Reports To: Managers and Supervisors

Job Summary

Provide friendly, responsive service to create an exceptional dining experience for all of our guests. Each server’s primary objective is to show our guests such a marvelous time, they will want to return.

Activities & Responsibilities

Primary

Promote, work, and act in a manner consistent with the mission of Montana Jack’s.  

Mission:

To ensure that each guest receives prompt, professional, friendly and courteous service. To maintain a clean, comfortable and well maintained premises for our guests and staff. To provide at a fair price - well-prepared meals - using only quality ingredients. To ensure that all guests and staff are treated with the respect and dignity they deserve. To thank each guest for the opportunity to serve them. By maintaining these objectives we shall be assured of a fair profit that will allow us to contribute to the community we serve.

• The most important thing to remember is that you were hired to perform a job and we expect you to come in everyday with you “A Game”. Leave your personal problems out the door and be ready to work with a smile once you pass through the door. SMILE, SMILE, SMILE…at everyone and greet everyone you pass. Thank people and invite them back when leaving
• You must come in complete uniform for your shift. This consists of a black shirt, dark blue jeans, long shorts or capris, black slip resistant shoes, black apron and hair pulled back. The only allowed accessories are: headband of one solid color ½ inch or less thickness, earrings (nose ring can be a small diamond or stud, clear,) no tongue piercings. Shirt must be tucked in. Long sleeve shirts can be worn. NO STAINS OR WRINKLES OR TEARS/DISTRESS JEANS
• Present feature and drink menus to guests and answer questions about menu items, beverages, and other restaurant functions and services
• Greet all guests at the door within one minute. If your hands are full or you are unable to help them, simply welcome them and let them know someone will be right with them 
• Once a table has been sat in your section, make sure you greet them within 2 minutes. If your hands are full or you can’t get to them right away, simply greet them and let them know you will be with them shortly. 
• When handling plates or food, never let your hand touch the eating surface of the food and never put your fingers inside a glass to carry it.
• Tables should be bussed with trays or bus tubs. Never “hug” dishes. If it is a simple bus job like grabbing a couple of glasses, using your hands is fine.
• Servers are responsible to pre-bus their tables, besides the drink glasses and possibly dessert plate. Never give the guest their check if you have not pre-bussed their plates. FULL HANDS IN FULL HANDS OUT.
• When taking an order, always look the customer directly in the eyes. Never crouch down on your knees. You MUST repeat the order back to the guests. It is best to repeat each guests order to them as they place it. 
• Know what the daily specials are and the cost, soups and any drink or dessert features we might have. 
• Once you are phased, you may return to the floor to take tables if the manager asks. The manager may just ask you to help to get through a little rush. Just because you are phased does not mean you no longer help your team. If you are doing your side work, do not forget any tables you may still have on the floor and help run food. The guests are the reason you have a job, so we must take care of them.
• If you get behind, ask for assistance. You'll never get in trouble for asking for help, but if you don’t ask for help you will be in trouble.
• You must always let a manager know if there is an issue with one of your tables. We want to make sure we can do everything possible to ensure the guests leave happy. We would like issues to be taken care of ASAP, so anything a server can do to get it going is a must, but we still want the manager to follow up with the table to ensure they have been taken care of properly. 
• Keep yourself geared up so that you are ready for any rush. We get most of our complaints during the restaurant's slow period or slow going to extremely busy. Don’t just stand around. There is always something to do. If you keep busy, it won’t be so hard for you to changes gears once we just a rush. Remember that great service always come first, before things like closing duties, side work and EO. Focus on your guests!!
• If it is slow when you arrive for your shift, you can either clock in and clean or you can wait to clock in until we are ready to seat you. Don't ever stand around or lean on anything. You can always be cleaning, wiping shelves or the sales station, filling ice, making coffee, etc. A server never goes into, or leaves, the kitchen empty handed. Full hands in, full hands out!
• It is everyone’s responsibility to run food whether it is your own or one of your team mates. Make sure you read all of the modifications on the ticket so everything is correct. Make sure your food is secure when you leave the kitchen. Never attempt to carry too much. Two safe trips are better than one catastrophe. If the presentation of the food does not look acceptable, please ask the kitchen to remake the food or clean it up. When you run food to a table, always ask them what else you can get for them before departing the table. 
• Always ENTER the kitchen keeping to the right. When coming around the corner into the server isle, call out, “Corner” to make other employees aware that you are there. Always walk quickly, but never run. This will prevent serious accidents and extra work for everyone.
• If an order is delayed in the kitchen, first inform the manager, and then talk your customers. If there is a serious issue/back up, the manager will go to the table and explain the situation as well. Never hide from your customers. It only makes the situation worse. Most of the time if the guest is aware of what is going on they are fine. 
• 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 kitchen. 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.
• Always try to take out complete orders. If the entire order is ready except for a side order, like fries, take out the entrees and have someone follow you with the side order when it is ready. Don't let the entrees get cold because of a side order. Everything goes out hot.
• Make sure you ring in your orders according to the correct seat numbers of the guest. Food needs to be run as soon as it is sold in the window. This means someone else might be running your food and we never auction food off at the table. Seat numbers start on the left and go clockwise. 
• 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. Do not hang out in the server alley. No server ever made any money standing in the kitchen.
