How to Be a Server at Red Lobster
By: Natasha Garcia
Kendall Washington
8
Service Steps: Deliver Drinks and Take Orders
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Introduction about serving at Red Lobster ........................................................... v
Chapter 1: Service Steps-VIP.................................................................................... 3
1.1 Personalized Guest Connection ...........................................................................3
1.2 Deliver Drinks and Take Order............................................................................ 3
1.3 Serve Food ...........................................................................................................3
1.4 Check back, Maintain the Personalized Connection............................................ 4
1.5 Collect Payment ...................................................................................................4
Chapter 2: Service Steps-Deliver Drinks and Take Orders .............................. 5
2.1 Pivot Points ..........................................................................................................7
2.2 Taking Drink order and Delivering Drinks .......................................................... 8
2.3Writing Orders ......................................................................................................9
2.4 Ring orders on the Computer ............................................................................... 9
Chapter 3: Service Steps-Serve Food, Check Back, Collect Payment .......10
3.1 Pacing .................................................................................................................. 11
3.2 Service Tray Handling ........................................................................................ 12
3.3 Pre-Bussing to Active service Ware ...................................................................13
3.4 Attentiveness Zones ............................................................................................ 13
Chapter 4: Thanking the Guests and GSS .......................................................... 15
4.1 Handling Guest Problems ................................................................................... 17
4.2 Greeting People is Important .............................................................................. 17
Chapter 5: Service Steps-Precautions for Servers...................................... 18
5.1 Cleanliness........................................................................................................... 19
5.2 Always on time ....................................................................................................19
5.3 Facial Expressions ............................................................................................... 19
5.4 Safety Rules .........................................................................................................19
Restaurant Language Glossary ............................................................................. 20
Index .............................................................................................................................. 21
iii
8
Service Steps: Deliver Drinks and Take Orders
Introduction
v
Introduction about Serving at Red Lobster
This Manual is going to teach you the ins and outs of being a server at Red
Lobster. Red Lobster is an upscale Seafood Restaurant. To be a server at Red
Lobster, you have to be dedicated and knowledgeable. In the Red Lobster kitchen,
or heart of the house, they prepare the fresh seafood everybody loves, but they also
add plenty of magic to the mix. It takes a strong, energetic guest services team to
keep that seafood front and center, and make sure every customer stays happy and
comfortable every time they return. This Manual will help servers instill the Core
Values that every server should respect and honor.
Respect- Treat others with dignity; recognize everyone’s contributions; embrace
diversity.
Integrity-Be open and honest with ourselves and others; always do the right thing
Genuine Care-Listen and seek to understand; see to the well-being of others.
Hospitality-Make every guest feel welcome and special; anticipate their needs.
Teamwork-Help each other learn, grow and accomplish more than we could on
our own.
Chapter One talks about the service steps the servers need to carry out on how to
treat the Guest once they arrive. For Example, they need to know how to greet
guest in a specific order.
Chapter Two talks about the service steps required for servers to deliver drinks, as
well as take orders from guest once they are seated. Also, it will teach servers what
part of the table they should stand by known as pivot points.
Chapter Three talks about service steps required for servers to serve food to guests,
give checks back, and also collect payments. This chapter will explain to servers
how quickly and smoothly they need to be while serving guests’ food, pre-bussing,
active service, trey handling, etc.
Chapter Four talks about service steps required for thanking the Guest. There are
certain ways servers need to greet the guests when they arrive, while they are
eating, and when they are about to leave. Servers must be courteous towards
guests.
Chapter 1
Service Steps: VIP
Service Steps: VIP
Chapter 1: Service Steps- VIP
These steps provide the elements of great V.I.P. (valued and important
personalized service) dining experience. During each step, you’ll perform the task
and provide personalized service. Performing the task is not enough to create a
great experience. You’ll also need to provide friendly, attentive, personalized
service associated with all service steps.
1.1: Personalized Guest Connection






One minute greeting.
A great first impression.
Initial read.
Identify Occasion.
Demonstrate Seafood Expertise
o Describe a fresh fish preparation
o Describe a promotion entrée
o Let guests know all grilled items are cooked over an oak, wood-fire
grill
Capture drink and appetizer order.
1.2: Deliver Drinks and Take the Order




Make personalized suggestions.
Validate guests’ choices.
Use pivot points so no one ever asks “who ordered the…”
Ring into Computer.
1.3: Serve Food



No food waits.
Hot food hot, cold food cold.
Know who ordered each item.
3
4
Service Steps: VIP
1.4: Check Back, Maintain the Personalized Connection





Return quickly after serving food to ensure all is as ordered.
Refresh drinks and offer refills throughout entire zone.
Continue to read cues, anticipate guest needs, and personalize service.
Pre-bus to active service ware throughout the zone.
Practice teamwork in attentiveness zones.
1.5: Collect Payment





