Waiter Training Manual
(Trainer Version)
IRCV1 Contents
Contents
10 Training Plan
Introduction
Job descriptions
P2
P3
P4
P5+6
Section 1 – Pass
What is the Pass?
Dish Garnishes
Mise en place
Communicating with the Kitchen
Table Numbers
Position Numbers
Where things live
Cleaning Audits
Food Audits/MOT’s
P8
P8-11
P11
P12
P13
P14
P15
P16
P17
Section 2 – Reception
Reception Responsibilities
The importance of a smile
Mystery Diner steps
Never say ‘No’ to a booking
Res V5 Training
Logging in
Taking a Booking/Guest Recognition
Editing a Reservation
Checking in a Booking
Loyalty Card
P19
P20
P20
P21
P22
P23-30
P30-32
P32-33
P34
Section 3 – Floor
Mystery Diner/Steps of Service
One Server
Taking Orders
3 Types of Selling
Complaint Handling
Allergies
Guest Awareness
Challenge 21
Weights and Measures
Wine Knowledge
Wine Service
Cocktails and Spirits
IRC Calls
Coffees
P36+37
P38
P39
P40
P41
P42
P43
P44
P45
P46
P47+48
P49
P50
P51-58
2 Training Programme Week 1 (Waiter)
DAY 1
DAY 2
DAY 3
DAY 4
DAY 5
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
INDUCTION DAY
FOOD RUNNING
FOOD RUNNING
PASS
RECEPTION
10am – 5pm
3pm – Close
12pm – 10pm
10am – 6pm
12pm-8pm
Company Induction with
Manager or In house
Trainer
Complete test P1a
(Pass rate 90%)
Complete test P1b
(Pass rate 90%)
Complete test P1c
(Pass rate 90%)
Complete test P1d
(Pass rate 90%)
Attend Staff Briefing
Verbal test – table
numbers
Verbal test –
position numbers
Attend Staff Briefing
Attend Staff Briefing
Attend Staff
Briefing
Core Handbook Issued –
Ref day one checklist
(Page 33)
Buddied with
experienced member of
staff
Ref. Training Manual
Section 1
Buddied with
experienced member of
staff
Set up and Close down
duties of pass
Ref. Training Manual
Section 1
Food Training –
Pasta/Risotto/Salad
Food/Cleaning Audits
Compendiums issued
Waiter Training Manual
issued
Food training
Appetisers/Starters
Health and Safety
Complete a Food MOT
with a Manager or In
house Trainer
Table Numbers
Buddied with
experienced
member of staff
Complete Section
1 of Training
Manual
Buddied with
Reception
Manager/Full time
reception
Complete Section 2
of Training manual
IRC Reception
standards
Events (If applicable)
Food Training –
Mains/Grill
Food Training –
Pizza/Sandwiches/
Desserts
Guest Recognition
Loyalty cards
Epos Training
Coffee Training
Training Programme Week 2 (Waiter)
DAY 1
DAY 2
DAY 3
DAY 4
DAY 5
Monday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
FLOOR - FOLLOW
FLOOR - FOLLOW
FLOOR - FOLLOWED
FLOOR FOLLOWED
FLOOR - FOLLOWED
10am – 10pm
3pm - Close
10am – 6pm
3pm - Close
12 - Close
Complete test R1a
(Pass rate 90%)
Complete test W1a
(Pass rate 90%)
Complete test W1b
(Pass rate 90%)
Complete test W1c
(Pass rate 90%)
Complete test W1d
(Pass rate 90%)
Buddied with In
house Trainer or
experienced waiter
Buddied with In house
Trainer or experienced
waiter
Buddied with In house
Trainer or experienced
waiter
Buddied with In
house Trainer or
experienced waiter
Practical coffee test
– Make the 5 top
selling coffees
Ref. Section 3
training manual
Ref. Section 3 training
manual
Ref. Section 3 training
manual
Ref. Section 3
training manual
Buddied with In house
Trainer or experienced
waiter
Mystery Diner Form
and Process clearly
explained
Allergies
Wine Training
Serving wine
Cocktail/Spirit
training
Bar legal’s/Measures
One Server/ Epos
Training
Complaint
Handling/Wowing
guests
Refresher coffee
training
Opening Duties
Selling Techniques
Service observation to be
done by manager and
feedback given
Closing duties
Complete Section 3
training manual
Service observation to
be done by manager
and feedback given
3 Introduction in Brief
IRC was formed in 2004, we have 33 restaurants 22 of these are Piccolino, 8 Restaurant Bar
and Grill, 2 Bank and 1 Zinc Bar and Grill, most can be found in city, suburban and rural
areas and have sophisticated and high quality fit outs. IRC prides itself on our eclectic
menus and has a huge emphasis on quality and fresh ingredients. Menu and service
consistency is of high importance in both front and back of house.
When hiring new employees we look for people with a passion for food, hospitality and a
desire to learn. We have a huge focus on training and development and there are
opportunities for promotion. Personality and passion are what drive our company forward.
Our restaurants provide a high standard of service we are professional, fluid and fun with
excellent product knowledge. Our aim is to ‘wow’ and delight our guests.
The Training Manual
This manual has been designed to ensure that you cover all areas of the restaurant to help
you become the best waiter possible.
You will start on the Pass for a week, food running and learning the menu and developing a
good relationship with the kitchen team.
You will also do a day on reception to learn how to use the Res V5 system and receptionist’s
responsibilities. You will cover how to answer the telephone correctly and take a reservation
as this is something you will be expected to do especially if you do not have a full time
receptionist in your restaurant.
Your final weeks training will be spent on the floor with your ‘Trainer’ who will train you in all
areas and be there if you have any questions.