• When it is time to cash a guest out, pull up their ticket on your tablet. Simply says, “here is your total, I will be your cashier at the table when you are ready.” You can read back the complete order to make sure the ticket is correct and let them know the total. If they would like to see a paper receipt you can print one for them, but do not automatically print paper tickets for every table. This is a waste. Make sure you verify that you are pulling up the correct table before you run a credit card. If they run a credit card, once you hand them the tablet to sign, show them the area if they would like to add a tip, the line to sign and the blue button they need to push when they are done. 
• 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 or pretend like you are talking to your mom. You wouldn’t be short or curt with her.
• 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 a refill, ask everyone at the table if they need a refill.
• When serving coffee or hot tea, always serve with a spoon. For coffee, ask if they would like cream. For tea, ask if they would like flavored or regular tea and if they would like honey or lemon. Also give the guest a pot of coffee if they order coffee. 
• If a guest orders an iced tea, lemonade or soda, offer them a flavor to add to it. 
• Whenever you are reaching across someone or serving in front of someone, excuse yourself.
• Punctuality is very important. If you get to work late, you start out behind. BE ON TIME. It is your responsibility to know your schedule. Do not call and get it over the phone because if someone gives you the wrong information, it is still your responsibility. As a server, you need to know your section, specials, soups and anything else for service by your scheduled time so you are ready to take tables right away. 
• 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 complaining from an employee regarding a bad tip will not be tolerated and is grounds for immediate dismissal. There should be no conversation of bad tips in the restaurant. 
• When waiting on parties of one, 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.
• 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.
• A tip should never be removed from a table while the customer is still there. Unless, however, the customer hands it to you or motions for you to come and get it.
• If you are having a problem with a door hostess or another employee, go directly to the manager. Do not harass the employee.
• If you must go to the bathroom, eat or smoke 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. To eat or smoke, all of your tables must be clean and pre-bussed. If you would like an uninterrupted break to eat or smoke, you must clock out. 
• Unauthorized persons are not allowed in the kitchen. If one appears, politely but firmly escort them out and get the manager, or whomever it was they wanted to speak to.
• No server is to change his or her station or pick up extra tables without the consent of the manager on duty.
• Always check your glassware for cracks and dried food before filling them.
• Never attempt to adjust thermostats in the Restaurant. If there is a problem, get a manager.
• Whenever you serve a course, ask if there is anything else you can do for the table.
• Never walk away from a table without acknowledging its requests.
• Never assume that the change is your tip! Do not ask if your guest wants their change. Always give them their change
• Each time a guest is sat, the table should look like it has not been used. This means all condiments and menus must be checked and wiped, black books need to be removed from tables, and no unnecessary items should be left on the tables. (ex. Tabasco, creamers, almost empty syrups..)
• Before coming to a manager to do your check out, you must do your portion of the E.O., your fills, your side work and fill the silverware.. If you do not do the E.O. up to our standards, you will receive an additional cleaning duty.
• 3% of your net sales will be pulled for a tip pool that the managers will distribute to other team members. 
• You must mention Repeat Rewards to each guest that comes in. Make sure they either remember to write their phone number on their receipt for their points or introduce the program to them.
• Ask a customer if it is their first time in (or first time since we had our new menu). If it is, give them a tour of the menu pointing out some of your favorite items or best sellers. You need to inform a manager of all first time customers so they can visit with the table as well. 
• Suggest specific drinks, appetizers and desserts to all of your tables. This gives them an idea of things they may not know that we have, and puts the thought in their head to possibly try that item. 
• Let your guests know that we have bottomless fries and hash browns. We do not serve a large portion on the initial order since so much is wasted, but they can have as much as they want as long as they are not sharing the meal
• Check guests’ identification to ensure that they meet minimum age requirements for consumption of alcoholic beverages.
• Perform food preparation duties such as preparing salads, appetizers, and cold dishes, portioning desserts, and brewing coffee.
• Remove dishes and glasses from tables or counters and take them to kitchen for cleaning.
• Thank guests for their visit and invite them to return.
• Clean tables or counters after guests have finished dining.
• Assist host or hostess by answering phones to take reservations or to-go orders, and by greeting, seating, and thanking guests.
• Stock service areas with supplies such as coffee, food, tableware, and linens.
• Prepare tables for meals, including setting up items such as linens, silverware, and glassware.
• Perform cleaning duties, such as sweeping and mopping floors, vacuuming carpet, tidying up server station, taking out trash, or checking and cleaning bathroom.
• Fill salt, pepper, sugar, cream, condiment, and napkin containers.
• Attend all scheduled employee meetings and offers suggestions for improvement.
• Coordinate with and assist fellow employees to meet guests’ needs and support the operation of the restaurant.
• Fill-in for fellow employees where needed to ensure guest service standards and efficient operations.

Supplemental

• Provide guests with information about local areas, including giving directions.

Tools & Technology

• Cash registers, Point-of-sale terminals, POS software, and workstations
• Credit card processing machines
• Personal computers, tablets, smart phones and/or handheld devices
• Software - Office suite, web-based applications, etc.
• Commercial use cutlery
• Paging controllers