How to Compliment Guests
Published 26/12/2014

How to Compliment Guests

Everyone enjoys a sincere compliment. They boost our self-esteem and makes us feel good. But what if someone compliments your friend and not you? The opposite happens – you wonder why you aren’t worthy. That’s why it’s important to be careful while complimenting guests.

Generally it’s safe for men to compliment men and women to compliment women when you’re serving couples. Group compliments are always good because no one is excluded. It’s acceptable to compliment elderly guests if other guests are younger, and definitely congratulate and compliment a guest celebrating an event (such as a birthday).

Remember to always be genuine! Don’t let tips be your only motivation to compliment – spread those happy vibes!

Read the full article here: A caution with compliments
[sc:mbtc]

Commentary Food Handler

Comments closed

Published 25/12/2014

Tips for balancing your job and your relationship

People who work in food service often keep odd schedules, and that makes nurturing a relationship challenging.

Sacrifices need to be made on both sides. Plan ahead and schedule time to do things together wherever schedules don’t overlap. If you both have time off, spend it together, even if it just means running errands or doing chores.

Leaving notes for each other is a great way to show your partner you care and you’re thinking of them, and texting can keep the spark alive while you’re physically apart.

Read the full article here: When the Job Gets in the Way of Your Relationship, What Can You Do?

Food Handler

Comments closed

More annoying customers that drive you crazy
Published 24/12/2014

More annoying customers that drive you crazy

They complain, argue, overreact, expect special treatment, and leave you religious pamphlets in place of an actual tip. These are the customers that make you want to punch something (like in that Smith and Forge commercial).

It’s obvious these people have a lot on their minds, but don’t let them drag you down with them! Instead, have a laugh at these 10 customer types you hope you’ll never see again (but you probably will).

Read the full article here: It Never Ends: 10 *More* Customers You Hate
[sc:mbtc]

Commentary Food Handler

Comments closed

Published 23/12/2014

The tip of a lifetime

Imagine you’re serving a large, 16 person group. After 19 pizzas, 32 wings and a lot of beer you’re probably tired, aching, and ready to go home, but you’re also looking forward to the tip that comes with a $500+ bill. The guest hands it over, and you can’t believe your eyes.

A thousand dollar tip.

That’s what happened to incredibly lucky server Alexx Baziotis recently in Spokane. Humbled, she spent the money on Christmas gifts for her family.

What would you have done?

Read the full article here: This Tip Was a Holiday Miracle for a Spokane Waitress

Food Handler

Comments closed

Customers are annoying
Published 19/12/2014

Customers are annoying

There are plenty of nice, friendly restaurant patrons out there who are nothing but polite and understanding – but this isn’t about them. This is about the whiny, annoying, anger-inducing diners who don’t seem to comprehend what courtesy is.

No one really understands what horrible monsters people can turn into until they work customer service, but when you’re handling people’s food everything is taken to the next level.

Before you dunk that uptight businessman’s water glass in the toilet, take a moment to breathe and laugh at this list of ten types of customers who could almost push you over the edge.

Read the full article here: 10 Kinds of Customers You Hate
[sc:mbtc]

Commentary Food Handler

Comments closed

The importance of server-customer communication
Published 18/12/2014

The importance of server-customer communication

The relationship between customer and server is brief but meaningful. Servers are representatives of the restaurant, so a nice tip isn’t the only reason customer satisfaction is important.

In a recent letter to the Bitchy Waiter, a server neglected to mention that ranch and a side of celery and carrots was an extra charge, knowing it was the customer’s first time at the restaurant. The customer received a surprise on the bill. The server was at fault.

It can be easy to get lazy when you can see the menu and prices in your sleep, but always remember the customer doesn’t know what you do, and by not mentioning important things like extra charges you could be setting up an uncomfortable situation. At best you could see a poor tip, and at worst an angry customer and poor restaurant reviews.

Read the full article here: Is This a Case of a Sneaky Server?
[sc:mbtc]

Commentary Food Handler Trending

Comments closed

Published 17/12/2014

How to be the best bartender

One could call bartending an art, with each bartender bringing his/her own style to the table. Now with easy access to a variety of resources it’s easier than ever to learn the trade.

A pioneer named Jeffery Morgenthaler began a blog to share bartending techniques with other enthusiasts, and has recently come out with a book – The Bar Book: Elements of Cocktail Technique.

The ideas and methods in the book are the result of a collaborative effort – many bartenders lent their expertise. The focus of the book is on the professional, working bartender with an emphasis on technique.

Read the full article here: The Bar Book Guides the Craft Bartender

Food Handler

Comments closed

Published 02/05/2012

Texas Food Handler Card – An Easy Way to Get a Head Start in Food Service

Did you know that in Texas a Food Handler Card is a mandatory requirement in many cities and counties?

Food handlers  in cities like Arlington, Austin, Fort Worth, Laredo and El Paso—among many others, must obtain this certification from a program approved by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) in order to work in the food service industry.

If you’re looking for a restaurant job, it’s in your best interest to make sure you meet this requirement.  The Food Handlers Card Training can be completed online, it’s easy, quick, and it can significantly improve your chances of getting hired.

