New Book Offers Strategies for Restaurant Servers to Increase Tips

A new book aimed at helping restaurant servers increase their tips through improved customer service has been released by businessperson and frequent diner Dan Longton. Titled 'Waiting Tables? Make More Money!', the book draws on insights gathered from hundreds of interviews with business diners to offer strategies for waitstaff to enhance the dining experience and potentially earn more generous tips.

The book, which targets servers aged 18-30 working in table service restaurants, provides guidance for each phase of the restaurant service cycle, including greeting, ordering, feeding, and customer departure. Key recommendations include adopting a positive attitude, anticipating customer needs, accommodating special requests, and tailoring communication styles to different customer personalities.

Longton, who is CEO and co-founder of HRgems, Inc., a company that assesses work ethic for hospitality job seekers, leveraged his extensive experience in the restaurant industry to compile these insights. His company has screened over 8 million candidates to help restaurants hire superior team members, giving him a unique perspective on the qualities that make for successful servers.

The release of this book comes at a time when the restaurant industry continues to face challenges in staffing and customer retention. By focusing on ways to improve the dining experience, Longton's book addresses a critical aspect of restaurant operations that can benefit servers, customers, and establishments alike.

For servers, the potential to increase their income through better service techniques could be significant. In an industry where tips often make up a substantial portion of a server's earnings, the strategies outlined in the book could have a direct impact on their financial well-being. Moreover, the skills described in the book, such as anticipating customer needs and adapting to different personality types, are transferable to many other customer service roles, potentially enhancing servers' long-term career prospects.

From a customer perspective, the implementation of these techniques could lead to more satisfying dining experiences, potentially increasing customer loyalty and repeat business for restaurants. This, in turn, could have positive implications for the overall health of the restaurant industry, which has faced significant challenges in recent years due to economic pressures and changing consumer habits.

The book's focus on creating 'enthusiastic dining experiences' aligns with broader trends in the hospitality industry towards personalization and enhanced customer engagement. As restaurants compete for diners' attention and loyalty, the ability of servers to create memorable, positive experiences could become an increasingly important differentiator.

While the book is primarily targeted at servers, its insights could also be valuable for restaurant managers and owners looking to improve their staff training programs and overall customer service strategies. By understanding what motivates customers to tip more generously, establishments may be able to implement systemic changes that benefit both their staff and their bottom line.

'Waiting Tables? Make More Money!' is now available through major book retailers, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Apple Books, among others. Its wide availability suggests that it could reach a broad audience within the restaurant industry, potentially influencing service standards on a significant scale.