Please write below who your trainer is
________________________________________________________________________
4 JOB DESCRIPTION
Job title: Responsible to: Role: Waiter/Waitress General Manager, Restaurant Manager and Management team
To ensure you are efficient and productive in your everyday duties
maximizing on sales opportunities and ensuring the service provided
by you meets with the company standards.
Duties & Responsibilities
•
To maintain the companies standards in Food, Service and Cleanliness
•
To ensure that the Companies standard of service are maintained providing a
friendly, efficient, courteous and consistent service at all times. To NEVER say ‘No’ to guest unless their request is illegal
To ensure that you are fully knowledgeable of the menu, the wine list and the
beverage menu.
•
•
•
To understand your responsibilities in maintaining Company standards of Food
Safety, Health and Safety and Fire Safety.
•
To carry out any jobs or duties as dictated by management.
•
To have a good working relationship with your colleagues in all departments
maintaining high levels of communication and team work at all times
Signed: ……………………………………….
Signed: …………………………………………..
(Employee)
(Line Manager)
5 JOB DESCRIPTION
Job title:
Commis Waiter
Responsible to:
Management Team
Role:
To ensure you are fast, efficient and productive in your everyday
duties and the service that you provide meets with the company
standards
Responsibilities
•
To ensure that a friendly, efficient, courteous and consistent service is provided at all
times.
•
To never say ‘No’ to a guest unless their request is illegal
•
To ensure that the departmental cleaning rota is followed on a daily basis maintaining
the company standards of cleanliness
•
To understand your responsibilities in maintaining Company standards of food safety,
health and safety and fire safety.
•
To carry out any jobs or duties as dictated by management team
•
To have a full knowledge of all food and beverage menu’s
•
To have a good working relationship with your colleagues in all departments
maintaining high levels of communication and teamwork at all times
Signed: ……………………………………….
Signed: …………………………………………..
(Employee)
(Line Manager)
6 Section One
The Pass/Food running
7 What is the Pass?
The pass is where the Head chef puts the food once cooked to be garnished and checked it
is to spec before being delivered to the guest.
Running the pass is a huge responsibility as you have to know all dishes, their garnishes
and develop a great relationship with the kitchen team.
Please fill in below the dishes you see whilst working on the pass at the correct garnish
for each:
APPETISERS/STARTERS:
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On your first day you will have been issued a food compendium. Please keep it with
you throughout your training so you can constantly make notes on dishes. You will
be tested on your knowledge of dishes on a regular basis.
Mise en Place
What does Mise en place mean?
Everything in place
Please name 5 dishes below and what mise en place is required:
1. ___________________________________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________________________________
3. ___________________________________________________________________________
4. ___________________________________________________________________________
5. ___________________________________________________________________________
11 Communicating with the kitchen:
Building a good relationship with the kitchen will only benefit you once you have completed
your training and become a waiter for IRC.
Make the most of your time working the pass and get to know the kitchen team.
Please write below the names of the kitchen team you meet, what station they work on and their favourite dish from the menu: Chef/KP name Station Favourite dish ________________________ _______________________ ____________________________ ________________________ _______________________ ____________________________ ________________________ _______________________ ____________________________ ________________________ _______________________ ____________________________ ________________________ _______________________ ____________________________ ________________________ _______________________ ____________________________ ________________________ _______________________ ____________________________ ________________________ _______________________ ____________________________ ________________________ _______________________ ____________________________ ________________________ _______________________ ____________________________ ________________________ _______________________ ____________________________ ________________________ _______________________ ____________________________ You will find that when you are working on the pass you will often be the go between for the
kitchen and waiters. It is essential that you treat everyone with the respect you would expect
and you are clear when communicating messages as this effects the service our guest
receives.
12 Table Numbers
Every one of our restaurants will have a different table plan. It is important that you take the
time to learn them.
Please ask for a copy of the table plan for your restaurant and stick in below: TABLE PLAN 13 Position Numbers
In order to give the best possible service to our guests we don’t like for our servers to
‘Auction food’. By this we mean going to the table and shouting out the names of the dishes
to find out who is having what.
To prevent this from happening our tills are set up for our waiters to be able to indicate which
guest is having what dish by putting a position number on it.
Please see below and example of a check with position numbers:
As you can see each dish has p1, p2 or p3 next to it.
Please refer back to your table plan of the restaurant and indicate on each table where
position one is. You then work clockwise around the table to work out the remaining
position numbers.
When delivering food to the table please ensure you say the name of the dish whilst
placing it in front of the guest.
14 Where things live!
During these 2 weeks of training you will spend a lot of time figuring out where things are
kept.
Please write next to the items below where they are kept in your restaurant: Crockery _____________________________________________________________________________ Cutlery ______________________________________________________________________________ Napkins _____________________________________________________________________________ Chemicals ___________________________________________________________________________ Salt and Pepper _______________________________________________________________________ Butter _______________________________________________________________________________ Sauces _______________________________________________________________________________ Lemon/Limes _________________________________________________________________________ Cloths _______________________________________________________________________________ Menus _______________________________________________________________________________ Till rolls _______________________________________________________________________________ PDQ rolls ______________________________________________________________________________ Oil/Vinegars ___________________________________________________________________________ Glassware _____________________________________________________________________________ 15 CLEANING AUDITS
Cleanliness is one of our 4 KPI’s (Key performance indicators). It is something that we audit
on a monthly basis. Every area of the restaurant has checklists to follow to ensure it is
cleaned to our company standards.
Please see below an example of a checklist:
Please familiarise yourself with the opening and closing duties checklists for your different
departments and what is required from you to keep your restaurant within our company
cleaning standards.
16 FOOD AUDITS
We monitor the quality of our food frequently by completing food audits every month in the
restaurants. Your head chef/GM will also complete what we call food MOT’s on a weekly
basis.
