How to be a restaurant VIP
Everyone knows one, everyone wants to be one, but only some people get treated like one – VIP. You don’t necessarily have to be a high-roller to be one, but it does help.
I was never too concerned with being a restaurant VIP until I moved to Kansas. In Hutchinson and most other places I’ve visited in central Kansas good service is hard to find. I grew up in the south, where “Southern Comfort” was not just bourbon and “Southern Hospitality” wasn’t a cliché but a way of life. Couple that with 4 years at college in a southern tourist town, and I was spoiled. I rarely saw a glass less than half full, I never had to ask for silverware, and I never, EVER started a meal without knowing my server’s name.
Once I moved to Hutch, I learned that there are places where the service industry is less of an industry and more of a state of limbo for people who are waiting for a better job. I knew my fair share of people in college who were waiting tables just to get by, but almost everyone was always “working it” because you never knew if your next four-top was going to be the Senator, the College President, or just some rich Yankee spending spring break down south. Maybe that’s part of why restaurant service here is less consistent and less pleasant – servers have less variety and are less likely to be tipped well.
Fortunately, you don’t have to let your regional circumstances damn you to a life of mediocre restaurant services. There are things you can do to get better service. In my book, being a VIP isn’t necessarily always about getting the best of everything. Being a VIP is about getting consistently good service, getting a direct line to management in the event that something goes wrong, and getting nice little extras not normally afforded to everyone else. I have been financially comfortable (that may change in the coming months) but I am by no means rich. A bit of extra cash does help towards getting elite status in a restaurant, but here is a list of 7 things that can get you noticed and get you a little something special. Follow these tips and you’ll get friendly, prompt service and from time to time you may get something extra.
1. Be a regular – This doesn’t mean that you always have to be a regular, but you have to establish yourself in the minds of the waitstaff and hopefully the owner and/or manager will notice you too. Go to a restaurant at least once a week, preferably during an off-peak time (Between 11 and 11:30 or after 1:00 for lunch, Before 6:30 or after 8 for dinner). Do this for 5-8 weeks or until the waitstaff/hostess/bartender/manager recognize you, preferably call you by name, and can remember your favorite drink/dish/dessert/table. Learn your waiter’s name and the manager’s – try to always get seated in the same waiter’s section, or, even better, sit at the bar (if there is one) After this initial period, even if you only go in a couple times a month, you will probably get better than average service.
2. Go by yourself – If you can’t handle this, go with another person who understands good food and the quest for good service, preferably someone who is outgoing and a little charismatic. You want the waitstaff to bond with you. It’s easiest to form friendships if you are alone and not distracted by others. You don’t always have to go by yourself, but in the initial getting-to-know-you period, dining alone a several times in a restaurant can really help you get to know the staff and help them get to know you.
3. Go with friends – After you have established that you are a loyal customer, bring your friends along. Restaurant workers, especially managers and owners, will notice when you bring in people they haven’t seen before or don’t see often. They will appreciate your recommendation and the fact that you bring them additional business.
4. Don’t ask for anything – VIPs don’t ask for free stuff. They don’t, except under extreme circumstances, ask for a dish to be re-fired. They don’t ask for substitutions. They don’t make any strange requests that would make life more difficult for the waitstaff/kitchen/bartender. Small requests, especially if they are consistent, can actually be helpful. For example, always ordering your burger with no tomatoes or your French fries extra crispy can help people remember you. As a general rule though, keeping special requests to a minimum will serve you well in the long run.
5. If something free is offered, don’t select the most expensive item on the menu. Ordering a low-to-mid priced item will show the restaurant that you appreciate their generosity and are not out to take advantage of them. However, if your waiter or the manager suggests a more expensive item after you have ordered the lower cost item, feel free to graciously accept (or graciously decline if you really would rather have the grilled chicken than the porterhouse steak).
6. Don’t skimp – a restaurant’s biggest profit margins are in beverages (esp. alcohol), desserts, and pasta dishes. Remember, your waiter’s nightly earnings are directly correlated to your check. Your check doesn’t have to be huge, but an occasional large bill will be noticed. At least a couple times, especially when first dining at a restaurant, order an appetizer, entrée, dessert and a couple of drinks – basically, anything over $30/person in most restaurants is a good night for management and your waiter. Order big a few times and you will be remembered.
7. Tip well – I generally tip about 18-20% on a check – sometimes a bit more if service is outstanding or I get comped (given) something, sometimes in the range of 10-15% if service isn’t that great. As a general rule, if your waiter or the manager gives you something for free or if you are using a coupon, you should still tip on what the total would have been. Remember that your waiter has little control over what happens in a kitchen, so they should not be penalized for improperly cooked food or a long wait for food. However, your waiter should do what they can to help mitigate these unpleasant circumstances.