Check out the video to learn more about the food handler certification. Or if you’re ready to get your Texas Food Handler Card now, just click here and register for the training.

Get the Flash Player to see this content.

At Premier Food Safety, we have more than 35 years of training experience, the lowest prices in the state and a satisfaction guarantee. For all the training and knowledge you need to become certified, register with Premier Food Safety today. Learn more about the qualifications to work in the restaurant business by finding us on Facebook and Twitter.

 

 

Food Handler

Comments closed

How Skills Developed Using Your Food Handler Card Can Help Throughout Life
Published 06/04/2012

How Skills Developed Using Your Food Handler Card Can Help Throughout Life

The reason you strive to earn a food handler card is so you can work in the restaurant or food preparation industry. Whether this is a job to get you through college or a lasting career decision, you are sure to learn skills that apply to other areas of life. A food handler certification trains you to safely handle a customer’s meal, but there’s much more to working with your food handlers card than meets the eye.

Here’s a look at skills you’ll develop after earning your food handler

Food Handler Card Skills

card and to work in the food service industry:

  •  Organization: It’s impossible to serve multiple tables or run an entire restaurant without incredible organizational skills.
  • Time Management: Food industry professionals with food handler cards must juggle greeting new customers, taking orders, delivering meals, and checking on patrons, all without pestering one table too often or neglecting another.
  • People Skills: By developing this skill when working in a restaurant, you could generate more tips and enjoy your work infinitely more. Outside your job, people skills help you make more friends, recognize when a comrade could use a hand, and resolve troublesome relationships.
  • Teamwork: There’s no tighter team than the servers at a sit-down restaurant. When one team member is having a bad day or the dinner rush is more stressful than usual, another worker can help pick up the slack. This valuable skill, paired with the knowledge acquired through your food handler certification, sets you up to be a great support to your restaurant team.
  • Sales and Promotion: As all food handlers understand, the more you sell, the more you make. Many food industry workers learn how to promote more expensive menu items and get their customers to make more purchases, thus increasing the tips they earn.
  • Basic Accounting: Restaurant servers learn all about how to handle money, budget their own funds, and calculate tips. Experienced food industry workers can estimate quite accurately how much they’ve sold and consequently how much they’ve earned at any point during their shift.
  • Perseverance: Getting your food handler card was the first step, but it is well-known that both physical and mental endurance are required of restaurant owners and servers to succeed. The food service industry is fast paced and demanding, and not every day as a server is going to be perfect. However, you will soon find that working hard and constantly challenging yourself can be very rewarding.

At Premier Food Safety, we have more than 35 years of training experience, five exam languages to choose from, the lowest prices and a satisfaction guarantee. For all the training and knowledge you need to get your food handler card, register with Premier Food Safety today. Learn more about the qualifications to work in the restaurant business by finding us on Facebook and Twitter.

Food Handler Trending

Comments closed

Published 05/04/2012

Excelling in the Food Service Industry: Become the Best Server in the World with Your Food Handler Card

It takes more than obtaining your food handler card to be a great server. Some servers take their tips for granted, but you should always strive to earn the tip you receive when your customers finish their meal. If you want to excel in the industry and become the best server possible, consider these suggestions after you have your food handler certification.

 

  • Food Handler Card

    Greet guests in a timely manner. No one wants to be left waiting, so be attentive and greet new guests within 3 to 5 minutes of being seated.

  • Make sure the table is set. If you need to pull up an extra chair or grab more utensils, do so quickly so the party can be seated.
  • Remember that you represent the restaurant. You may not be the owner or chef, but you are the face the customer sees. After all, you hold a valid food handler card that accredits you as a knowledgeable member of the staff , so use positive phrases like “I can,” “I will,” and “I have,” instead of “Hang on,” “Let me check,” or “I don’t know.”
  •  Be familiar with the menu. An important part of having a food handler card is to know the menu and have a favorite entrée or two to recommend. When you simply say, “Everything is great,” you convey that you haven’t tried the dishes, that you’re too lazy to remember the names, or that you fear the customer won’t like what you recommend. Remember, your opinion matters!
  • Check on your guests often. Never let a customer see the bottom of an empty glass. Ask if there is anything else you can bring out. Clear away empty plates, always double checking with the customer to verify they have finished. These are the most important tasks of a server with a food handlers card.
  • Stay positive! They may not teach you this when you get a food handler card, but customers count on a happy server to bring out their meals.  Not every day will be perfect, but if you’re having a bad day, you may find that smiling actually makes you feel better!
  • At the close of the meal, treat your customers like house guests. As you hand over the check, give a positive send-off such as: “Thank you; we hope to see you again soon!”

At Premier Food Safety, we have more than 35 years of training experience, five exam languages to choose from, the lowest prices in the industry and a satisfaction guarantee. For all the training and knowledge you need to get your food handler card, register with Premier Food Safety today. Learn more about the qualifications to work in the restaurant business by finding us on Facebook and Twitter.

Food Handler

Comments closed