TIPS-PART 2: How to generate good and consistent tips

#6. Have a system
You need to have a system for EVERYTHING. To start, develop a routine for greeting your table. If the company has requirements of you, get those integrated in your routine immediately. I always thought it was so embarrassing when servers were fired for missing a question on a secret-shopper. I know the requirements are usually a sales pushing tactic, but please just do them and keep the manager monkey off your back. I do recommend finding a way to integrate these requirements in a natural, flowing way...as if you are preparing for a speech. Allow the requirements to become less corporate and more 'you' thus sounding less like a puppet and more genuine.
Systems can be needed due to the set-up of the restaurant. For example: Does the kitchen have an 'IN' door and 'OUT' door? Are the doors close together or far apart? How can you work with their locations to create more efficient trips? Another example: Is there a section positioned the farthest from the kitchen or drink station? Mastering these sections by being as efficient as possible will only make you a Jedi-master at all the other 'easier' sections!
One step I always made before leaving my section was to turn around and look over each table. This often would remind me of something I needed to do, show me something I didn't know I needed to do (ie: drink refill) and generally gave me a moment to collect myself and create a plan of execution to prevent doubling back.
#7. Cheat Sheets The little black book you are given upon hire is your bible. Yes, I know it generally comes empty, but you will fill it. Most restaurants give cheat sheets on whats in each sauce, the specials list, the wine list, the draft list, etc...keep and covet these! People will try to steal them and please do not let them. These sheets will develop more details scrawled in the margins containing the really important information you will use everyday until memorized. For example: Mario the Spanish-speaking busboy taught me escoba, meaning: broom. We were always losing them to the kitchen staff and finding one that did not have the food gunk on the bristles made the word very valuable. Keeping it written in my book was very handy.
Another use for cheat sheets are for your regulars-or those you're trying to make your regulars. People are amazed at my ability to remember people and details of their lives. Sure, I do remember quite a bit, but some details I have jotted down. Remember these details are key components to developing and retaining your regular clientele. This may sound weird, but writing yourself a note saying: 'Mr. & Mrs. Shumaker's granddaughter is Anna, age 9' in order to reference in a future conversation (and look like a rockstar) is not that big of a deal. Once, I had a set of regulars with an autistic son who was 13. He didn't like the food at my restaurant and always ordered the kid's burger. Each time after dinner, he would give us commentary on how McDonald's hamburger was far superior to ours. Later we discovered he felt this way because he wanted pickles on his burger (yes, this took a little bit to figure out). After making a note of this and remembering to do it when he would visit-his experience was much more positive and his parents were no longer apologizing for his negative review after each dinner.
#8: No empty glasses or plates The guests at your establishment are not coming in to take up a collection of dishes. Nor is the size of their table an excuse to slack off. If something is empty, clear it. No one expects you to detail the table, but a reasonable attempt to clear as much as possible is expected at every table. #9: Your attitude is your income We have bad days, we have worse days, we have accidents, we have assholes, we have family troubles, bill troubles, guy troubles and hangovers. None of these troubles should be at the expense of your table. Each person came in to eat something good and be treated like a respected member of society. I'm not asking you to be cheerleader-perky, but I will tell you that your smile is the #1 dictator of your tip. In addition, there are actual psychological studies that have shown people when in a negative state of mind-the action of holding a tongue compressor between their teeth elevated their mood significantly in a short amount of time.
So, when you're having a really bad day, I recommend smiling more. Or a trick I use is to step into the cooler-take a few deep breaths (to get the bad ju-ju out) and remember-they didn't come in here to ruin your day, so control what you can control (your attitude) and even if the day is turning to shit-it will not going to be because you did not try everything in your power to make as much money as you could!
#10: Never overlook a potential problem This may repeat some of #2, but people generally only complain about a few things-its your job to handle it professionally and quickly. The three common complaints are: speed of service, food taste and appearance.
First of all, it is your job to keep an eye on how long your ticket has been in the kitchen. People expect to wait anywhere from 20-30 minutes on their food. Anything beyond 30 minutes and the guests begin to get antsy. All you can do is keep an eye on how long the front ticket is taking (to determine the average ticket time), be aware of the items that traditionally take a little longer to cook (to make your guest aware of that if its ordered) and when you're getting to the 20 minute mark let your table know that you know its been 20 minutes and how much longer you feel it will be for their food. If you feel its going to be over the 30 minute mark-get the manager to come with you on this visit. By bringing the manager this will show the guest the manager is aware of their situation (guests always think they're the only ones-dont they?) and addressing it. Also, you will have done everything in your power to prevent a complaint, making you look awesome to your boss.
Food taste can be tricky, but its usually less what you or the kitchen has done and more often just a personal preference. The best thing to do is ask the guest how they would like you to remedy the situation. Often their solution is a simple one and easy to execute. Always give them an idea of how long it will take to fix the dish-just in case they do not want to wait as long and are looking for a faster solution. And of course, make your manager aware.
Food appearance is an area I used to get really annoyed with. This is because its usually the kitchen trying to pass something off as 'good' when it looks like crap. Do NOT lower yourself to this kitchen mentality. They are cutting a corner and at YOUR expense. If they wont fix it, get the manager involved and refuse to take it out until it looks like it should. Rule of thumb: if it looks like crap to you, the guest will think it looks bad too. More often than not-if it looks bad, it tastes bad...and thus an even longer problem ensues.

Thank you for reading! ~C