Below are example copies of the food audit and MOT documents that are filled in. When you
sit down with your GM and HC to try our dishes you must get involved in filling these
documents in correctly.
FOOD AUDIT
MOT
17 Section Two
Reception
18 In some of our restaurants we have full time receptionists that are always there to welcome our guests but unfortunately in our smaller restaurants receptionists only work during the busier times. This section will take you through the responsibilities of a receptionist and their key duties. You will also learn how to use the Res V5 system to a basic level so you can take and amend bookings and check our guests in. Reception Responsibilities DAILY ROUTINE Before Lunch/Dinner •
•
•
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•
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•
•
Check handover diary for any messages; put papers out & sort mail as needed Let the manager know of any special requests for Lunch & Dinner and anything else they may need to know for briefing sheet to make other staff aware of Always print off a few copies of the General report of Lunch & Dinner bookings, a copy for the manager in preparation for morning brief, a copy on reception for your own use, give a copy to chef & give copies to the waiters/waitresses to keep on their stations Call to confirm all bookings for the following day lunch & dinner especially any large parties of 9 or more Check emails, anything you haven’t had time to reply to or deal with just mark it with a red flag then the next person on duty will see it needs dealing with Check all cloakroom hangers have tickets on them and are in order Check you have enough restaurant tab cards Make sure there are enough luggage tags for umbrellas, shopping etc Make sure reception is ready for service i.e. tidy desk, no mobiles or make‐up etc Do a table plan for the evening and double check the tables are ready and set before evening bookings Make sure all RAC or applicable menus are ready on the party tables if need be Make sure you have menus printed with business cards attached to keep ready to capture guests outside looking at the menu board (Mobile phones must be kept on silent in your bag to be checked after your shift has finished or permission has been given) Evening •
•
•
•
After/towards end of service do a handover if necessary for the next receptionist on duty Do a kitchen brief & note any special requests, birthday plates, parties etc & place by the kitchen on the clip board next to the pass Type & print a Private Room sign (only applicable to certain sites) with the following day’s events (if any) and/or times the room will be available for viewings. Clear all glassware/cups from reception area; empty bin & make sure the portable phone is on charge Shut down computers and turn them completely off 19 The Importance of a Smile As the old saying says a ‘SMILE’ goes a long way! No matter what is going on in our lives outside of work it is important when working in the hospitality industry that we always wear a smile. The ‘Smile’ is a quality that all receptionists have to master. They are the first face that our guests see. If your restaurant does not have a full time reception team you will have to play this role at times so ensure you master your smile and welcome all guests in a friendly and professional manner. Reception Mystery Diner Steps Please fill in below the Mystery Diner steps you have to take as a receptionist for booking, greeting and seating: Booking Answer the telephone with 6 rings Speak clearly and give the restaurant name If booking time requested isn’t available offer alternative time Repeat reservation back to them to confirm details
Ask if they’d like to receive an email confirmation Be helpful, friendly and sincere at all times Greeting Greet guest promptly with a smile Check for their reservation on Res V5 Offer to take their coats/umbrella etc... Offer them a drink at the bar if they have arrived early Be polite and welcoming at all times Seating Collect guest from bar using their name Offer to carry their drinks for them When seating the tell them who their waiter will be Bring the wine list and specials to their attention Give them a suitable table for their needs Be friendly and professional at all times 20 Never Say No To A Booking
When a guest calls to make a reservation and we do not have the time they would like and
an alternative time is not convenient for them we follow 6 simple steps to secure the booking
even if it is at another one of our restaurants or at another time in the future.
Please write below what the 6 steps to never saying ‘NO’ to a booking are: 1. Advise of available time closest to requested time 2. Advise of a table at approximate requested time with shortened allocation time slot 3. Offer a drink in the bar and try to seat asap 4. Come earlier or later with a gift (drinks at bar, bottle on table or starter on the house) 5. Suggest alternative “sister” site in location ie piccs or bank etc round the corner if applicable 6. Can’t satisfy any of the above, get name and address and send vouchers or bottle of wine on table next week Close The Deal! Follow all of the steps above to secure the booking. If unsuccessful don’t allow the guest to put the phone down without the offer of vouchers 21 RES TRAINING GUIDE 1. LOGGING IN: Your manager/Trainer will set you up with a Log in user name and password. Once set up, type in your site abbreviation followed by your initials, and your password i.e. MABNB then Click ‘Logon’ NOTES: 22 2. MAKING A RESERVATION & GUEST RECOGNITION: The calendar will always be highlighted with today’s date with an orange square, to select another date just click on the date you would like to make the reservation for using the calendar. To change the months appearing on the screen, click the arrows either side of the month on the top of the screen. To bring the date back to the present day, click on ‘Today’. When clicking on a different date ‘today’s’ date will always be highlighted in grey. You then select the number of covers they would like to book for. If it is for over 16, click on 16+ button and then enter in the correct number. NOTES: 23 You can make amendments on the time slot page if incorrect details were entered on the calendar page. Change the date Change the session Change number of diners Select the time required – if you need to change the date or session, click on the arrows on either side of the boxes. To bring up the calendar, click on the drop‐down arrow next to the date. To change the number of diners, just click on the correct number. Grey boxes with black numbers: times that are available for full duration Red boxes with red numbers: times that are not available Completely greyed out boxes: no tables available (No reservations can be taken at all and the system cannot be over‐
