🍸 TRL Weekly: Filling Dead Air

Happy Sunday, future server/bartender millionaire.

We’re back for week seven of The Restaurant Launch Newsletter.

So far we’ve covered:

• “The Hi Method” - Read More.

• “What Else May I Bring You” - Read More.

• Don’t Recommend The Most Expensive Items! - Read More.

• Ninja Service - Say Less, Do More - Read More.

• Fix Your Verbiage - Read More.

• Biggest Server Pet Peeve - Read More.

And we have another lesson from Brandon this week:

Today at a Glance:

• Brandon’s Weekly Lesson: Filling Dead Air

• Tactical Reminders: Your Video Lessons

• Poll: Quick Server / Bartender Poll

🍸 Brandon’s Weekly Lesson:
Filling Dead Air

So many servers are saying this line every time there is some dead air at the table: “I’ll give you a few minutes!”

I don’t want you to stop saying this entirely, but there are SO MANY times where you should just help them instead of giving them time!

Giving them time makes them feel bad for not being ready.

It also makes it seem like you don’t have time for them, which does NOT make the guest feel warm.

And if you don’t care about making the guest feel warm, then you simply don’t care about getting a good tip!

Help the guest instead.

Dead air is anytime a guest is thinking about what to order.

Whether they are looking at the menu or just saying “umm” or there is just some awkward silence at the table.

This dead air should be FILLED BY THE SERVER.

I will give you some options on how you can fill it…

Examples and Other Options:

Option # 1 - Ask the guest a question:

Examples:

1. “What do you usually go for?”

2. “What spirit/liquor do you prefer?”

3. “What are you thinking?”

Option # 2 - List options for them!

Examples:

#1 - Deciding on a starter, but unsure:

1. “Are you thinking wings, nachos, calamari, etc.”

   • (continue listing options if they are listening to you!)

#2 - Deciding on a drink:

1. “What do you typically like? A mocktail, cocktail, beer, wine, soda?”

2. “What spirit do you usually go for? Vodka, gin, tequila, etc.”

Option #3 - Introduce pauses/extension of words when you list options for them!

Pausing or extending words is something that allows the guest to interrupt the server, while the server is able to still fill any dead air.

All you have to do is extend the ending of your options while you are listing for the guest.

So instead of “calamari, baked clams or oysters” it would be “calamariii, baked clammmss, oysterrrssss” (and continue listing if they are listening!)

This does 3 things:

1. Make sales so much easier.

2. Makes the guest much more comfortable/warm!

3. Shows off the server's knowledge if they can list a lot of options for them!

I will leave an example of me extending my words in a skit I did a few days ago.

You can find it in your Tactical Reminders below 👇

🚀 Tactical Reminders:

1. Listing Options Skit - Skit with Brandon listing options -

   Video: Click here.

2. Filling Dead Air - Video explaining Dead Air -

   Video Lesson: Click here.

3. Pet Peeves - 3 Pet Peeves and how to fix them -

   Video Lesson: Click here.

That’s all for week seven!

See you next week,

The Restaurant Launch Team