SERVER TRAINING MANUAL
Server Training Manual
INTRODUCTION ......
SAWA CONCEPT & DESCRIPTION………………………………………………………………………..………..
SERVER FUNCTION AND RESPONSIBILITIES ......
General Job Guidelines and Responsibilities......
Sawa Disciplinary Standards…………………………………………………………………………….
Server Opening Procedures......
Server Closing Procedures......
THE GUEST......
Service......
QUALITY CONTROL......
TABLE INTRODUCTION/STEPS OF SERVICE......
Ordering Procedures......
Cooking Times & Handling Timing Problems……………………………………………………………….
PERSONAL APPEARANCE......
Uniform......
SUGGESTIVE SELLING......
SPECIALS &FEATURES OF THE DAY...... …......
COFFEE - TEA – DESSERTS......
Coffee & Tea......
Desserts...... HOOKAH......
WINE SERVICE......
CLOSING OUT A TABLE......
Presenting the Check......
The Farewell......
Methods of Payment......
Comps or Voids and Coupons......
CHECK-OUT PROCEDURES......
ALCOHOL AWARENESS......
SANITATION......
SAFETY......
CONCLUSION......
Server Training Manual
SAWA RESTAURANT & LOUNGE
Congratulations on being selected to perform one of the most important, challenging and rewarding jobs at SAWA Restaurant & Lounge! As a Server, you will set the stage and have a direct impact on each guest's experience. You will determine whether each guest feels welcome, appreciated and well cared for.
We will provide you with the training you need to be successful. We take great pride in our quality food and friendly, responsive service. Our high standards can only be maintained through great people like you who share our values and desire to do the very best job possible for our guests every day.
As a server, it is essential that you maintain an energetic, friendly and caring attitude at all times. It is your responsibility to see that each guest is made to feel special and enjoys our fun atmosphere and great food and beverages.
The guidelines listed on the following pages have been established to help you in your effort to provide these qualities to our guests. Along with the hands-on training you will receive, this manual will provide answers to questions you may have regarding your tasks, responsibilities and operating procedures for SAWA Restaurant & Lounge.
Once again, welcome to the SAWA Restaurant & Lounge Team!
“Our servers are our sales people. They must be creative, knowledgeable, and believe in the product they are selling. As SAWA has a great “product”, this is not hard to do as long as enthusiasm is applied. Servers are here to provide not just table service but the entire SAWA experience to the guest. They must take the guest on a journey, introduce them to our concept, walk them through our eclectic menu, read each guest and anticipate their needs. Our guests encounter many exciting offerings and servers often have the privilege and opportunity to expose them to some things they have never experienced before. This is an opportunity that every server needs to be able to take advantage of in order to provide the guest with an unforgettable experience. Above all our service staff is a team, and if you are not a team player, you cannot play on our team. The qualities we look for are Responsible, Friendly, Enthusiastic, Personable, Detail Oriented, and Concerned with the guest’s experience. “
Server Training Manual
360 San Lorenzo Ave. Ste 1500, Coral Gables FL 33146
(305) 447-6555 www.sawarestaurant.com
Date Opened: March 2010
We are a trendy restaurant and lounge located in the heart of the Village of Merrick Park. We have breathtaking outdoor dining with two element-inspired lounges as well as an artistic, vibrant, indoor dining room. Our menu offers a dual-concept Mediterranean/Japanese cuisine. We serve food, hookah, cocktails, and offer live belly-dance entertainment every weekend. SAWA means Togetherness in Arabic. This is the basis and the energy behind our entire existence.
Below SAWA’s logo you will see four symbols. These symbols represent the four elements of the world: Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind. Taking separate elements and bringing them “together”, creates a solid concept.
On some of SAWA’s doors and behind the bar you will see an artistic theme. This art is created by local artist Chady. The artistic additions accentuate the vibrant concept of life fused together by color, vision, and artistic expression. We currently display wall art on the interior by Artefacto.
