Well, less tips than instructions: "100 Things Restaurant Staffers Should Never Do (Part 1)." And not our instruction's but Bruce Buschel's -- he's opening a seafood restaurant and blogging about it for the New York Times. The list is for the staff he's hiring. Among the 100 (which include don'ts and also dos):
8. Do not interrupt a conversation. For any reason. Especially not to recite specials. Wait for the right moment.
18. Know before approaching a table who has ordered what. Do not ask, “Who’s having the shrimp?”
23. If someone likes a wine, steam the label off the bottle and give it to the guest with the bill. It has the year, the vintner, the importer, etc.
Love that last one. Thoughts from St. Louis diners -- and owners, GMs, and, of course, restaurant staffers? -- Stephen Schenkenberg