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服务员们如何学习读心术

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What looks like a convivial scene is a waiter's nightmare: people at a table, chatting away, menus closed with drinks in their hands.


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Yet when Alex Martin, a 26-year-old waiter at Blue Smoke restaurant in New York, tried to take their order 'they didn't even look up,' he says. 'If you are standing there for more than three seconds it's like an eternity.'


群人围坐在桌旁，手里捧着饮料不停地聊天，搁在一旁的菜单仍未打开。这个场景看上去其乐融融，却是餐厅服务员的噩梦。



At such times, Mr. Martin employs his go-to strategy of 'the hand on the table.' Placing down his palm draws the group's eyes up and out of the conversation, interrupting but without being pushy, he says. A few minutes later the men had ordered and quickly returned to chatting.


纽约Blue Smoke餐厅26岁的服务员亚历克斯•马丁（Alex Martin）说，有时他想招呼客人们点菜时，"他们甚至不会抬头看你一眼"。"在那儿站上超过三秒钟时间，就好像站了无穷无尽的时间。"



Called 'having eyes' for a table, or 'feeling' or 'reading' the table by restaurant workers, it's how the best waiters know what type of service you prefer before you tell them. From fine dining to inexpensive chains, restaurants are working to make service more individualized as the standard script ('I'm so-and-so and I will be your server tonight') is sounding dated.


每当遇见这种情况，马丁便会采取 "手放桌面"这一显示自身存在的策略。他说，将手掌放在餐桌上能够吸引客人们抬头向上看，使他们停止聊天。这个策略打断了客人的谈话，但又不会显得莽撞无礼。几分钟后，这桌客人就点好了菜，接着马上又开始聊起天来。



Even chain restaurants like Denny's, T.G.I. Friday's, and Romano's Macaroni Grill are focusing more on personalized service by training staff to note body language, eye contact and offhand remarks, hoping to make service feel less mechanical. Traditionally, eateries taught waiters to follow a script and push add-ons like desserts and drinks.


在顾客开口吩咐之前，那些最老道的服务员便已知道他们喜欢哪种服务，这被餐厅的工作人员称为对客人的"关注"，"感觉"或者"观察"。从高档餐厅到价格便宜的连锁餐馆，各式各样的餐厅都在努力使自己的服务更为个性化。现如今，像"我是某某，今晚由我为您服务"这样程式化的服务用语已经过时了。



Getting service right, not just food, is increasingly crucial for restaurants. The number of people going to restaurants is expected to grow by less than 1% through 2019, slower than population growth, predicts NPD Group, a market research firm. At the same time restaurants from Applebee's to fine-dining spots like Press St. Helena in California's Napa Valley say guests expect better service as they continue to demand top value for their dollar and learn more about restaurants' behind-the-scenes operations through TV shows and books.


如今，即使是像Denny's、T.G.I. Friday's和Romano's Macaroni Grill这样的连锁餐厅也开始更加关注个性化服务。他们训练员工要注意客人的肢体语言、眼神交流以及客人的不经意之言，希望以此提高服务的人性化。而在过去，餐厅对服务员的培训则是让他们按照规范提供服务、竭力向客人额外推荐甜点和饮料等等。



'We asked what can we do that will set us apart from the scrum,' besides discounting and coupons, says Wayne Vandewater, vice president of learning and development for Applebee's, owned by DineEquity Inc. 'Food is easy to copy, a building is easy to copy, but it's not east to copy our people.'


对餐厅来说，服务到位，而不仅仅是饭菜可口，变得越发举足轻重起来。据市场研究公司NPD Group预测，到2019年，前往餐厅用餐人数的增幅预计将不到1%，低于人口的增长速度。与此同时，包括连锁餐馆Applebee's和位于加州纳帕谷（Napa Valley）的高档餐厅Press St. Helena在内的餐厅都表示，由于客人们一如既往地希望花出去的每一美元都要实现价值最大化，并且从电视节目和书本上了解到了更多关于餐厅幕后运营的信息，他们都期望获得更优质的服务。



Some restaurants still employ waiter scripts, but now they are being used to dig for guest information. At Romano's Macaroni Grill, an Italian-themed chain, waiters are taught to use their scripted offer of house wine to find out if the table will want a fast, leisurely, or lively meal. If 'they say, 'no, well, we are going to the theater,' ' then the waiter knows dinner isn't the main event, says Brandon Coleman III, chief marketing officer for the company. To speed up service, the waiter may bring the check at the same time as the food.


