How to manage restaurant orders

The success of a food service establishment depends on many different aspects, and one of the most relevant is managing orders. Taking a table's order requires proper customer service from the waitstaff and efficiency when noting down the relevant requests. Subsequently, communication with the kitchen team must be fast and smooth to avoid misunderstandings and unnecessary delays. 

This process requires thorough training and the implementation of strategies for team building that facilitate the relationship between two departments that do not always have an optimal relationship.

What is a restaurant order ticket?

A restaurant order ticket is not merely a note listing the dishes chosen by diners. To be useful, it must be as complete as possible, be legible when written by hand and specify all the relevant information needed to provide good service, such as:

• The number of the table occupied by the diners
• The times at which the dishes should be served,
• Individual orders or dishes to share,
• Intolerances or allergies,
• How well-done the meat should be,
• The type of dressing for salads,
• The accompaniment chosen for the main course,
• Any other preferences expressed by the customers.

How to take an order correctly

One of the first training sessions you should provide your employees concerns taking and subsequently managing restaurant orders. Once the training course is complete, the waitstaff will understand the fundamental aspects of the process:

1. Allow enough courtesy time for diners to decide what to order without making the wait too long.
2. Indicate the table number, the name of the waiter taking the order and the date to avoid confusion.
3. Note the number of diners, which is especially useful for serving complimentary appetisers and preparing changes of cutlery.
4. Assign a number to each diner, preferably counterclockwise, and write their choice beside it, establishing a clear distinction between first and second courses. This is the best way to avoid inconvenience when serving, since it will not be necessary to ask.
5. Highlight the number assigned to children, if any, so they can be served as soon as possible. In these cases, it is not necessary to follow the timings of the rest of the table.
6. Make a new order ticket for desserts when the time comes.

Tips for improving order ticket management

Taking the order is only the first step, since how it is managed is what makes the difference. To ensure that the service in your restaurant is always a success, the following steps should be followed:

• It is advisable for the notepad used to take orders to produce three copies. This way, the waiter keeps the original, while the other two copies are taken to the kitchen and the till respectively.
• When a manual system is used, the waiter notes any possible changes on their copy and subsequently communicates them to the cooks. To avoid mistakes, they do so both verbally and in writing on the kitchen copy. They then make the changes on the till copy so customers are charged for the dishes actually consumed.
• When it is time for dessert, the kitchen replaces the first order ticket with a new one. At the till, both copies are placed together so payment can be processed when the customers leave the premises.

Advantages of using technology to take restaurant orders

The arrival of new technologies in restaurants has made order management much easier. The new POS systems, connected to tablets or mobile phones, have streamlined the process:

1. The waiter enters the order on their device.
2. It automatically reaches the kitchen terminal, which prints the order to make the work easier.
3. At the same time, the order is entered at the till with the price of each dish.

To get the most out of this way of managing restaurant orders, it is advisable to inform staff about some relevant aspects so they understand the procedures and identifiers that must be used in each case:

• They must pay close attention to the keys they press to ensure that all dishes are selected without errors.
• Waiters must become familiar with the correct way to make notes such as the desired doneness of meat, removing an ingredient or choosing an accompaniment.
• In the event of changes, they must be made as soon as possible and it must be clearly indicated what each change replaces.
• Immediate requests, such as an additional dish, a diner joining later or a drink, must also be marked with the corresponding identifier.

Experience and knowledge will help waiters provide good service to customers. If they also feel comfortable and confident in their work uniform, their satisfaction will have a positive impact on their work. 

At Shoes For Crews, we specialise in slip-resistant work footwear and offer a wide variety of models for waiters and cooks. Contact us and we will provide all the information you need.