Write personal note on each check.
Have check ready to deliver at guest’s convenience.
Drop checks, check nearby table, glance back and return quickly for
payment.
Close promptly and accurately; return quickly with change or charge slips.
Thank guests and invite them to return.
Chapter 2
Service Steps: Deliver Drinks and Take Orders
Service Steps: Deliver Drinks and Take Orders
7
Chapter 2: Service Steps- Deliver Drinks and Take Orders
It’s easy to make connections with guests when they choose to celebrate at Red
Lobster! Each celebration in the restaurant gives us an opportunity to deliver our
Red Lobster promise:
Friendly, attentive service that allows our guests to relax and reconnect with people
they care about.
Celebration Recognition
 Congratulate the guest: wish them a happy birthday, anniversary or other
occasion.
 Genuinely thank the guest and show appreciation that they chose Red
Lobster for their celebration.
Make sure, at some point during the experience, that you:
 Tell the guests of the great selection of desserts they can purchase to make
their celebration complete.
 Ensure a manager knows about the celebration, so they can visit all
celebrating tables to congratulate and thank them for choosing Red Lobster
for their special occasion.
2.1: Pivot Points
 A pivot point is where you stand at the table when taking the orders.
 When standing at the pivot point, guest one is to your immediate left.
 Use pivot points when taking the orders to ensure the proper menu item is
served to each guest without having to ask.
 Food will be placed on a tray according to guest numbers, so it’ll be easy to
serve.
 Each tray has a hole or mark to identify guest one plate.
 If not rung by guest/pivot point, it causes confusion in cooking and
delivering.
8
Service Steps: VIP
Figure 1 below shows where the server should stand:
2
3
Table
1
4
X=Server
Figure 1: Shows where server should stand
2.2: Taking order and Delivering Drinks
 Before asking guest what they would like to eat, the server should ask
what they would like to drink.
 Once drink orders have been written down, server should quickly get the
guests their drinks.
 After the guests have received their drinks, then the server may ask for
what they would like to eat.
2.3: Writing Orders




Carefully take the order to make sure guests receive exactly what they want.
Repeat order to guests to be certain its correct.
Substitutions can be made to ensure guests receive what they want.
There might be an additional charge, so be sure to let the guests know.
Figure 2 below demonstrates how orders should be taken:
Service Steps: Deliver Drinks and Take Orders
9
Figure 2: Order being taken
Guest Check
Table: 13
# Guests: 4
1 – Ultimate Feast w/ fries
2 – Cheeseburger MW
add gr onion and shrooms
3 – Cobb Salad
4 – Club Sandwich
add shrimp
add avocado
2.4 Ring Orders on the Computer
 After writing the guests’ orders, the server should always ring it up on
the computer so that the chef and other servers in the kitchen will be
able to get the order ready.
 This will also help the server sort out the checks for the guests.
10
Service Steps: VIP
Chapter 3
Service Steps: Serve Food, Check Back, Collect Payment
Service Steps: Serve Food, Check Back, Collect Payments
11
Chapter 3: Service Steps - Serve Food, Check Back,
Collect Payment
Satisfying guests is very hard especially in terms of taking orders, bringing their
checks, and collecting payments. If the job is not done on time, there will be
problems with the guests. This chapter briefly discusses how quickly and smoothly
servers need to be while handling guests’ food, serving their food, collecting their
check, and collecting payments.
3.1: Pacing
Our goal is seamless pacing when delivering food and drinks
 No delays; smooth timing and delivery.
Servers control the pacing to fit the desire of the guests/occasion
 For guests under a time constraint, deliver a 40-minute guest experience
using F.A.S.T. procedures.
To help pacing:
 Get an appetizer order with the drink.
 Ask about time constraints after you’ve introduced fresh fish, promotion and
wood-fire grill.
 Immediately ring in appetizer order then get the drinks.
 Ring in entrées as soon as the appetizer is delivered.
Pacing Example:







