I make no secret of the fact that I will endorse fully products that I feel help me be more effective as a server. In the past I have written about my favorite wine key, money clip, and slip-resistant shoes. So when a fellow server on Twitter was asking for a recommendation on some great […]
How To Carry Three Glasses In One Hand
One of the first serving tricks that most servers learn is how to carry two glasses in one hand. This is a basic skill of serving and will save many unnecessary trips if you work in a restaurant that discourages trays. The shortcoming is that you are still limited to carrying three glasses at once. […]
The “How To†Series- Server Skills
Before there was The Hospitality Formula Network, or even my original blog on serving, there was draft of what would become Tips2: Tips For Improving Your Tips. I was determined to make this book more than a “Serving For Rookies†version of a generic training manual. The contents of the book and of this website […]
How To Make A Better Arnold Palmer
One of the first posts on this blog explained my fascination with cherry limeades that pre-dates my Arnold Palmer affection.  I wrote of the benefits of pitching every table a “mean cherry limeade.â€Â Eventually, I even posted my recipe for a cherry limeade. A funny thing happened with my most recent job change. I was […]
What If I Don’t Like My Guests?
Recently, I wrote a skill focus post on the importance of developing a positive rapport with your guests. In the post I emphasized the importance of letting the guest know that you liked them. Remember that one of the easiest ways to make someone like you is to let them know that you like them. […]
Skill Focus: Selling As A Server
Of all of the concepts I have introduced on this blog and in my book, this week’s sales focus deals with the topic that I feel most strongly about. This is the one area I am most disappointed with how it is addressed by the restaurant industry. So many restaurant companies now refer to their […]
Skill Focus: Don’t Be “The Serverâ€
Several years ago, when I was starting my previous serving job, I had a moment of server panic. My new restaurant had just been voted the best restaurant in town. It was busy most every night. My sales were significantly higher than at my previous job. The problem was that my tips were virtually the […]
Skill Focus: Creating Regulars
I am kind of a pain to go eat with. When I make reservations or arrive at any number of restaurants I have a conversation with the host/hostess. Before being seated I have to determine if certain servers are working that night.  Then we all have to wait to get a table in their section. […]
Skills Focus: Building And Maintaining Rapport
Learning how to build and maintain rapport with your guests A friend recently sent me a message on Facebook before his shift. He is fairly new to the serving game, but from what I can tell he is improving quickly. He told me he was heading into a shift and needed to make good money.He’s […]
Is The Career Server An Endangered Species?
Since the release of my book, I have had a chance to do a fair number of interviews. After the end of the formal interview, I have twice now been told how rare it is to find someone who looks at serving as a profession. This usually leads me to a correction. I think there […]
About The Author
David Hayden was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri. He took his first serving job in 1996. Since that time, he has worked for over a dozen different restaurant companies. He has held both hourly and salaried positions at independent and corporate restaurants. He has waited on over 100,000 guests and trained hundreds of servers. He has been named "Best Server in Kansas City" the last three years by the local weekly paper.