When your customer has stuffed that last bite of pasta puttanesca into their eating hole, it is time to gauge whether or not you should clear their plate. Customers do not want to sit at their table for too long with dirty dishes in front of them because it reminds them of being home where they most likely do not have someone taking care of such things for them.
What Not To Say
It is never appropriate to ask someone if they are “still working on that.” Use the phrase often enough and there will eventually be some tightly wound customer who will inform you that eating a meal is not “work.” They will say it in a condescending manner that will make you feel foolish for even trying to help them, so avoid the phrase altogether. The only “work” the customer wants to be aware of is seeing you carrying their dirty dishes away.
Take Them All At Once
It is best to wait until everyone at the table is finished eating before clearing any plates. This varies for each restaurant, so of course do what your manager expects of you. However, taking some plates away before everyone is finished can make people feel awkward. If Customer #1 inhales his plate of schnitzel in four minutes while Customer #2 is barely on her second bite of baby back ribs, taking the empty schnitzel plate away is only going to highlight how quickly he ate. Although he may be a glutton, you don’t want to call attention to his deadly sin. When someone specifically asks you to remove the plate or they slide it to the side of the table, then remove it. Otherwise, take all the dishes at the same time. Not only is it polite, it saves you trips to the table.
But Only If You’re Sure
When clearing several plates, never stack them on the table. Only remove what you can, stacking them in your hand or, if you’re a kick ass diner waitress, stack them all the way up your arm. Don’t try to be a hero by taking more than you can handle. Either get someone to help you or come back for another round because two trips to clear plates is better than one trip with a broom and a dustpan. As you’re sweeping up shards of broken ceramic and leftover food, you may as well sweep up your pride too. It’s embarrassing. Trust me.
Don’t Fork It Up
If there is another course to be had, you will need to make some serious decisions about silverware. Maybe they will need their fork again but they have left it on the plate that is to be cleared. Should you remove it for them or should you ask them to keep it? Neither. Simply take the fork and bring them a new one. Although this will create more silverware at the end of the night that will need to be washed and consequently polished and rolled, in the great scheme of restaurant life, it’s fine. The bright side of more silverware to roll is that you will probably be sitting down as you roll it, and any opportunity you get to sit down while at work should be appreciated.
Clearing plates is a menial task, but an important one. Once you are able to clear a four-top in one fell swoop, sweeping the table with your hands, deftly arranging plates, bowls, coffee cups and silverware into your arms, the look of awe on the face of your customers will almost be enough to reward you for a job well done. We are servers. We clear plates.
Darron Cardosa is the author of The Bitchy Waiter, Tales, Tips & Trials From a Life in Food Service and the creator of the blog TheBitchyWaiter.com. He has been in the food service industry pretty consistently since the mid 1980’s. He likes cocktails almost as much as he hates your baby. You can connect with him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@bitchywaiter).