We are one of Coral Gables only hookah lounges and won Miami New Time’s “Best Place to Smoke a Hookah in Miami” in 2011.
We offer live entertrainment on the weekends: Bellydancing at 8pm & 10pm Friday’s and Saturday’s.
We offer Lunch daily from 11am to 4pm and Dinner nightly from 4pm to 11pm (12pm Friday-Saturday).
Our happy hour runs Monday-Friday from 4-7pm restaurant-wide with a bonus hour until 8 only at the bar.
SAWA EXECUTIVE STAFF
Owner- Ramzi Zahr General Manager: Chelsea Crisler
Office Manager/Co-Owner- Nadia Zahr Manager: Melissa Bolieu
Marketing Director: Melissa Bolieu Manager: Manuel Garcia
Bar Manager: Fernando Salazar
Server Training Manual
Successful sales and service result from confidence, which can only be developed through knowledge. We will provide you with ample material to develop the necessary knowledge and confidence in relation to service techniques, the menu and the wine list.
You, as a server for Sawa, must learn it.
Rules and Guidelines
CODE OF CONDUCT “GUESTS ARE ALWAYS RIGHT (ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS.)”
4 Be professional and respectful to all guests and staff.
4 Teamwork is a necessity! Communicate, be helpful, and a
team player with guests AND staff.
4 Follow job descriptions.
4 Once you clock in, cell phones must not be on you (Keep them in lockers, cars, or management safe). No talking on cell phone in uniform.
4 Bring a positive attitude with you to work and project it to guests.
4 A sense of urgency is a necessity! Anticipate and react!
4 Keep activities work related & personal discussions to a minimum.
4 Cleanliness! Pick up floor debris. Clean up after yourself at
4 Never handle silverware with your hand over the eating surface.
4 Clear your mind of everything except work when you walk in the door. When you're at the table make sure your mind is at the table too. Guests can tell when their server is not totally mentally present with them at the table and it has a negative impact.
TRUST “ZERO TOLERANCE”
4 Everything must be rung up before it is sold. No exceptions (kitchen/hookah/bar).
GUEST CONCERNS “ANY ISSUE, BIG OR SMALL”
4 Advise manager of any and all issues, big or small.
GUEST INTERACTIONS “ALWAYS SMILE TO GUESTS”
4 Be courteous, respectful, professional & friendly to all our guests.
4 As soon as you make eye contact with arriving guests to Sawa say: “Welcome to Sawa”. Always ask if it is their first visit to Sawa.
4 When recognizing repeat guests say: “Good to see you back!”
4 When walking past guests, acknowledge them with a smile.
4 When guests leave say: “Thank you for coming to Sawa. We look forward to seeing you again soon.”
Server Training Manual
ON THE FLOOR “URGENCY AND EFFICIENCY”
4 Avoid long conversations at any particular table. This will only upset your other customers.
4 If you get behind, ask for assistance. You'll never get in trouble for asking.
4 Keep yourself geared up so that you are ready for any rush. We get most of our complaints during the restaurant's slow period.
4 The most neglected customer in the restaurant is the late customer. People who come in the last few minutes of the evening are usually the best tippers. They don't care how busy it was or how tired you are. They are here to enjoy themselves. Restaurants are noted for hurrying along late coming customers. We are not rushing them, but we must get their order because the kitchen is closing. They may sit there and enjoy their meal as long as they wish. Treat them as though they are the first customers of the evening.
4 Don't ever stand around or lean on anything. You can always be cleaning or assisting other servers in pre-bussing and water service. Every table is “your table”. A server never goes into, or leaves, the kitchen empty handed likewise from tables. Full hands in, full hands out!
4 Learn to use your time wisely. When in your station, check all the tables before going back to the kitchen. Don't go to one table then go to the computer. Consolidate your trips. Fill up all glasses in your whole station, clear all plates, and then go on to something else. This is the secret to running volume and making more money.
4 Always try to take out complete orders. If the entire order is ready except for a side order, like a vegetable, take out the entrees and have someone follow you in a few seconds with the side order. Don't let the entrees get cold because of a side order. Everything goes out hot.
