five attitudes for a good experience

If you go to a bar or restaurant this Friday (11), don’t forget to say congratulations! Today is celebrated nationally the Day of the Waiter (and the Waitress!). According to an anecdote, the origin of the date – the same as Lawyer’s Day – would be related to the infamous “Dia da Pendura”, when young law students gathered in bars and restaurants to eat and drink without paying the bill. By tradition, which dates back to the times of the Empire, the default was not extended to waiters, who received their tips in full.

Facing journeys that last eight to ten or even twelve hours a day, professional waiters and waitresses usually work six days a week (including holidays), with days off on Mondays and one Sunday a month. All this while maintaining kindness and friendliness while balancing trays and dealing with the most different types of people.

A good way to honor the category on this special date (and every other day of the year) is to avoid some attitudes that can make them irritated and make the function of serving even more difficult. To help, the Good Gourmet listed five behaviors that can be adopted to improve the customer-waiter relationship and ensure a great experience for both. How about joining?

Call with signs or looks

Don’t snap your fingers or whistle for the waiter or waitress: simply raise your hand or look at them. The professionals are always attentive to the activity of the salon, so it won’t take long to realize when they are being requested. In the case of waitresses, do not force intimacy by calling them things like “my dear” or “my love”, an inappropriate attitude in any professional environment. Likewise, not every waiter likes to be called by nicknames, like “commander, captain, uncle, brother, comrade, boss, friend” – no matter how good the song “Saideira” by Skank is.

Eye contact and patience are enough.

Be brief when ordering.

When ordering, don’t take too much of the waiter’s or waitress’s time. If you’re not ready to place your order when approached, say so. You can ask questions about the menu, but if you stop the pro with too many questions, you’re preventing him from serving other tables. Also avoid using your cell phone when the waiter arrives at the table at the time of ordering. Don’t keep the professional waiting while you are focused on the device’s screen, practically ignoring his presence. Make requests politely, always remembering the “magic words”: please and thank you.

Don’t take it out on the waiter

If you make a request that the establishment cannot fulfill, please do your best to politely accept. The waiter and waitress are not to blame if the establishment does not serve or is out of certain foods or drinks at that time. The customer has the right to report to the manager when there is a problem with their order or with the service provided by the professional who is serving them, but it is important to do this in moderation and bearing in mind that the maxim “the customer is always right” is not 100% true.

Respect the break time

Every bar or restaurant has a predetermined opening hours, published on its main communication channels. The waiter, like any other professional, wants to go home and rest after a hard day’s work. Therefore, check the opening times before leaving home and avoid arriving at the bar or restaurant and ordering minutes before closing time. This way, the waiter will have to leave work later and maybe miss the transport that takes him home. In that case, it’s not worth complaining about the bad mood!

Tip whenever you can

If the waiter provided adequate or better service, leave a tip. If you placed a complex order or needed extra assistance, please leave a larger tip. Some people prefer the service charge as an easier way to tip for service, while others prefer the freedom to decide how much to tip. In any case, the amount should help supplement the worker’s income.

In Brazil, a law passed in 2017 by the National Congress, known as the Tipping Law (No. 13,419), establishes that all the amount collected with the famous “10%” must be allocated to employees who participate directly in customer service, such as waiters , cumins, attendants, among others.

Even with the regulation, good waiters continue to receive tips from customers. When in doubt, ask what the establishment’s policy is. But, under no circumstances, do not try to put the tip in the waiter’s pocket – better leave it on the table or in the box specifically for this!