Your Story
Every once in a while, you probably get a table that wants to know your story. They will want to know where you are from, where you went to school, and how you ended up working where you are. Some servers make the mistake of making up stories or changing the subject. They get nervous about what the table might ask next or they just don't know what to say.
Your Story is very important as a restaurant server. It is a tool you can use to entertain your guests and humanize you. People love knowing their server is a real person, and everyone likes a good story, so don't be shy, be proud of who you are and tell them all about it.
Some people can be a little too nosey. They can seem to think they have a green flag to ask you anything they want, no matter how personal. When I greet tables in touristy areas, the first thing they usually ask me is where I'm from, not what they should order. When this starts happening, it's easy to become annoyed or even resentful of your table. But it doesn't have to be this way.
Practice telling your story in under a minute. Think of the most typical follow-up questions people ask you when you tell them your story, and go ahead and include those into it. Along with your pitch, your story is a tool you can use to humanize you and connect with your guests.
The one tool you will always have if there isn't anything to talk about, besides the menu, is yourself. It's easy to work this into the conversation. If they don't ask you where you're from, or how you ended up where you are, then turn it around and ask them! If you do it right, they will be flattered. Pretty soon, they'll be asking you the same.
It can get really monotonous telling your same story over and over again. After a while, your story may begin to sound like a robot reading a teleprompter. Practice telling your story more or less the same way, but change it up just enough not to sound rehearsed.
Leave out anything negative. Nobody is going to want to order the lobster entree right after they just heard you tell them a sob story about how you couldn't get into the college you wanted.
You don't have to wait for your tables to ask you. If you feel like they might ask, just go ahead and tell them your story. Seriously, this works. Just knock it out. Otherwise you'll spend the whole meal dreading the moment that they finally ask. I usually try to tell at least some version of "my story" to every table.
Your Story is very important as a restaurant server. It is a tool you can use to entertain your guests and humanize you. People love knowing their server is a real person, and everyone likes a good story, so don't be shy, be proud of who you are and tell them all about it.
Some people can be a little too nosey. They can seem to think they have a green flag to ask you anything they want, no matter how personal. When I greet tables in touristy areas, the first thing they usually ask me is where I'm from, not what they should order. When this starts happening, it's easy to become annoyed or even resentful of your table. But it doesn't have to be this way.
Practice telling your story in under a minute. Think of the most typical follow-up questions people ask you when you tell them your story, and go ahead and include those into it. Along with your pitch, your story is a tool you can use to humanize you and connect with your guests.
The one tool you will always have if there isn't anything to talk about, besides the menu, is yourself. It's easy to work this into the conversation. If they don't ask you where you're from, or how you ended up where you are, then turn it around and ask them! If you do it right, they will be flattered. Pretty soon, they'll be asking you the same.
It can get really monotonous telling your same story over and over again. After a while, your story may begin to sound like a robot reading a teleprompter. Practice telling your story more or less the same way, but change it up just enough not to sound rehearsed.
Leave out anything negative. Nobody is going to want to order the lobster entree right after they just heard you tell them a sob story about how you couldn't get into the college you wanted.
You don't have to wait for your tables to ask you. If you feel like they might ask, just go ahead and tell them your story. Seriously, this works. Just knock it out. Otherwise you'll spend the whole meal dreading the moment that they finally ask. I usually try to tell at least some version of "my story" to every table.
