Here's What Restaurant Servers Notice About You When You're Dining Out
HuffPost
Little clues determine how they size you up and judge what kind of guest you are.
When you walk into a restaurant, you probably notice how friendly the host and waitstaff are, what the ambiance feels like, what kind of cuisine is on the menu and who else is dining there. But you’re not the only one taking in your surroundings. Restaurant servers are also likely sizing you up and figuring out what kind of dining guest you’ll be.
“[Being a server] teaches you how to read people’s behaviors on a dime,” Kelly Ennis, who was a server for about 15 years, told HuffPost. “You can tell when you walk up to a table if they’re in a bad mood, if they’re in a rush … It’s [all about] understanding body language and developing a rapport quickly.”
We asked long-time restaurant servers what they’ve observed about their guests when they’re dining out and why that’s important to their jobs.
They observe how you respond when they introduce themselves.
When your server first comes by your table, are you scowling at the menu with your arms crossed? Do you stop what you’re doing and listen to them?