4 If your entire section clears at one time, don't take orders from four or five new hits at once. You'll end up running yourself to death for twenty minutes, and then have nothing to do for ten. Take no more than two orders, then go to the next tables and tell them you will be right back to take their order. Take drinks and appetizers out to the first table, and then go to the others. Think ahead. Acknowledge your tables right away, even if you can’t get the order.
4 If an order is delayed in the kitchen, first inform the manager, and then tell your customers. The manager will go to the table and explain the situation as well. Get your stories straight. Never hide from your customers.
4 You won't believe how patient people will be if they just see you. Don't hide from your customers. If you use this method in taking orders, you will find that your food will be out more consistently on time, and you will give much better service over all. You will have more time to converse with your customers. People look for more than just good service and food when they go out today. They want a total dining experience. They look for that little extra personal touch which only you as their server can give them. Never spend more than two minutes away from your station. No server ever made any money in the kitchen.
4 Anytime you wait on a customer, put yourself in their place and ask yourself if you would be happy with the job you did at that table.
4 If one person asks for something at a table, make sure you ask everyone at the table if they too would like that item. This will save you a lot of extra trips. If one person requests more tea, ask everyone at the table if they need more tea.
4 Never walk away from a table without acknowledging its requests.
4 NEVER SIT DOWN with a customer or friend while on duty, even if they ask you to.
4 When waiting on parties of one, or an ace as they are called in the restaurant business, special attention should be paid to them. They are generally in and out quicker than other parties, and they are usually the best percentage tippers
Server Training Manual
4 If you are having a problem with a door hostess or another employee, go directly to the manager. Do not harass the employee.
4 If you must go to the bathroom during the shift, ask someone if they will please watch your station while you are gone, and inform a manager so that they are not looking for you.
4 No server is to change their station or pick up extra tables without consent of the manager on duty.
4 We know that servers work for tips. All people do not realize this. If you get slighted on a tip, it may be because people think the tip is included in the bill or because they just don't like to tip. The customer is NOT required to tip. If you get stiffed, it is unfortunate, but you must take the good with the bad. Any customer feedback about an employee regarding a bad tip will not be tolerated and is grounds for immediate dismissal.
4 Never assume that the change is your tip!
SAWA PHONE ETTIQUITE “ANSWER BY THIRD RING”
4 No personal calls on sawa phone, in or out.
4 Answer phone by third ring. Answer correctly, calmly, and politely “Good afternoon/evening. Thankyou for calling Sawa. How may I assist you?”
4 Pre-screen phone calls: “May I ask who’s calling? In regards to what?
4 Take down accurate, legible, and complete messages with maximum information, repeating phone numbers back.
4 Reservations over 10 people must be referred to and approved by management.
4 Event inquiries must be referred to management. Encourage them to send email to with complete details: party date, time, occasion, type (dinner vs cocktails & tapas), and very importantly per-person budget. Otherwise, take all this information down with correct phone number.
TAKE OUT ORDERS “NO HAPPY HOUR TO GO”
4 Take down name and phone number of all takeout orders.
PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE “IF IN DOUBT, ASK MANAGER”
4 Know the menu. Know all food ingredients on the menu.
4 Know your specials and 86 items.
4 Know your item descriptions accurately.
4 Never misrepresent a product to a customer if you’re not sure.
4 Offer your guests options in food and beverage, making them aware of any special timing and coursing information.
WORK AREA “STAY WITHIN VIEW OF YOUR WORK AREA OR STATION”
4 Stay in your work area and respective stations.
4 Do not gather. Max two persons together on floor.
4 No hanging around (bar, office, host stand, server stations, coffee station, kitchen, etc) even after clocking out.
4 Table numbers and seat numbers are to be used by all. Know them.
4 Server stations to be clean and organized at all times. Stay on top of your running side work.
4 Tables and chairs to be aligned and organized.
4 Know where your product back ups are.
Server Training Manual