Food servers are among some of the hardest working employees in the food service industry, but sometimes their efforts go unrecognized.This would be a great way to share the love of God to them.

The following are a handful of ways diners can show their appreciation to the men and women who work hard to ensure their customers enjoy their dining experiences.

The restaurant industry is booming, with new restaurants entering the challenging food service market every day. The National Restaurant Association says restaurants in the United States’ generate roughly $2 billion in sales on a typical day. Media Edge, a Canadian trade resource, says the food service industry play a major role in Canada’s economic growth by providing so many jobs.

Share The Love of God To Your Servers

1. Recognize that waiting tables is no easy task. Waiting tables is both physically and mentally demanding. Servers spend hours on their feet carrying and balancing plates of food during their shifts. Servers also must anticipate the needs of diners and do their best to accommodate them. Acknowledge that servers’ jobs are not easy when dining out, and express your gratitude for their had work whenever possible. Just stop and think before you speak.
2. Recognize that slow food often is not servers’ faults. Very often a food server has no control over how fast the food comes out of the kitchen. A very busy meal service can stall an inexperienced kitchen. Don’t blame the server because the food took longer than expected to arrive on your table. If you’re in a hurry, let the server know in advance so he or she can work with you.
3. Look up at your server. Eye contact shows respect and it will help get your order across clearly – reducing the likelihood of a mix-up regarding your order. I am a firm believer myself of eye contact.
4. Put down your phone. Distracted diners are sometimes to blame for slow service. In 2014, a popular New York restaurant took matters into its own hands after constant complaints of slow service. After examining surveillance footage of the dining room from 2004 to 2014, the restaurant owner discovered the wait staff hadn’t changed its techniques, but the customers’ use of cell phones had slowed table turnover from one hour and five minutes to one hour and 55 minutes. Taking pictures of food, texting before ordering or asking a server to take a group photo can contribute to slower service, which puts added stress on servers.
5. Certain Holidays & Days of The Week are slower than others. Certain times of the year are popular for dining out. Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas & New Years (to name some holidays) are busy times for the restaurant business. Diners should recognize this and exhibit extra patience when dining out during these busy times of year. If you aren’t up for the crowds, abbreviated menus and other factors that come with holiday dining, choose another day to go out. Just like some holidays can slow down things at a restaurant, so do certain days of the week. Some days of the week are more busier than others. Each restaurant will vary with what day of the week and time frame is the busiest.
6. Tip with courtesy and respect. Tips are important to servers because their income may not be steady. Some restaurants do not pay servers minimum wage, expecting their salaries to be offset by tipping. Most servers get a small hourly wage, that wage usually is only enough to cover the taxes so their pay check is usually near $0. Servers live off tips. Tip according to how the service was, not the taste of the food or beverages. A 15 percent tip is customary, but you may want to tip 20 percent for exceptional service. Don’t dine out if you cannot afford or do not plan to tip. Leave a gospel tract with the tip not in place of the tip. Do not use money gospel tracts either!
7. Ask ahead of time if you need a split bill. Multiple checks can prove time-consuming. Address this need early on and pay as punctually as possible.
8. Smile at them. No matter what is going on, how bad it seems things are, always smile to them. A smile can bring sunshine to them. Smiles are often contagious too. That smile could be what will make their day.
9. Pray for them. Before you bless your food, ask your waiter or waitress if they have any needs that you can pray for them for. Then when you bless your food, pray for that need and pray over the staff preparing their food.
10. Witness to them. You can also witness to them as they come to bring you your food, drinks and any other items. You might not get a harvest, but you at least planted a seed. Plus, the way you handle conflict when you are in the restaurant can help as well.

The restaurant business is fast-paced and challenging. Customers can do their part by being patient and pleasant patrons and showing their servers the respect they deserve. Make sure you do pray for these men and women because they are over worked and often under paid too.
_{Article compliments of Metro Creative (TF161807)  with additions and edits by myself.}

About the Author

Steve Patterson

A Christian Blogger that enjoys blogging about the Bible, Theology, God, Jesus Christ, Christian Music, Family, Cats, Odd Holidays, sewing and much more. I have been blogging since 2004, however, I have been blogging on Courageous Christian Father since 2012. I enjoy listening to Christian Music. I am married with 1 daughter, 2 step-sons and a step daughter.

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