The Waiting Game: The Essential Guide for Wait Staff and Managers [Paperback]

Mike Kirkham (Author), Peggy Weiss (Author), Bill Crawford (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2002

In this indispensable training manual, Mike Kirkham, Peggy Weiss, and Bill Crawford draw from more than 40 years of restaurant experience to present a succinct, highly informative guide to the art and science of waiting tables. In today’s competitive dining environment, having a skilled wait staff can mean the difference between a restaurant’s success or failure, and THE WAITING GAME is the industry’s clearest and most cost-effective tool for sharpening wait service skills. Brimming with professional tips, on-the-job advice, and practical definitions, this handbook covers all the essentials of waiting, including wine service etiquette, fine-dining protocol, and the dos and don’ts of dealing with difficult customers. Whether you’re a first-time waiter, an experienced server hoping to move to a more prestigious establishment, a manager seeking an accessible training guide, or a foodie craving the definitive word on proper service, THE WAITING GAME has it all.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Mike Kirkham has over 20 years of experience in all aspects of the restaurant industry. Peggy Weiss is co-owner of the Shoreline Grill in Austin, Texas, and a founding partner of the highly acclaimed Jeffrey’s Restaurants in Austin and Washington, D.C. Bill Crawford is a best-selling author, award-winning journalist, and longtime commentator on American culture.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Ten Speed Press; 1st edition (July 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580083692
• ISBN-13: 978-1580083690
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,566,952 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars For Beginners Only, September 27, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Waiting Game: The Essential Guide for Wait Staff and Managers (Paperback)

This is a very basic, thinly-written guide for restaurant workers. A good part of the book seems to be spent identifying who does what in a restaurant; definitely not for anyone who has ever worked in an upscale restaurant. There are also plenty of cute illustrations to help drive the authors' points home to the reader; they were somewhat unnecessary and actually gave me the feeling of being something of a fluff tactic and an effort to fill up space. The book would certainly benefit those who had never worked in a restaurant or had only served/hosted/bartended/bussed in a more casual place. Do not buy this book if you have ever owned a crumber!

5.0 out of 5 stars Good reading for all who eat at restaurants, August 7, 2011

By 

B. D. Hamilton (Brownfield, Texas) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Waiting Game: The Essential Guide for Wait Staff and Managers (Paperback)

This book would be particularly good for anyone looking for a job and is willing to work as a waiter or waitress. Apparently, that is one of the hardest jobs a person can do, but it's honorable work. The book tells how to be a stand-out in that kind of service. For a person who dines out, it shows what a difficult job wait service is and what a waiter or waitress must learn to do his/her job. The Glossary at the end is also helpful for unsophisticated diners who do not understand terminology used in fine restaurants.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great purchase, February 23, 2007

By 

Daniel S. Gaylord "Dan Gaylord" (Dallas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Waiting Game: The Essential Guide for Wait Staff and Managers (Paperback)

This is a very comprehensive book. I enjoy it and find it very helpful.