Module 1 of 4
The service sequence
From greeting to farewell — the professional order of a table's visit.
One table, one sequence
Professional service follows a fixed arc: greet and seat, offer drinks, take the order, serve, check back, clear, offer dessert and coffee, bring the bill, and say goodbye. The sequence exists so that nothing is forgotten when the room is full. Learn it as one chain — when you're running six tables in August, the sequence is what thinks for you.
“Can I get you something to drink while you look at the menu?”
Drinks first — it buys the kitchen time and starts the spend
“Is everything to your liking?”
The check-back, about two minutes after food lands
“Was everything alright for you today?”
At the bill — last chance to catch a problem before the review
Surviving the rush
Italian job ads call it 'gestione dei picchi' — handling the peaks. The professional habits: never walk empty-handed (always carry something in or out), group tasks by zone rather than by table, and communicate constantly — a short 'I'll be right there' keeps a waiting table patient for minutes. Panic serves nobody; visible calm plus full hands is what experienced service looks like.
“I'll be right with you.”
Acknowledge every new table within 30 seconds, even mid-rush
“Two minutes on table five's mains.”
Talking to the kitchen in short, precise updates