🍸 TRL Weekly: The Silent Killer

Your weekly lesson and tactical reminders inside.

Happy Sunday, future server/bartender millionaire.

In today’s lesson Brandon is teaching us why turning tables is a silent killer.

Our Last Three Lessons:

You can read the rest of the past weekly lessons here.

Today at a Glance:
  • Weekly Lesson: Turning Tables = Silent Killer

  • Tactical Reminders: Your Video Lessons + Announcement

🍸 Weekly Lesson:
Turning Tables = Silent Killer

A lot of servers and even owners don’t realize the impact that turning tables can have on your tips and on gross sales at the restaurant.

Going from 2 turns per table to 3 turns per table on a  Friday night is an extra 50% in income.

Meaning, if you made $400 in tips with 2 table turns, you would have made $600 (on average) in tips if you did 3 table turns.

And the restaurant would also make 1.5x more in sales.

The hard part about turning tables is that most people think you have to rush the guest in order to do so. That is nearly the furthest thing from the truth.

Turning tables is not about rushing the guest, it is about two things:

Efficiency and Unobtrusive Service.

Things you can do today or this week to help with efficiency:

1) Cut down the amount of words you are saying - sometimes it is only 1 or 2 words you can cut out. They all make a difference.

  • Instead of “did you want to go with a premium tequila like don julio or casamigos?” you would say “don julio or casamigos?”

  • Instead of “did you want another drink now or in a few minutes?” you would say “another one now or in a few minutes”

  • Instead of “what sauce did you want with that” you would list the sauces out immediately because you know that the guest is about to ask “what do you have?”

    • Same goes for wing sauces, anytime you have to list sides, tequilas, rums, vodkas, beer, wine, etc.

2) Full hands in Full hands out

  • Instead of pre bussing tables you should be manicuring tables! Meaning, anything that is not necessary for the dining experience at that time should be taken off immediately.

  • Pre Marking Tables

    • Mark the tables with silverware, ketchup, or whatever else the guest is going to need IMMEDIATELY AFTER TAKING THE ORDER.

    • Save time by bussing from another table after taking the order, then on your back into the dining room you would bring out the stuff to mark tables.

3) Be in your section every 60-90 seconds.

  • Being in your section often allows the guest to always get what they need immediately.

4) Anticipate needs

  • Bring the guest more napkins before they can ask, etc.

Things you can do today or this week to help with unobtrusive service:

1) Don’t announce what you are doing!

  • Cut These Things:

    • I’ll go put that in for you!

    • Here is some more …

    • Do you need more napkins? (just do it!)

2) Silently ask if they want another drink

  • Steps:

    • Notice guests drink is at â…“ full (meaning - they drank â…”)

    • Make eye contact 

    • Gesture to the drink while smiling

    • Head nod yes or no

    • Notice that the guest will nod whether or not they want another one!

    • Go put the drink in the pos:)

Turning tables can make you a lot more money, but you do have to be busy for this to happen.

Most establishments are at least on a wait on Friday and Saturday night.

🚀 Tactical Reminders:

  1. Brandon - Stop getting annoyed -

    Video Lesson: Click here.

  2. Cassidi - First video!! -

    Video Lesson: Click here.

  3. Jess - Phrases Jess hates -

    Video Lesson: Click here.

That’s all for week forty three.

See you next week,

The Restaurant Launch Team

PS - When you’re ready, here are 2 ways we can help:

1) Servers - Unseen Service Training: Raise your tips by $500 a week using these 106 Lessons that will get your Sales and Service to the Top Level
2) Owners - FOH Service Training (Advanced): How To Predictably Raise Your Sales By 10-20% in 56 Days By Getting Your Service To The Next Level!