Guests Seated
1 minute: Greet, Take drink order and appetizer order
2-3 minutes: Ring in appetizer
3-4 minutes: Deliver drinks, Take order
7-8 minutes: Deliver appetizer, Ring in entrée
13 minutes: Delivers salad
20-23 minutes: Deliver entrée
Notice:
Service Steps: Serve Food, Check Back, Collect Payments
12
 Intervals of time between deliveries to the table are spaced consistently
 No extensive wait time between courses.
 Make sure there is time for guests to enjoy appetizers before the salads,
and salads before entrees’.
3.2: Service Tray Handling
Keeping tray weight at or below 20lbs. significantly reduces the strain potential on
servers.
Figure 3 below demonstrates an example of how light a tray should be.
Figure 3: Lightly weighed tray
3.3: Pre-Bussing to Active Service Ware
1. Guests have recently arrived
 They have menus.
 Drinks have just been served.
 Even though the tabletop is full, it is still very neat and comfortable
for the guests.
2. Guests are enjoying an appetizer
 Menus have been taken away.
Service Steps: Serve Food, Check Back, Collect Payments
13
 Sugar packets and napkin bands have been cleared.
3. Guests have been served their salads
 Appetizer remains on the table because guests are still enjoying it.
 Biscuits have been served with the salads.
 Again, the table is very full; the guests are still using everything on
the table.
4. Guests are enjoying their entrées
 Salad bowls have been cleared.
 Appetizer and plates have been cleared.
 Silverware that is not in use has been cleared (salad forks, appetizer
utensils).
 Breadbasket is still there because guest will continue to enjoy biscuits
with their entrees.
3.4: Attentiveness in Zones
1. Ensure guests are greeted in one minute
 Introduce yourself and other servers in the zone.
 All servers in a zone should notice when guests are being seated
within that zone.
 If the table’s server is not able to greet in one minute, others should
welcome the guests and let them know their server will be there
shortly and take initiative to the get beverage orders (when
appropriate).
2. Refills
 Refill drinks: always offer refills for all tables in the zone.
 Refill biscuits: check all tables throughout the dining experience and offer
refills as needed.
 Offer seconds on alcoholic drinks.
3. Pre-bus to Active Service Ware
 All servers walking through their zone should pick up any plates, soufflé,
cups, utensils, or trash from any tables in the zone.
 All servers walking through their zone should pick up any dishes or utensils.
Service Steps: Serve Food, Check Back, Collect Payments
 If unsure, asking the guests “May I take this out of your way?” is a great
way to gain guests’ approval.
12
Chapter 4
Service Steps: Thanking the Guests and GSS
Service Steps: Thanking Guests and GSS
17
Chapter 4: Service Steps- Thanking the Guests and GSS
4.1: Handling Guests Problems
Be sincere: show you want to help. Look and sound like you want to help quickly.
Listen- “I hear you...”
 Listen actively.
 Watch your body language.
 Don’t make excuses.
 Don’t blame others or get defensive.
Apologize- “I apologize…”
 Take the food away- Fix it with a sense of urgency.
 Empathize- Show your genuinely care.
 Apologize that their experience isn’t what they expected.
Get your Manager Involved- “Let’s get some help to solve this…”
 Thank the guests for bringing it to your attention.
 Explain that you’ll get your manager.
 Be prepared to help the manager and follow through on the solution.
4.2: Greeting People is Important
Ending the guests’ experience positively with a warm and genuine farewell from
all crewmembers really lets the guests know they’re special and important- V.I.P.
Service.
A genuine and sincere “Thank You”…
 Is to be given to every guest.
 Is a key element in making guests feel valued and important.
 Needs to be personalized for each guest.
 Conveys your caring and appreciation.
Every Crewmember thanks the guests for coming
18 Precautions for Servers
 No matter if you’re the server, host, or busser: When you see guests
leaving, make eye contact and thank them for coming.
Chapter 5
Service Steps: Thanking Guests and GSS
19
Service Steps: Precautions for Servers
Chapter 5: Precautions for Servers
There are certain things servers need to be careful about while taking orders,
bringing food from the kitchen, and many more.
5.1 Cleanliness
Being clean is important for a server. It is essential because servers are handling
the guests’ food and if they have any unhealthy factors, it might contaminate the
food of the guests. There are some guidelines servers need to go about in order to
prevent unhealthy factors:
20 Precautions for Servers
 Nails must be short and if kept long must be clean.
 For Girls- Hair must be pulled back in a ponytail.
 For Guys- Hair must be brushed, it should not cover their face. This is to
avoid hair from entering the guests’ food.
 They should always make sure cutlery is properly cleaned before they give it
to guests.
 They also need to make sure the dishes and glasses being used are clean.
 Their uniforms must always be neat and worn in the right manner.
5.2 Always on Time
 Servers that have early shifts should come earlier than expected so that they
will be able to set the tables in an appropriate order and to also make sure
the restaurant is tidy.
 Servers should always be on time for work.
 Servers should always make sure guests get their appetizer before their main
dish unless requested otherwise by the guests.
5.3 Facial Expressions
 Servers should always wear a smile on their face no matter how bad their
day is going. If they don’t, it will cause the customers to give bad reviews
about the restaurant.
5.4 Safety Rules
Like the saying goes, safety first; this is the most important thing for servers. The
factors below state what servers need to do.
 Any hot food served to guest should be placed on a hot plate served with
a mitt to avoid burning the server’s fingers and the table.
 A server should also warn guest that the food is hot before they start
eating.
 Servers should always have necessary objects like mini towels, straws
and so on, incase of an accident.
Service Steps: Thanking Guests and GSS
21
 If a guest should spill their drink on the floor, to avoid somebody from
slipping while walking by, servers should be aware and quickly get
somebody to clean it up or clean it up himself or herself.
 Servers should wear flat, slip resistant shoes or sneakers, so that mobility
will be easy.
Restaurant Language Glossary
 Active Service Ware- Any silverware plates, glasses or food items being
used by guests. Only active service ware should be present on the table.
 Guest Satisfaction Survey (GSS)- The guests’ check prompts them to
report about their dining experience. Results are provided for each restaurant
by categories such as food temperature, lobby experience, etc.
 Pre-Bus- Remove dirty dishes as guests finish so that there is little or no
dirty dinnerware left on the guest table.
22 Precautions for Servers
 VIP Service- The extra special care we take to provide personalized service
ensuring that guests feel Valued and Important through Personalized
service.
Index
23
Index
Active Service Ware, 12, 18
Pre-Bus, 18
Pre-Bussing, 12
Thank You, 17
VIP Service, 18