ridden) (the system can be over‐ridden for these times but only by a manager/receptionist and will be a reduced duration, which will be in red bold numbers and state the duration how long the table will be available for. These times may be offered to the guests as long as they are aware when the table will be required back) 24 The ‘end time’ box shows the times the table is required back ‐ always tell the guest their return time on your busiest days to ensure the table comes back on time for the next reservation. If you are fully booked and in an area with sister restaurants you can check there availability by clicking your ‘location’ button in the centre of the home booking screen, this will bring up your clusters. E.g. at Manchester we have a choice of either booking guests into ‘Zinc’ and ‘Piccolinos’. If you want to cancel the enquiry, click on ‘Failed’ – a pop‐up box will appear, select the reason for cancelling and click ‘Done’. Select the number of diners required. If more than 16 diners, click on ‘16+’. A pop‐up box will appear, click on the number of diners and click ‘OK’. Each restaurant will have their own policy for taking large parties, for example: at Manchester for all group bookings of 9 and above we offer ‘Party menu’. 25 After selecting the required time, the following screen will show: Enter in the guest information – Surname, Forename, Title and Telephone must be entered. Click on ‘Search’ to search the database to see if the guest information has been entered previously. NOTES: 26 If a guest requires email confirmation, after entering the email address in Customer Details and their email address, click on the ‘Correspondence’ tab. Click on ‘Your Reservation’ under Documents To Be Sent. In the Booking Details box, click on the drop‐down menu in ‘Correspondence – Send To’ and select ‘Email 1’ then confirm. The email confirmation will then automatically be sent to the email address provided. If the guest already has their information in our database, after clicking ‘Search’, a pop‐up box will appear with the nearest options. If the details match, click on guest name & ‘Confirm’. Please be aware when doing this as there might be a few guests with the same name, so just always double check you are over‐riding the correct person. By doing this, the system will recognise if the guest is a repeat customer. 27 If there are any messages/details specific to the booking, enter them in the middle box ‘booking messages’. For parties of 9 and above guests, write a note in ‘booking messages’ the menu that the guests will be dining from (usually the Party/Events Menu).Make sure all bookings are initialled especially when taking parties so all colleagues will know that the menu has been explained to the guest at time of booking, or which menu they will be dining from. When taking a call for a large party or Christmas booking and you need to call them back at a later date to arrange a deposit/pre‐
orders etc, the call back facility is the best tool to remind you. Customer messages are important for us to deliver the best possible service to our guests. This is where we record information about them so we can remember things like favourite wines, seats, food etc... If there are any details/messages specific to the guest e.g. certain food or drink they have on a regular basis/favourite table etc, enter them in the ‘Customer Messages’ box and the same message will re‐appear every time that customer books. If then guest is a VIP, check the ‘VIP’ box. A VIP guests will be anyone you mark as VIP, from regulars, famous people, staff etc. When entering information please ensure you put your site abbreviation in front of your message. 28 Please see below a list of all site abbreviations and abbreviations we should all be using for booking messages: RBG PICCOLINO PDR ALB ‐ Alderley BIP ‐ Birmingham MPD ‐ Manchester Private Room MBG ‐ Marlow BRP ‐ Bramhall HPD ‐ Hale PDR GLB ‐ Glasgow BRI ‐ Bristol HSP ‐ Heddon Street PDR HAB ‐ Harrogate CHP ‐ Chester EPD ‐ Exchange Square PDR LIB ‐ Liverpool CLP ‐ Clitheroe HBP ‐ Harrogate PDR TUB ‐ Tunbridge wells DIP ‐ Didsbury YPD ‐ York PDR ZINC EXP ‐ Exchange Square LPD ‐ Liverpool PDR MAZ ‐ Manchester HAP ‐ Hale BPP ‐ Bristol Picc PDR BANK HEP ‐ Heddon Street GPR ‐ Glasgow PDR WEB ‐ Westminster ILP ‐ Ilkley WPD ‐ Westminster PDR BAB ‐ Birmingham KNP ‐ Knutsford PICCOLINO LEP ‐ Leeds NOP ‐ Nottingham LIP ‐ Liverpool SHP ‐ Sheffield MAP ‐ Manchester STP ‐ Stockton Heath NEP ‐ Newacastle VWP ‐ Virginia Water COP ‐ Collingham WIP ‐ Wimbledon YOP ‐ York REG Regular UPST Upstairs BTH Booth CONF Confirmed REQ Request OUT Outside TORT Told of return time BM Business Meeting PDR VGN The Private Room Vegan COMP CEL Complimentary Celiac FDCOMP Comp Food CHAMP Champagne FITI BTW First time customer By the window CON LVM Concierge Left voicemail WLCR Wheelchair access BART Bar table NANV VIP No answer, no voicemal Very important person QT BDP Quiet table Birthday plate NOTES: 29 Once you have entered all information and messages (repeat the booking details back to the customer ‐ on Friday & Saturdays or busy days make sure you tell the customer the return time on the table), click ‘Confirm’ to complete the reservation. Please note that the ‘Confirm’ button will be greyed out & you will be unable to click it, unless you have clicked on ‘Search’ first. The lettering will then change to black and you will now be able to confirm the reservation. Click ‘confirm’ to save the reservation 3. EDITING A RESERVATION: Click on the date for the reservation you wish to edit. If there is a Session Message, click on it to bring up the session overview. Click on the time required to bring up the reservations for that time. If you click on the ‘Wait’ column, it will bring up the waiting list for the session. 30 Select the detail you wish to change from the options under ‘Edit a Booking’ then click on the reservation to be changed. If you wish to delete a reservation, a pop‐up box will appear – please provide either the caller’s name or your initials. Use the arrows on either side of the time to scroll along other times within the session. Editing a Booking: (If option is not listed here, please see reception/manager before changing) Status: Booking messages, customer messages, notes, booking status (e.g. confirmed, unconfirmed, provisional, waiting in bar etc) Info: Customer information Covers: Number of diners Time: Time of reservation Delete: Deleting a reservation Audit: To see all previous entries/changes for the reservation NOTES: 31 4. CHECKING IN & SEATING A RESERVATION: Å Check In From the home screen page, click on ‘Check In’ to go to the restaurant seating plan & check‐in page. ReservationsÆ Ç ÇTable numbers are highlighted in green Booking & Customer Messages Select the guest name from the list on the left‐hand side – the reservations are ordered by time. The two columns next to the times are labelled ‘B’ and ‘C’ – if either or both are highlighted in orange, it means the reservation has either a booking message (B) or a customer message (C). 32 After selecting a reservation, suitable tables on the plan will flash. Colour Key: Orange: best table available Peach: other tables available but not for full duration Black: table not available/allocated & re‐booked If the guest has selected to have a drink in the bar before going up to their table give them a ‘restaurant tab card’, click on ‘Status’ on the right‐hand side of the screen. The ‘Status’ page will appear, type the number of the tab card in ‘Booking Messages’, and click on ‘Waiting in bar’ then ‘Done’ – the colour of the reservation will then change to turquoise. We now know how many people have checked in and arrived for their reservation according to the highlighted turquoise boxes. 33 Club Individual (IRC Loyalty Card)
