To increase your earning potential, you must know your product (menu). Our title in the restaurant might be server, but the true title should be sales person. A sales person or at least a professional one will always know the product they are serving/selling. If a guest asks a question, you must know the answer.
For example a guest asks – Is the salmon fresh or frozen? A typical server may respond with “I don’t know, I think it’s fresh” A professional server would respond “Our salmon is very fresh, it is flown in daily from the pacific northwest.”
Guest “Are your steaks good?” Typical server “I think so.” The professional “Our steaks are aged for 21 days and are hand cut, we only use the best cuts of prime” “My favorite is our New York steak, it is a center cut and very tender with great flavor.”
Guest “What sides come with this?” Typical server “Hmm let’s see, we have potato’s veggies and rice” Professional Server “You have your choice of baked potato, garlic mashed potato’s or french fries, we also offer steamed green beans or rice pilaf. The garlic mashed potato’s are always fantastic.”
Ok you see the difference in knowing your products. The guests will always appreciate the professional answer and will reward your knowledge.
Now knowing your menu goes much further than just knowing what food products you offer. You must know what soft drinks, liquors, wines and desserts are available. You must know how all the products are prepared, priced, presented and the substitutions you can you make.
The more you know about your menu and products, the more money you can make. Don’t be afraid to take a menu home to study. Ask questions of your chef, cooks, prep cooks, baker, bartender, manager and senior servers.
Knowledge is power. The more knowledge you have the more powerful your presentation. The better your presentation the better your selling abilities. Better selling abilities lead to guest satisfaction. Guest satisfaction leads to greater tips.