DineEquity Inc.旗下连锁餐馆Applebee's主管培训和拓展业务的副总裁韦恩•范德沃特（Wayne Vandewater）说，除了打折和优惠券之外，"我们还要思考可以做些什么使自己从竞争中脱颍而出。食品容易模仿，硬件也容易模仿，但要模仿我们的服务员可不容易。"



If diners have a laptop open on the table, they might not be interested in appetizers that are best for sharing or learning a lot about the cocktail menu, says Ricky Richardson, chief operating officer for Carlson Restaurants Inc., which operates T.G.I. Friday's.


一些餐厅仍在使用服务员行为规范，不过现如今这些规范的目的是尽可能地了解客人的状况。在连锁意大利餐厅Romano's Macaroni Grill，服务员学习了如何通过餐厅的招牌葡萄酒去了解客人是希望快速地、悠然地还是愉快地享用这顿饭。该公司首席营销长布兰顿•科尔曼三世（Brandon Coleman III）说，如果"他们说，'不用了，我们等会要去剧院'"，那么服务员就知道用餐只是其次的事情。为了加快服务速度，服务员可能会在上菜的同时奉上账单。



'We changed 'suggestive selling' to 'situational selling,' ' says Rene Zimmerman, seniordirector of training and development for Bob Evans Farms Inc., a family-style restaurant and food maker. Instead of offering every breakfast guest one additional item, say biscuits and gravy, waiters are taught to adjust their offer depending upon the guest. For a diner who places a lighter order, like a bagel and fruit, the waiter might suggest a cup of coffee or tea.


T.G.I. Friday's母公司Carlson Restaurants Inc.的首席运营长里奇•理查森（Ricky Richardson）说，如果客人们在餐桌上打开了笔记本电脑，那么他们就可能不会对适于共享的开胃菜感兴趣，也不会有兴趣详细了解鸡尾酒单。



Restaurants are investing in training despite the historically high churn rate in wait staff, though turnover has slowed since the recession. Waiters can be paid below minimum wage in some states because they earn tips. In other states, they are paid a minimum wage that varies by state from $5 to $10, plus tips.


家庭式餐馆及食品生产商Bob Evans Farms Inc.负责培训和拓展业务的高级董事雷内•齐默尔曼（Rene Zimmerman）表示，"我们将"建议式推销"转变为了"情景式推销"。服务员们学习了根据客人的具体情况来调整他们的推荐，而不是为每位来吃早餐的客人都另外推荐饼干和肉汁之类的食物。对于点了像百吉饼和水果这样较为清淡的食物的客人，服务员可能会向他们推荐来一杯咖啡或者茶。



As part of a recent, two-week training course at the Cheesecake Factory in Burlington, Mass., Lauren McDonagh, 23 years old, sat with four other new employees before the lunch rush. They heard tips on how to interact with tables with children (if a kid says he doesn't like green things, don't use lettuce, even as a garnish), first-time guests (walk them to the restroom, don't point), and celebrations (get at least five employees to sing 'Happy Birthday').


尽管自经济衰退以来，餐饮业的营业额增幅已经放缓，而且服务员的流动率历来都很高，各家餐馆还是在为员工培训持续投入资金。在美国某些州，由于服务员能够挣到小费，他们的工资可以低于最低工资水平。在其他州，服务员的工资可以达到最低工资水平（各个州相差5美元至10美元），此外他们还可以挣到小费。



Ms. McDonagh and the others are taught to 'tour guide' guests toward menu options they think are best, like easy-to-prepare food if they are in a hurry. When Ms. McDonagh began waiting tables without any training at age 18, 'it took me three months to realize you give the dessert menu quietly to the mom, otherwise kids scream,' for dessert, she says.