WHAT IS CLUB INDIVIDUAL? Club Individual is a loyalty scheme allowing members to collect points on every £1 they spend with us. Every point collected equates to the value of five pence, which guests can then save up and redeem against the cost of any food or beverage. The scheme is very similar to those available at many high street retailers and is a great way of rewarding guests for their loyalty. Two membership tiers are available to guests, a Platinum Card and a Black Card. All guests are eligible for a Platinum Card membership regardless of the amount they spend or the number of times they have visited, even if they have never dined with us before – this may encourage them to come back! The Black Card tier is exclusively for guests who have spent £2,500.00 in the last year starting in January. Once a guest has reached these criteria they will be upgraded to a Black Card membership. All Black Card requests will be made via the Guest Communications Manager. THE BENEFITS Platinum Card Benefits • One point for every £1 spent (every point equates to the value of 5p) • Double points when you dine with us on your birthday • Our Club Individual Magazine • Bespoke updates on IRC events • Complimentary Wi‐Fi access at all restaurants • Complimentary room hire at sites with a Private Dining Room • Complimentary event coordinator expertise Black Card Benefits • Two points for every £1 spent (Two points equates to the value of 10p) • Double points when you celebrate your birthday with us • Invitation to Black Card member events • A complimentary glass of Prosecco per person when you book a party of ten or above • Complimentary tea and coffee between the hours of 9.00am – 11.30am and 3.30pm ‐ 5.30pm • Our Club Individual magazine • Complimentary Wi‐Fi access at all restaurants • Complimentary room hire at restaurants with a Private Dining Room • Complimentary event coordinator expertise • Bespoke updates on Individual Restaurant Company events 34 Section Three
Floor
35 Mystery Diner/Steps of service
On your first day you will have been issued our Mystery Diner form. This is what we use to
monitor the service standards in our restaurants on a monthly basis. Every month we send in
2 Mystery Diners to each restaurant. Once they have completed their visit they fill in the form
and return it to us along with a copy of the bill of which we reimburse up to £90.
Please fill in the ‘steps of service’ flow diagram below indicating the correct steps of service to guarantee a 100% score on the Mystery Diner form: Smile! Welcome guests and offer them drinks Make recommendations Bring specials, fish of the day, out of stock items etc... to their attention naturally Offer appetisers to nibble whilst browsing the menu Put the order through on the epos till and double check it is correct before sending Deliver drinks (on a tray) when guests are ready take the food order. Don’t forget position numbers! Suggest side orders where appropriate Enter order onto the Epos till using position numbers. Double check before sending. Mise en place – plates, change/remove cutlery. Mise en place – plates, cutlery bread stand etc... If they haven’t ordered make suggestions and offer mineral water. Keep an eye on ticket time (Starters should be delivered within 15 minutes) Do not auction on delivery 36 When starters are finished, clear, main away and top up wine (If applicable) Remove dirty glasses and debris Offer condiments (Parmesan, sauces etc...) Check back to ensure all is well with their food (Top up wine if applicable) Once they have finished clear and ensure you ask how their food was. Remove debris, oils, salt and pepper, dirty glasses from table Take dessert order, if they decline offer truffles and/or coffee. Put order through on Epos (Position numbers) When desserts are finished clear, offer coffees, liqueurs etc... If at any point during the guests visit they bring any problems to your attention, feel empowered to deal with it, and inform your manager If they order dessert and coffee at the same time ask when they’d like their coffees Keep on top of table maintenance, when they ask for the bill check it and deliver it promptly Keep an eye on ticket time main course should be delivered with 20 mins of main away (do not auction on delivery) Always be available at all times in case your guests need you Give them dessert menus and reintroduce special dessert promptly Keep an eye on ticket time, desserts should be delivered with 10 mins or ordering (Do not auction on delivery) When processing their bill, ask if they have enjoyed their dining experience with us. Offer to get their coats for them, thank them, say good bye, we hope to see you soon etc... 37 One Server
When you are given a section as a waiter we expect you to look after every guest in that
section by delivering nothing but the best service. They are your guests so treat them like
you would if they visited your own home.
We like our guests to be looked after by one server for the whole of their experience so they
know who to turn to for help and advice. By one server we mean:
Your waiter (1 server) should cover the following points from the start of your meal until the end. •
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Drinks order Specials Out of stock items Recommendations Appetisers Food order Check back Dessert order Coffee order It is understood that a food runner, drinks runner and Manager will still visit the table during the guests visit! NOTES: 38 Taking orders
In section one of the manual you will have covered position numbers and auctioning of food.
We showed you an example of what a check looks like with the position numbers.
When taking the guests food orders you can make this process quicker by being organised
before you approach the table with your position numbers ready: Please see example docket
below:
Please refer to the Epos manual to see how to enter food orders onto the till
39 3 Types of Selling
Why do we up sell?
