KEY POINTS

When taking orders, For you ma'am? And for you sir? What can I get you ma'am? What would you like sir?
*All the nice language you learned growing up ;)

I collect menus, AFTER everyone tells me their order so I'm not juggling menus and orders and people's attention.
*If your restaurant requires you pick up each menu with each order, then you'll do that.

Start thinking like this: the less you NEED from guests, the BETTER.
Half the job is getting information from guests so you can execute. If you've gotten everyone's orders, you don't need much more from them to do your job. This is good! Thus the sooner we can get orders, the better... without rushing them of course.