Professional server skills: seating guests, formal vs casual language, speaking to managers, numbers & money, phone reservations, recovering from mistakes.
A practical guide to 9 popular beer styles for restaurant and bar staff Introduction — Ale vs Lager: What’s the Difference? Before we look at individual beer styles, it helps to understand the two main families that almost every beer belongs to. Lager is brewed at cold temperatures using bottom-fermenting yeast. The result is a
Ale vs Lager: The Waiter’s Guide to Describing Beer in English Read More »
Everyone Makes Mistakes — But Not Everyone Recovers Well Tom had been a server for two years. He was good at his job. Guests liked him. His tips were solid. Then one Saturday night, disaster struck. He forgot to put in table 14’s order. Completely forgot. The family of four sat waiting for 35 minutes
How to Recover from Restaurant Mistakes: Scripts for Order Errors & Service Problems Read More »
Why Phone Calls Are Different From Face-to-Face Maria had been a host for three months. She could seat guests perfectly. She remembered regulars’ names. She managed the waitlist smoothly. But when the phone rang, she froze. “Good evening, Bella Roma Restaurant…” What comes next? Do I say my name? Do I ask what they want?
Phone & Reservations: Taking Calls and Booking Tables in Professional English Read More »
Numbers and money in restaurant English can be stressful. Guests speak fast, and you need to do maths at the same time. This guide gives you easy phrases for prices, payment, splitting the bill and tips. Tap 🔊 to hear each one. Want to practise this with video? See the English for Waiters course →
Numbers & Money in Restaurant English: Handling Prices, Bills, and Tips Confidently Read More »
Speaking to managers and coworkers is a big part of every shift. Many servers talk to their team more than to guests. But team English is different from guest English. By the end of this post, you’ll have 14 phrases for your manager, the kitchen and your team. Tap 🔊 to hear each one. Want
Speaking to Managers & Coworkers: Restaurant Workplace English That Builds Confidence Read More »
Formal vs casual restaurant English is a big question for new waiters. “Hey guys!” is perfect in a burger bar. In a fine dining restaurant, it sounds wrong. In this guide you’ll learn when to say “May I”, “Can I” and “Would you like”, with formal and casual versions of the most useful phrases. Tap
Formal vs Casual Restaurant English: When to Say “May I” vs “Can I” Read More »
Knowing how to seat guests professionally starts at the door. The host is the first person guests meet. In this guide you’ll learn a simple host script for every situation: reservations, walk-ins, waiting and special requests. Tap 🔊 to hear each one. Want to practise this with video? See the English for Waiters course →
How to Seat Guests Professionally: The Host’s Complete Script Read More »
Introduction It’s Saturday night at 8:45 PM. Your six-top has finished their desserts, and you place the check presenter on the table. “We’d like to split this six ways,” one guest says. Another adds, “Actually, I’m paying for my wife too, so make that five separate checks.” A third voice: “And can we split the
Managing Payment and Separate Checks – The Server’s Guide to Smooth Checkouts Read More »
