
The anticipation builds as the empty starter plates are whisked away. A brief pause and the table is quiet. Diners chat and sip their drinks. Then suddenly new pristine place settings appear just as the entrees arrive, as if choreographed.
The transition is smooth, and the guest is delighted. Setting up for the entrees is an art – and guests notice and appreciate.
As a server you control this moment and the whole dining experience. Get it right and you create magic. Flub the timing or presentation even slightly and the whole evening unravels. Here are 6 tips to set tables for entrees like a pro.
Table of Contents
Set Tables for Guest Entrees
Know the Timing
Timing is everything when clearing apps. Look for visual cues – pushed away plates or laid flatware means the guest is ready. Wait for a natural pause before you clear so the guest doesn’t feel rushed.
But prepare for the next course. Reset the table before the entrees arrive so the guest isn’t crowded. Use your knowledge of average cook times to time it perfectly. Intuition and experience will get you through this dance.
Communication is Everything
Talk to management about average prep times per menu item. Knowing exact ticket times for all dishes will allow you to flow the courses.
With a ringmaster-like sense of timing you can direct the flow of the dining show. Your presence reassures the guest you have everything under control.
Don’t Let the Guest Get Thirsty
As you clear the plates, discreetly check the drinks. Top up anything less than 3/4 full. No one wants to be stranded mid meal without a drink.
Servers swear guests should never be without a drink. This little touch means one less thing to worry about so the guest can focus.
Present Perfect Silverware
“Utensils influence enjoyment almost as much as the food,” wrote etiquette pioneer Emily Post. True, perfect cutlery says a lot about the quality of the food. Make it standard to provide new silverware with the entrees. No specks, no stains, no residue from previous courses.
In fine dining restaurants fresh silverware comes with every dish. In casual restaurants focus on that one moment when the entrees arrive. But if a fork looks tired, swap it out. In crazy busy services triage the cutlery needs. Target only the pieces that need to be replaced right away in the chaos.
Discreetly Handle Dirty Utensils
Few things disrupt the flow of a meal like dirty silverware. If sauce covered forks appear, whisk them away faster than a magician with nothing to hide. Saw sauce mid-app?
Ask the guest if they can part with the offending utensils so you can restore the setting to perfection. Handled nicely most guests won’t even blink before the forks disappear in a flash of magic.
Support Your Team
Great hospitality is a team effort, like a production. Be aware of how your table reset affects your restaurant colleagues. Clearing starter plates quickly means less work for the bussers to do between courses.
It also allows you to set the table so fresh silverware and water glasses are ready when the entrees come out of the kitchen. This choreographed effort helps the expo and runner time and pace the orders across all the tables.
Conclusion
By timing, communicating, drink and silverware management during the app-to-entrée transition we become the directors of the seamless dining experiences. And by supporting our service teams we co-create perfect productions that guests will ask for, for years to come. That’s how you make memories and delight every time.