I was never too concerned with being a restaurant VIP until I moved to Kansas. In Hutchinson and most other places I’ve visited in central Kansas good service is hard to find. I grew up in the south, where “Southern Comfort” was not just bourbon and “Southern Hospitality” wasn’t a cliché but a way of life. Couple that with 4 years at college in a southern tourist town, and I was spoiled. I rarely saw a glass less than half full, I never had to ask for silverware, and I never, EVER started a meal without knowing my server’s name.
Once I moved to Hutch, I learned that there are places where the service industry is less of an industry and more of a state of limbo for people who are waiting for a better job. I knew my fair share of people in college who were waiting tables just to get by, but almost everyone was always “working it” because you never knew if your next four-top was going to be the Senator, the College President, or just some rich Yankee spending spring break down south. Maybe that’s part of why restaurant service here is less consistent and less pleasant – servers have less variety and are less likely to be tipped well.
Fortunately, you don’t have to let your regional circumstances damn you to a life of mediocre restaurant services. There are things you can do to get better service. In my book, being a VIP isn’t necessarily always about getting the best of everything. Being a VIP is about getting consistently good service, getting a direct line to management in the event that something goes wrong, and getting nice little extras not normally afforded to everyone else. I have been financially comfortable (that may change in the coming months) but I am by no means rich. A bit of extra cash does help towards getting elite status in a restaurant, but here is a list of 7 things that can get you noticed and get you a little something special. Follow these tips and you’ll get friendly, prompt service and from time to time you may get something extra.
1. Be a regular – This doesn’t mean that you always have to be a regular, but you have to establish yourself in the minds of the waitstaff and hopefully the owner and/or manager will notice you too. Go to a restaurant at least once a week, preferably during an off-peak time (Between 11 and 11:30 or after 1:00 for lunch, Before 6:30 or after 8 for dinner). Do this for 5-8 weeks or until the waitstaff/hostess/bartender/manager recognize you, preferably call you by name, and can remember your favorite drink/dish/dessert/table. Learn your waiter’s name and the manager’s – try to always get seated in the same waiter’s section, or, even better, sit at the bar (if there is one) After this initial period, even if you only go in a couple times a month, you will probably get better than average service.
2. Go by yourself – If you can’t handle this, go with another person who understands good food and the quest for good service, preferably someone who is outgoing and a little charismatic. You want the waitstaff to bond with you. It’s easiest to form friendships if you are alone and not distracted by others. You don’t always have to go by yourself, but in the initial getting-to-know-you period, dining alone a several times in a restaurant can really help you get to know the staff and help them get to know you.
3. Go with friends – After you have established that you are a loyal customer, bring your friends along. Restaurant workers, especially managers and owners, will notice when you bring in people they haven’t seen before or don’t see often. They will appreciate your recommendation and the fact that you bring them additional business.
4. Don’t ask for anything – VIPs don’t ask for free stuff. They don’t, except under extreme circumstances, ask for a dish to be re-fired. They don’t ask for substitutions. They don’t make any strange requests that would make life more difficult for the waitstaff/kitchen/bartender. Small requests, especially if they are consistent, can actually be helpful. For example, always ordering your burger with no tomatoes or your French fries extra crispy can help people remember you. As a general rule though, keeping special requests to a minimum will serve you well in the long run.
5. If something free is offered, don’t select the most expensive item on the menu. Ordering a low-to-mid priced item will show the restaurant that you appreciate their generosity and are not out to take advantage of them. However, if your waiter or the manager suggests a more expensive item after you have ordered the lower cost item, feel free to graciously accept (or graciously decline if you really would rather have the grilled chicken than the porterhouse steak).
6. Don’t skimp – a restaurant’s biggest profit margins are in beverages (esp. alcohol), desserts, and pasta dishes. Remember, your waiter’s nightly earnings are directly correlated to your check. Your check doesn’t have to be huge, but an occasional large bill will be noticed. At least a couple times, especially when first dining at a restaurant, order an appetizer, entrée, dessert and a couple of drinks – basically, anything over $30/person in most restaurants is a good night for management and your waiter. Order big a few times and you will be remembered.
7. Tip well – I generally tip about 18-20% on a check – sometimes a bit more if service is outstanding or I get comped (given) something, sometimes in the range of 10-15% if service isn’t that great. As a general rule, if your waiter or the manager gives you something for free or if you are using a coupon, you should still tip on what the total would have been. Remember that your waiter has little control over what happens in a kitchen, so they should not be penalized for improperly cooked food or a long wait for food. However, your waiter should do what they can to help mitigate these unpleasant circumstances.
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