•
•
•
The first reason and most important is by using your product knowledge coupled with
effective selling techniques you will enhance the guests experience
You, yourself will make more money through higher tips
It also means that IRC will increase sales, which is then re invested back into the
company allowing us to invest more in you by creating career opportunities
Below are the 3 different techniques to up selling, please write underneath each what they mean: Suggestive Selling
‘Suggestive Selling’ is planting the seed of choice and/or suggesting and offering
options that the guest might otherwise not be aware of or thought about. E.g.
suggesting olives, bread, starters, appetisers, side orders, desserts, coffees etc...
Up selling
‘Up selling’ is recommending a premium item. It will be more expensive, but also
better quality. E.g. up selling our house wine to one of our more premium wines.
Up selling is also selling more quantity as well as quality. When up selling measured
spirits, use the word “large” as opposed to “double” as double to the guest could
mean double the price which doesn’t sound so appealing.
Pro–active Selling
‘Pro-active selling’ is selling something to a guest before they actually need or want
it. E.g. asking if a guest would like another beer when they still have some left in
their glass
40 Complaint Handling
From time to time complaints do arise. It’s important to deal with complaints calmly and
professionally. Listen carefully, try to understand why the guest is upset and always try to
understand the cause of the problem.
Thank the customer for taking the time for bringing the problem to your attention, and if you
feel that it is a problem that you can solve yourself then go ahead!!
However, if you feel that it is a problem you are unable to solve, apologise, and ask them to
wait while you locate you manager. Always remember every complaint no matter how trivial
should always be reported to a manager, even if you have rectified the complaint.
EVERY COMPAINT IS SERIOUS BECAUSE IT DEMONSTRATES AN AREA WHERE WE
HAVE FALLEN SHORT OF GUESTS EXPECTATIONS. THE OLD SAYING STILL
STANDS THAT THE GUEST IS ALWAYS RIGHT AND THAT WE WANT EVERY GUEST
TO LEAVE A HAPPY GUEST.
REMEMBER – NEVER SAY NO
When dealing with the problem you should always follow the APOLOGISE procedure.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Apologise – It shows we care to put things right.
Praise – thank them for taking the time for making the complaint.
Observe – their body language, keep a neutral stance and tone of voice.
Listen – be sympathetic and empathise.
Offer - a solution wherever possible
Go through the steps with the guests on how you’re going to help them.
Instigate the solution, call the duty manager if you need authorisation
Stay calm throughout, never defend what has happened nor blame anyone.
Ensure the guest is happy with the outcome.
Complaint Scenarios
Please see complaint scenarios below, write underneath each how you would deal with their complaint: 1. A guest orders a fillet steak and would like it cooked M/R, when it is delivered to the table it is over cooked and is more M/W. What do you do? Apologise, wait for them to finish talking, thank them for bringing it to your attention, offer to get them another steak freshly cooked at that it is one you. If they are dining with others offer to take their dishes away so that they can eat together. Read their body language, if they are still unhappy gt them drinks on the house or anything you think will help restore their trust in us. Remember to stay calm at all times. 2. A guest orders wine and when they try it they complain it is corked. What do you do? Whatever you do don’t disagree with them, or go and try it yourself. Apologise; thank them for bringing it to their attention. Go and replace the bottle immediately and get fresh glasses. 41 ALLERGIES
A food allergy is an adverse immune response to a food protein. Many people in the UK suffer from food allergies and if given the wrong information in a restaurant regarding the menu can have severe allergic reactions even as serious as death. As an IRC waiter we expect you to have knowledge in the 3 main allergies you are likely to be asked about by our guests: Please write next to each allergy below a brief description of each allergy and what dishes on the menu they are able to eat: (Ref. Allergy chart) Dairy Allergy: Someone who has a dairy allergy is often known as Lactose Intolerant. This means that they have an inability to digest milk and milk products. It tends to occur with age but no one knows why. Dishes they are able to eat from our menu: ________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________ Gluten Allergy: If someone has an allergy to gluten they have what we call coeliacs disease. Coeliac disease is a condition of the small intestine (part of the gut). It can occur at any age. Coeliac disease is caused by a reaction of the gut to gluten. Gluten is part of certain foods ‐ mainly foods made from wheat, barley and rye Dishes they are able to eat from our menu: ________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________ Nut Allergy: There are alot of people in the UK that suffer from nut allergies. Both peanuts and tree nuts (for example, walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, cashews, pecans, brazils and pistachios) can act as allergens, and can cause an allergic reaction in some people. All our dishes that contain nuts are clearly labelled on our menus. Dishes they are able to eat from our menu: ________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________ 42 Guest Awareness
This means you know exactly what your guests are doing from the second they walk into
your restaurant until the second they leave. From a quick acknowledgement to a warm
farewell, this awareness enables you to give truly professional service.
If a guest looks as though he wants something, ask them, and get it immediately, if a guest
is sitting in the restaurant looking around be aware and ask if they need anything. On the
other hand, if a guest is drinking too much, be aware of it and if a problem is evident deal
with it. If you are totally aware, your job becomes easier and customer satisfaction is greatly
increased.
Awareness is a skill to be developed, a great frustration is a perception of being ignored, this
may come across as rude to a guest, but more often than not is due to a lack of awareness.
The balance to this is about knowing when to leave guests alone – knowing when to talk and
when to walk, you would not want to be asked 3 times how a dish is, nor would you want a
conversation whilst your food is on the table.
There is nothing worse than “customer blindness”, if a guest needs ‘attention’ then help
them.
The more you spend time with your guests the easier it will be to read what they require from
you. You will encounter a number of different types of guests that will have different needs
and it is up to you to be aware at all times to ensure we meet their expectations.
Please write below some types of guests you have encountered in your training and how you read what their requirements were: _______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________ 43 Challenge 21
Please give a brief description below what ‘Challenge
21’ is?
