New Book Offers Strategies for Restaurant Servers to Boost Tips and Enhance Dining Experiences

A new book aimed at helping restaurant servers increase their tips and improve customer satisfaction has been released by businessperson and frequent diner Dan Longton. Titled 'Waiting Tables? Make More Money!', the book offers practical strategies for waitstaff to enhance the dining experience and potentially boost their income.

Longton, who is the CEO and co-founder of HRgems, Inc., a company that assesses work ethic in hospitality job seekers, has drawn upon his extensive experience as a business traveler and restaurant patron to compile insights that could prove valuable to servers in table service establishments. The book is particularly targeted at waitstaff between the ages of 18 and 30.

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 improving server performance and customer satisfaction, Longton's work addresses key issues that can impact both employee earnings and restaurant success.

'Waiting Tables? Make More Money!' breaks down the restaurant service cycle into distinct phases: greeting, ordering, feeding, and customer departure. For each phase, Longton provides specific strategies that servers can implement to improve their performance and potentially increase their tips. These strategies are based on interviews with hundreds of business diners, offering a unique perspective on what motivates customers to tip more generously.

Key recommendations in the book include adopting a positive attitude, anticipating customer needs, accommodating special requests, and tailoring communication styles to different customer personality types. These insights are designed to help servers create what Longton describes as 'enthusiastic dining experiences' that benefit not only the server but also the customer and the restaurant as a whole.

The potential impact of this book extends beyond individual servers. By improving customer satisfaction, restaurants may see increased repeat business and positive word-of-mouth recommendations. Additionally, higher tips could lead to better job satisfaction and retention among waitstaff, addressing a persistent challenge in the hospitality industry.

Longton's background in hospitality recruitment adds credibility to his insights. His company, HRgems, Inc., has screened over 8 million candidates to help restaurants hire superior team members. This experience in identifying quality hospitality workers likely informs the book's recommendations on service excellence.

The release of 'Waiting Tables? Make More Money!' comes at a time when the restaurant industry is adapting to post-pandemic realities and evolving customer expectations. As diners return to restaurants in greater numbers, the quality of service they receive can significantly impact their overall experience and likelihood of returning.

For restaurant owners and managers, the book could serve as a valuable training tool to improve service standards across their establishments. By implementing the strategies outlined in the book, restaurants may be able to differentiate themselves in a competitive market through superior customer service.

The wide availability of the book through major retailers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Apple Books ensures that it can reach a broad audience of servers and restaurant professionals. This accessibility could lead to widespread adoption of the book's principles, potentially raising service standards across the industry.

As the hospitality sector continues to recover and evolve, resources like 'Waiting Tables? Make More Money!' may play a crucial role in shaping the future of restaurant service. By focusing on the mutually beneficial outcomes of improved service—higher tips for servers and better experiences for diners—Longton's book addresses a key aspect of the dining out experience that can drive success for individuals and businesses alike.