objective here is that you start thinking in stages. At any given moment, you want to know where your guests are in the dining experience (drinks, apps, entrees, etc.) — not just reacting to what they need in this moment.

Then you can better track progress and start thinking in terms of moving each table to the next stage.

They had apps — now we need orders.

We’ve taken orders — now we’re waiting to serve.

They’ve finished entrées — now we need to pre-bus.

You need to structure your thinking before you can structure your work.

Note

This is just a high-level idea of how everything fits together in practice. It's recommended you go through core series first: Real Server Training

And if you went through entire series and got to here... THANK YOU! Hope this proved helpful. Share with your friends please.

Here's the number one take away from this video: don’t worry about the tip.

But there is one condition: you’re providing good service. If you’re consistently getting terrible tips, you need to assess your performance. I knew when my service was good, and I knew when it was lacking. It was usually good, and the times my table left me little, I considered it a greater reflection of them than of my service.

Typically however, I didn’t even look at tips until the end of the night. Signed receipts just piled up in my book, and I later entered them into the system at the end of the night.

1) Seeing my tip does not change the amount. Period.

2) I don't want to be on an emotional roller coaster. They tipped me great! Yay! They tipped me nothing! Boo!

The truth is that if you're actually doing a good job consistently and you're working in a restaurant that's worth working at, your monthly income will even out. So don't worry about what you earned from this person, this table, this shift or even this week. Pay attention to your monthly.

There's plenty of money to be made in the world. There are plenty of places to make money in the world.If you're doing a good job and not making money, you can always go somewhere else.

But before you start assigning blame to your place of work, your guests, your city, etc., you need to make sure that you’re performing well.

This means giving good service, being efficient with your time and tactfully generating volume in your section.

When I'm doing my last pre-bus at a table, I'll check in with them and see if they're done or need anything else. Remember, I strive to approach the table as few times as possible and get as much done as possible with each trip.

Now if they do order another drink, and I’m slammed, what I sometimes do is offer to go ahead and drop their check. This depends on my relationship to the table (if it’s relaxed and cool), and whether it looks like this will be the last drink. Again, I only do this if I’m particularly busy and need to get that table out of play. I preface it by saying, "Take your time with these drinks, I'm going to go ahead and grab your check before I forget. You can let me know when you’re ready or if you’d like anything else.”

Now when it comes to splitting checks....I really make an effort to get everyone on one check.

Unfortunately you have very little control over this, and it requires some real finessing. The best way I've found is to just assume they're all on one check (unless it's obvious), and drop one check like it's normal. Then sometimes they'll just go along with it.

One thing I typically do not do is figure out who how the checks are being split up before or during the meal. Some people do this, and it works. I find it is more to keep track of and only adds stress. I prefer to get it figured out all at the end with pen and paper in hand to take notes.

*Although sometimes if seat 1 orders a drink for seat 2, I’ll just ring it in under seat 1 and make sure I’m there to run the drink out.

Now after I drop the checks, I creep more than usual.

Typically, I don't try to hide the fact that I'm looking at a table, but if I start hovering over people's tables after dropping the checks, they'll feel rushed. I never, ever want to make a table feel rushed.

There's an art to moving people along while not making them feel like you are kicking them out. Generally, I direct guests to the next stage in the dining experience without expectation of how long it will take them.

I'm happy to get people dessert, I just don't encourage it. It's often way more advantageous that I clear that table and focus on starting a new tab with a new table.

Just a reminder, this is higher-volume, more casual restaurant training. It’s not for fine-dining where you should absolutely offer dessert because people come for a big dining experience.

Desserts at my restaurant were 8-15 dollars. Coffee was 3 dollars.

One dessert and four coffees: 27 dollars. 20% is $5.40.

A new table that that gets 4 cocktails at $12 each and an appetizer for $15 is $63.

20% of that is $12.60 in addition to the fact that they’ll also be ordering more drinks, entrees, etc.

$12.60 is more than $5.40. Right?

AND 4 cocktails and an appetizer is frankly a lot less work than a dessert and spoons and napkins and cream and sugar and new forks and little plates and a sticky table...

This is simple cost-benefit analysis.

So the way I approach this is after pre-busing plates,

I ask, "How was everything?"
They say good, then I say, “Did everyone get enough to eat?”
They say yes, then I ask, “Anything else I can get y'all?"
Sometimes they say, “yeah, can we see the dessert menu?”
“Absolutely.” (I offer without hesitation.)
Often they say no, then I say, "Alright guys, I'll grab your check here in a bit."

So I want to be clear: I never, ever discourage the guests from getting what they want to include dessert. I'm just not encouraging dessert. Some managers will hate my opinion on this which is fine. This series is not for managers. It’s for servers. But many managers will agree that turning a table generates higher revenue for their business than encouraging people to order ice cream.