Coaches Round Table

How many tables should I be expected to serve?

I work in a hotel restaurant. Because of business demands on weekends, we only have one server who handles everything, hostessing, waiting tables, bussing, and bartending. We also have to plate our own soups and desserts. I recently had a busy weekend where I had a table of ten plus several other tables and people at the bar. Is it reasonable for management to expect one person to handle all this? Any specific guidelines to how many people, tables, etc. I should strive to be able to manage would be greatly appreciated.

Public Comments

1. a lor propaly
2. apparently it has been done b4 and u need to step up your game, or they'll find somebody else, sorry about the bluntness
3. The manager obviously expects you to be able to handle that many tables. If you don't feel capable of servicing that many tables , then tell the manager. There aren't any guidelines to how many tables waitresses attend to. Some waitresses work more efficiently than others.
4. It depends on a lot of things. It's obviously been done in the past. A lot of chain restaurants have strict guidelines on how many tables a waitress can cover, but private places have very different rules. The restaurant that I work in now is very similar during the lunch shift. There is one person who is the waitress, hostess, busser, and bartender. We also always make our own salads and desserts. It's a 25 table restaurant. Now, there's never that many tables, but you just have to do the best you can. Usual is probably about 10 or 11 tables, but you're always going to have rushes you never saw coming. There's no set amount of tables that you can expect to have to deal with. Just try to make everything you do a bit more efficient. Check on the people at the bar while your making your tables drinks, ask about a dessert order while you're clearing a table, bring drink refills to everyone who needs one at once. There are things you can do, and the longer you're at it the better you will get. Your customers will also most likely notice that you are trying, and be a bit easier on you. If after you try it a few more times you feel that you absolutely cannot handle it, I would ask for a less busy shift. Sorry, but if they've always had one waitress do it there's not going to change for you.