Saying the words “thank you” has been ingrained in our heads since before we could put together a full sentence. We are taught that it is the polite thing to do; but have you ever stopped to think about how much power is behind those two words? We say it every day, possibly too much, so some of its power is taken away but in the written form that power is somehow restored. We see its power in thank you notes all the time, but it seems the most powerful when you write it on the back of a check.
The anecdotal evidence is enough to prove that even the smallest gesture can go a long way. A simple thank you on the back of a check may increase your tip that day or net you a regular guest. Even on the most superficial of levels you are thanking that customer for their business which subtly reminds them that this is a business transaction and should be treated as such.
Anecdotal evidence is great but scientific studies are even better. There has been study after study extolling the virtues of writing thank you on your guests’ checks. One study had servers write nothing, thank you, or thank you with their name underneath it. What they found was a simple thank you increased tips over writing nothing at all, however personalizing the thank you with the server’s name did seem to improve tips over all.
A thank you is great, but there are also other ways that can personalize your tabs to increase your tips and make your service that much more memorable. Some servers will draw pictures, write quotes, or even put stickers on their tabs. All these gestures show your guests that they are more than just another tip. Of course there is a time and a place for everything and it really comes down to reading your guest to see whether a traditional thank you or more elaborate personalization is in order.
Writing thank you on your tab is just one of the many ways that you increase your tip percentage every shift. Another is to be organized and there is no better way to stay organized than to use the best server book available on the market today. To find out how the iServ server book can help you or to order one immediately contact us today. www.iserv.us