Ideal as a competency-based training guide or simply as a reference manual for specific service questions, this all-inclusive book explains the key aspects and responsibilities of today's food servers. It contains broad and in-depth coverage on everything a good waiter or waitress will need to know to be successful in this very competitive and dynamic profession—from restaurant industry statistics to how tips are calculated, the importance of poise and posture, the use of place settings, menu knowledge, the presentation of wine, recognizing the nonverbal cues and prompts of guests, understanding guest paging systems and touch-screen terminals, handling complaints, and much more. Self-contained chapters flow in a logical sequence and establish a step-by-step procedure for understanding and learning appropriate server skills.