For nearly three years, the British Beer & Pub Association’s
Challenge 21 scheme has been raising awareness among
publicans and their staff of the need to be vigilant in preventing
underage sales. The scheme serves as a reminder to customers
that it is against the law to purchase alcohol if you are under 18,
or to purchase alcohol on behalf of someone who is under 18. If
you are lucky enough to appear under 21, you can expect to be
asked to prove your age
If a guest look younger than 21 please ask for proof of ID, as clearly stated above it is
illegal to serve anyone under the age of 18.
The only ID documents you should accept are:
•
•
•
A photo driving licence
A passport
A proof of age scheme card which carries the PASS logo
If you do ask someone for ID please record on our Epos till system:
Go into the ‘bar screen’ then into ‘beers’ and press ‘challenge 21’.
Press this button to record you have asked a guest for ID 44 Weights and Measures
Please write below the measures we serve for Beer, Wine and Spirits: Wine 125ml
175ml
250ml
Beer ½ Pint
Pint
Spirits 25ml
50ml
It is important that you serve drinks to these measures according to the Weights and
Measures Act 1985. Please ensure you read the relevant legislation from this Act and sign
document to say you have been trained and understand what is required.
45 Wine Knowledge
On your first day you will have been given a copy of the wine compendium. Please read this
and make notes during your training as you will be tested on it.
Please list below the wines we sell by the glass: White Red ___________________________ _____________________________ ___________________________ _____________________________ ___________________________ _____________________________ ___________________________ _____________________________ ___________________________ _____________________________ ___________________________ _____________________________ ___________________________ _____________________________ Rose __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ It is important that you learn these wines first and try them so you are able to make
appropriate recommendations.
Please put your tasting notes below: White Red Rose ____________________________ _____________________________ __________________________ ____________________________ _____________________________ __________________________ ____________________________ _____________________________ __________________________ ____________________________ _____________________________ __________________________ ____________________________ _____________________________ __________________________ ____________________________ _____________________________ __________________________ ____________________________ _____________________________ __________________________ There is further wine training available if you want to gain more knowledge. Please see your manager. 46 Wine Service
Topping up your guests wine is part of our service standards, however not everyone will
want you to do it. There is no harm in asking them first before you proceed to top up.
Please follow the steps below when opening wine:
1. Present the wine to the customer 2. Score around the outside of the foil with the knife as shown
3. Twist the corkscrew into the cork
47 4. Place the lever on the bottle opener on the edge of the bottle lip
5. Lever the cork out the bottle using the 2 different joints
6. Pour half an inch in the glass of the person who ordered the wine and ask if
they’d like to try it.
7. Wait for their response, if OK continue to pour
8. If there are more than one person at the table always start with the ladies
9. Lightly place the bottle on the table if red and in ice bucket if white or rose with
label facing the guest.
48 Cocktails and Spirits
We don’t expect you to know every spirit we sell and how to make every cocktail at this
stage of your training but you need to learn the house spirits and the cocktails that we sell
and what ingredients are in them.
On your first day you will have been issued with a cocktail and spirit compendium, please
read them and make notes as you will be tested on them.
Please write below the cocktails we sell and the main ingredients: Cocktail Ingredients ___________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________________ 49 Please write below what your house spirits are: Spirit Vodka Finlandia Gin Haymans Brandy Courvoisier VS Whiskey Famous Grouse Rum Bacardi IRC Calls
The numerical calls are used to get a message across quickly and succinctly. There is
no confusion and no misunderstanding, all staff should use the numerical calls as well as
management. It gives a message and a directive to someone without having to explain in
full, so the person receiving the ‘call’ can act on it quickly and efficiently.
Please write below what each of the IRC calls mean: 50 = Catch! 86 = Item, food or drink out of stock 68 = Above item back in stock 118 = Answer the phone 100 = Irritation 200 = New customer needs attention 300 = Existing customer needs attention 400 = I’m in the weeds 450 = Follow me now 600 = May i go for a break, if so, please watch my station 700 = Hotty at the bar 740 = Hotty at the bar but they’re over 40! 900 = Drinks or food waiting at the pass/dispense 50 COFFEE
Coffee
"As coffee-lovers everywhere know, drinking coffee is an aesthetic, sensory
experience with its own set of rituals that can be shared with others or savoured alone."
Coffee is an important part of the PICCOLINO's experience, people "pop in" for a coffee,
creating
that
casual
Italian
vibe
and
people
finish
a
meal with a coffee providing the last memorable
moment of
their time with us. As such, it’s very important that the coffee we serve is made correctly and
of the
highest
quality. Illy
illy use only the finest 100% Arabica beans—nine varieties meticulously selected from
around the
world and combined into a single espresso blend. These beans are skilfully roasted and aircooled—
so
they're
never
burned
or
bitter—ensuring
a smooth and balanced taste. They're then
packaged in an air-free environment using illy's proprietary pressurization system to seal in
the
precious aromas, oils and flavours. The result: Distinctive and consistent taste, as well as
guaranteed
freshness until the moment the can is opened and the coffee prepared. 51 Frothing Milk Step 1
Fill jug with cold milk, try to use only as much milk as you need, as used milk won’t re-froth
adequately.
NB: Never fill the jug over half way when frothing, as when properly frothed it doubles in
size.
Step 2
Turn the steamer valve a half turn to flush out any back wash.
NB: watch not to spray yourself
Step 3
Tilt the jug and steam wand (as pictured), then place tip of the nozzle just below the surface
of the milk
Step 4
Turn the steamer a half turn for full steam. Place your free hand on the jug to monitor the
temperature.
When frothing properly you should hear "pssst pssst"
NB: You don’t get more steam out when if you keep opening the valve, it just means it takes
longer to turn it off
Step 5
Keep your hand on the jug checking the temperature, move the jug steadily down stretching
the milk and keeping the nozzle in the same position. When it’s uncomfortable to touch, it’s
at the right temperature.
