Dining room ? related to tipping

[educator]

What is the difference between "dining room server" and "head server'?

 

[JimmyJackJunior]

Dining Room Server is the one that takes your order, learns your ordering habits and dietery concerns and delivers your food. I think the ratio is about one for three tables.

The head server is his supervisor who makes sure the whole room is running properly. I believe there is two per restaurant meaning they are in charge of maybe 10 waiters. And to be completely honest I am not sure what they did to keep themselves occupied.

 

[tvguy]

Yep, you got it right.

 

[SailorMinnie]

True, the Head Server is a more behind the scenes position in general. But that doesn't mean they aren't busy. If you have a good set of servers, you can bet that they have an efficient and hard working Head Server as their supervisor. They are often in the background making sure that everything is coming and going as quickly and efficiently as it can from the food prep areas. They handle all special requests, and or challenges. And they have a very watchful eye over their section. I have seen a Head Server swoop in more than once to compensate for an overwhelmed Server with large parties, or an inexperienced Asst. Server. This last cruise we saw our Head Server bringing out food, preparing salads, taking care of little children, and a hundred other things. True, some are more engaging than others and have a lot more interaction with the guests. But overall I think that has a lot to do with personality. And I'm sure there are some who do not do quite their share of work, as anywhere. But in general, if you have good, and very good, service, you can assume you must have a pretty good Head Server working on your behalf, whether you see them or not.

 

[jrabbit]

The thing about the Head Waiters is that like others have said during dinners they are making sure that everything is going smoothly, and helping out where needed. If you want to see them really earning their keep, look out for them during breakfast and lunch. They're serving and bussing tables just like all of the other servers. On our last cruise our dinning head server was ALWAYS bussing tables up at topsiders in the morning - cleaning up the yucky messes that some of the rude guest continually left behind

 

[dizney-cruiser]

due to having an allergy to citrus, the head waitor actually took my order each night and then would verify with the kitchen that it contained no citrus - a couple of times they even re-created dishes just for me!!

 

[SailorMinnie]

jrabbit: How true! I forgot to mention all they do during the rest of the day! And after working breakfast and lunch they get a whole hour and a half to run back to their stateroom, take a power nap if their fortunate, take another shower and be back in the dining rooms at 4:45. They really do go unnoticed so often (and untipped) when they really take care of an awful lot of stuff for us.