马萨诸塞州伯灵顿市（Burlington）的Cheesecake Factory近期开展了一次为期两周的培训课程，作为培训计划的一部分，23岁的劳伦•麦克唐纳（Lauren McDonagh）与其他四名新员工一同在午餐高峰期前接受培训。他们学习了一些如何与带孩子的客人、头次光顾的客人以及庆祝生日的客人打交道的小技巧。例如，如果小孩说不喜欢绿色蔬菜，那就别用生菜，即使用它作饰菜也不行。要把头次光顾的客人领到卫生间门口，而不是简单地指一下方向。对于来店庆祝生日的客人，至少要让五名员工为客人唱生日歌。



Reading a table happens within seconds of a waiter coming to a table. By asking for a cocktail menu or smiling and making strong eye contact, 'they are saying 'hey, I want to engage with you and I want you to make me feel really important,' ' says Mark Maynard-Parisi, managing partner of Blue Smoke, a pair of barbecue restaurants in New York, owned by Union Square Hospitality Group. If people seem shy, 'you want to put them at ease, say, 'take your time, look at the menu.' '


麦克唐纳和其他四名员工学习了如何将客人"引导"至他们认为最适合的菜品。例如，如果客人赶时间的话，则为他们推荐容易准备的菜品。，麦克唐纳18岁开始当餐厅服务员，当时她并未接受过任何训练。她说，"我花了三个月时间才意识到，要把甜品单悄悄递给妈妈，否则孩子们会吵着（要甜品）。"



Blue Smoke does seven days of training with new waiters, five days of trailing an experiencedwaiter and two days of being trailed by the experienced waiter. Each day includes a quiz and a focus such as greeting guests.


走到客人身旁的数秒钟时间内，观察客人的过程便已开始。联合广场酒店集团（Union Square Hospitality Group）旗下的Blue Smoke烧烤店在纽约有两家店，其执行合伙人马克•梅纳德-帕里西（Mark Maynard-Parisi）说，通过索要鸡尾酒单、微笑或者进行眼神交流，"他们是在表达'嘿，我想和你交流，我希望你能让我觉得自己非常受到重视'。"如果客人看起来有点羞涩，"你想让他们放松的话，那么就说'别着急，请看菜单。'"



With parties of four or more, 'the most important thing is to read the dynamic between the group,' Mr. Maynard-Parisi says. Alcohol (who is ordering more or less) is a potential point of contention. He reads eye contact and body language to see if a group is friendly (looking at each other) or less secure, like an uncomfortable work meeting (glancing around the room, fidgeting). 'Am I approaching the table to rescue them or am I interrupting them?'


对于新手服务员，Blue Smoke会让他们接受为期七天的培训，跟着经验丰富的服务员工作五天，然后在经验丰富的服务员的跟随下干两天时间。每天都会进行一项测验和集中训练，比如如何迎接客人。



Because people often resistspeaking up when they're unhappy with their meal, waiters are taught to detect if a guest is unhappy. When asked about dinner, if a guest says, ' 'It's OK.' That to me is a red flag,' says Allison Yoder, general manager of Press.


梅纳德-帕里西说，如果客人人数是四个或者更多，"最重要的事情就是观察这群人之间的交流。"酒水（这样的客人多少都会点一点酒水的）是一个可能的争论的焦点。他通过观察眼神交流和肢体语言来推断这群客人是关系不错（关系好会互相看着对方）呢，还是关系并不是很近，比如他们正在进行一次令人感觉不自在的商务会晤（客人们会坐立不安四处环顾）。这时我就会想，"我走到餐桌前是让他们得到解脱呢还是打扰了他们？"



At Cheesecake Factory, employees are taught to look every guest in the eye when moving through the dining room, watching for people looking up from their meal, pushing food around their plate, or removing ingredients from their dish -- all signs they might not like their meal. Even if it's not their assigned table, they are trained to ask if anything is wrong and try to fix problems.


客人们对菜品不满意时，往往不会坦率表达出来，因此服务员也接受了培训如何发现客人是否满意的培训。Press的总经理埃里森•尤达（Allison Yoder）说，如果客人在被问及菜品味道如何时只是说，"'还不错'，那在我听来是一个不好的信号。"



Reading a table is still more art than science. On a recent night at Blue Smoke a couple came in with a baby in a stroller, usually a demographic looking for a quick dinner. Instead, the baby fell asleep during the meal. 'They spent so much money,' says Mr. Maynard-Parisis. They 'got another cocktail and dessert and an after-dinner drink.'


在Cheesecake Factory，服务员被要求在餐厅走动时要看着客人的眼睛，留意那些抬起头没看着菜、四处拨弄盘子中的菜或者把菜品中某些原料挑出来的客人，这些都是他们不喜欢所点菜品的迹象。即使这桌客人并不归他们负责，服务员也被要求要上前询问客人是否出现什么问题并试着去解决这些问题。



Sarah Nassauer


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