A friend of mine told me that when he wanted to wait tables in a well-known, upscale restaurant, he first dined there, choosing the busiest time of the evening for his visit. He was interested in the quality and presentation of the food for the high price he was paying. Even more than that, he was interested in watching the wait staff to evaluate them before making the big decision to apply as a wait person. He looked for attitude to see if the wait staff loved the work they were doing or was it just a job. He saw a waiter joyfully deliver plates to a table that was not “hers” as the other waiter was busy with another table.
One waiter refilled all the glasses with water while he waited to pick up his next serving. Chairs were pulled out for the guests. Casual comments of welcome came easily and were returned with smiles. One table of diners mentioned their special occasion for coming and that they were first timers. My friend said it was like watching a well-choreographed ballet with the wait staff seemingly floating from one duty to another. The dining room was filled to capacity, yet the servers smoothly attended to their customers without a rushing hassle. It was beautiful to watch knowing he would be part of this scene in a day or two. He would be proud to work here.
A dining room is a dining room whether it is in a restaurant or in your community. The same results can be had when your serving staff is trained by Kind Dining®. Becoming aware of the entire room when it is overall neat, clean, tables set, and meals served properly is a beginning. It’s important that your servers come to know the residents by name and by small details that make brief conversations personal and easy. This will give your residents pride in the home they live in and pride to your serving staff in where they work.
Encouraging your servers to help each other and even to interact with other working shifts creates an award-winning team that turns your dining room into a ballet. Empowering your employees with this responsibility enables them rise to a challenge, to diffuse a situation before it becomes a situation. Your administration will appreciate this teamwork as much as the residents do and those who work in teams tend to stay happily where they are, rather than seeking a new place to work. That is a result makes everyone happy.
Kind Dining ® Tip: Wouldn’t You Like Your Team of Servers Working Smoothly and Hassle-Free in Your Dining Room?