Step 6
Turn the valve off, remove the wand from the milk and wipe immediately with a damp cloth.
Keep the milk moving all the time, swirl it round the jug and knock it on the counter several
times, this removes all the larger bubbles from the milk.
NB: don’t over tighten the valve, it just knackers the spring.
Step 7
Pour directly to your receptacle, jiggle from side to side to get extra froth.
52 Tamping
(Pressing the coffee)
Step1 Remove the handle and knock out the coffee in the knock box. Step 2
Place empty handle under the doser and make 1 complete pull for a single 2 (2 nozzled) for
a double
Step 3
Rest the handle on a firm surface, then tamp (press) firmly and twist a half turn clockwise
NB: the aim is to seal the coffee, keeping it level, for even water distribution and the twist
creates a tighter seal and more complete use of the ground.
Step 4
Wipe rim of the handle
NB: any residual ground on the rim will damage the seals on the shower heads, creating
leakage over Time
Step 5
Attach to coffee machine, press desired button immediately, then place cups underneath.
Order of Service
These orders applies to individual checks, when doing multiple checks use common sense
and get rid of them simultaneously where possible.
1. Liqueur coffees
2. Teas
3. Lattes, mochas, hot chocolates
4. Cappuccinos, white coffees
5. Espressos, machiato's and ristrettos
53 Cleaning
Brewed espresso leaves a substantial residue on all brewing surfaces. These coffee tars
give a bitter, stale flavour to espresso drinks. Also this residue can damage your equipment
by clogging the screens, valves, brewing passages and water jets.
Regular back flushing with puly caff detergent will remove tar and coffee grounds, leaving
your machine in top condition.
Step 1
Remove all handles from the machine and knock out any spent coffee.
Step 2
Remove filters and place with all but 1 handle in a container (an ice bucket normally
available) with 1 spoon of pully caff and cover heads in water. Leave to soak overnight, then
rinse thoroughly before use in the morning.
Step 3
Replace the normal filter on your remaining handle with a blank filter.
Step 4
Turn on all brewing heads to flush any excess coffee grounds from the espresso screens. If
a coffee brush is on hand gently scrub also.
Step 5
Place a tea spoon of puly caff in the blank filter, and then attach it to a brewing head.
Turn on the free flow, allowing the water to run until the light flashes. Remove the handle
and dump out the contents
Step 6
Repeat the above step 5 times without the pully caff.
Step 7
Repeat steps 5 and 6 on each brewing head.
Step 8
Place remaining handle in the container with the rest. Flush all brewing heads again to
ensure no residue of the pully caff remains in the machine (this can lead to the machine
jamming)
Step 9
Remove drip tray and clean. Pay careful attention to the drain underneath, this can clog with
coffee grounds which harden like concrete flush with hot water if necessary
Step 10
Ensure all surfaces of the machine and the surrounding area are sparkling, this includes the
steam
54 Standard
plate set up, 1 cantuccini
(Piccolino), 1 chocolate Brownie (Bar and
Grill),
1 white sugar, and 1 brown and
appropriate spoon
Small
spoon for espresso cups
Standard spoon for all others
NB:
Latte set up is on a side plate, with a
napkin.
Espresso:
Dosage: 1 pull
Cup: espresso
Button: espresso
Additions:
Notes: crema should last 2 mins serve
immediately
Macchiato:
Dosage: 1 pull
Cup: espresso
Button: espresso
Additions: touch of froth
Notes: a short mini cappuccino Double espresso:
Dosage: 2 pulls, double handle
Cup: coffee
Button: 2 espressos
55 Americano:
Dosage: 2 pulls, double handle
Cup: coffee
Button: 2 espressos
Additions: top up with hot water, leave 1cm
window
Notes: Called an Americano as the American
soldiers who drank it couldn't handle
a normal double espresso Black
coffee:
Dosage: 1 pull
Cup:
coffee
Button: 1 long
Additions:
top up with hot water
Notes: an Americano with 1 shot of coffee,
as close to a filter coffee as we get White coffee:
Dosage: 1 pull
Cup: coffee
Button: 1 long
Additions: top with hot milk, minimum froth
Notes: a shot of coffee and milk, simple Cappuccino:
Dosage: 1 pull
Cup: coffee
Button: 1 long
Additions: top with hot frothed milk
Notes: cover 1/2 with chock powder on the
side the guest drinks from the froth should be
slightly raised not a tower
DON’T BURN THE MILK! 56 Latte:
Dosage: 1 pull
Cup: Latte
Button: long
Additions: Top 2 rim of the glass with frothed
milk
Notes: A traditional latte should be a shot of
espresso topped with slightly frothed
Mocha:
Dosage: 1 pull
Cup: long
Button: espresso
Additions: top 2 rim of glass with hot chocolate
Note: a latte made with hot chocolate Liqueur coffee:
Dosage: 1 pull
Cup: Latte
Button: long
Additions: 25ml of spirit and 1 sachet of sugar if
unsweetened spirit, cream float and 3 coffee
beans
Notes: coffee should come to 1cm of glass
make sure you mix it before floating to float the
cream shake it well then pour gently over the
bowl of a spoon
Fresh mint tea
Dosage: 4 whole mint sprigs
Additions top with hot water
Notes: garnish pot with a FRESH sprig
of mint, no sugar required on cup
57 Hot Chocolate: dosage 1 heaped table spoon
Cup: Latte
Button: N/A
Additions: make in latte glass
Notes: fluffy, lovely, chocolate goodness Teas:
Dosage: 1 tea bag
Cup: coffee and pot
Button: N/A
Additions: milk on side
Note: herbal teas don’t need milk 58