I worked in the restaurant industry for many years so I know how important presentation is when it comes to serving guests. How the staff looks and carries themselves has a direct impact on the guest experience and the bottom line for the business.
In this post I’ll be looking at why proper attire, ironed clothes and grooming matter for restaurant servers, with insights from an industry expert Patrick Murphy from Real Server Training.
Table of Contents
Presentation for Restaurant Staff
Hair and Grooming Sets the Tone
As the video states “How people perceive you is going to be all… is going to determine how they treat you, period.” When it comes to physical appearance for front-of-house staff, hair and facial hair grooming is huge for first impressions and attention to detail.
Servers should aim for neat, tidy styles that look intentional. He gets a fresh haircut every 2-3 weeks, so he looks put together and requires little maintenance before shifts.
Facial hair should be neatly trimmed or shaped. He advises servers to be honest with themselves if a full beard can be maintained on a regular basis. If not, clean shaven is the way to go for a polished look. Keeping hair and facial hair groomed shows self-care to the guest and invites better treatment in return.
Wrinkle-Free Makes a Difference
When it comes to clothes, neat, pressed shirts and pants make a bigger impact than most servers realize. As the speaker states, guests won’t consciously notice wrinkled shirts when servers take orders. But subconsciously wrinkled clothes give off a sense of disarray that colors the guest’s perception.
Steaming, ironing or sending to the dry cleaner takes extra effort but it really makes a difference in how guests react to the staff on a gut level.
Fit Over Price for Server Attire
The key points the speaker makes about server clothes is that price isn’t important. In fact, he states that $300 designer shirts and pants are a waste of money in this industry. The most important thing in putting together server attire is fit.
Well-fitting shirts, pants and other clothes flatter the body, baggy clothes look sloppy. Taking the time to find budget friendly shirts, ties, restaurant shoes, vests, aprons and pants that fit your body type shows guests you respect yourself and the dining experience they are expecting.
Self-Respect Breeds Guest Respect
At the core of his discussion on server attire and grooming the speaker makes a great point about how staff presentation enhances the overall dining experience. When the waitstaff looks put together it shows self-respect. And guests will pick up on that through conscious and unconscious cues.
This gives guests a natural respect during the dining experience from start to finish from seating to entree to check. Servers can’t expect maximum respect from guests if they don’t respect themselves and the restaurant environment through grooming and attire.
Takeaways for all Restaurant Staff
The video was focused on waiters and waitresses in the front-of-house, but these apply to any staff member who interacts or has visibility to guests. Hosts, busboys, bartenders, managers and more can all impact the guest experience through attire and grooming.
Remember:
Mind the hair: Neat and fresh haircuts or styles matter. Don’t let guests see bedhead!
Groom facial hair: If you have a beard or mustache make sure it looks intentional.
Wrinkle free: Shirts, pants and dresses should be pressed wrinkle free.
Fit over price: Server uniforms don’t have to be expensive as long as they fit your body.
Reflect inward respect: Looking put together shows self-respect that gets guest respect.
In short presentation matters in restaurants. When staff looks sharp guests will pick up on that positive energy and get better treatment and spend more in the long run.
Hope that helps with your restaurant attire and grooming standards.
What else do you think about staff presentation from your own experience? Comment below!
