The Waiter's Glossary Of Terms

A selection of jargon and terms used in the restaurant industry...

Appetizer: A small first course dish that is presented before the entree. Some guests mistake appetizers for entrees.
Assistant Manager: See Manager.Has the same responsibities, but gets paid less.
Babysitter: See Manager.
Back-Of-The-House: Usually consistes of: Manager's Office, storerooms, and/or the kitchen.
Bill: 1} A itemized totaling of purchases before tips. 2} Perhaps someone you work with.
Break Room: A place where servers can take a moment to relax, smoke, gossip, and plot to get the manager to give them some of their free food.
Bring Back: 1} An entree that is returned to the kitchen because the guest did not like it for some reason. Usually means free dessert.
British: See Stiffed.
Busser: 1} One who cleans off utensils, plates, and trash from empty tables. 2} One who mistakenly cleans off utensils, plates, and trash from guests who are not done with them. 3} One who puts clean utensils, plates, and linen on tables. 4} One who mistakenly puts dirty utensils, plates, and linen on tables. 5} One who drives a bus.
Campers: A guestwhom sits at your table for an excessive amount of time. Use in a sentence: "Man! Those people have been camping out at my table since 5:30 pm! Anyone got a tent?" (Erin B.)
Check: 1} See also bill. 2} Something for cheapskates to ignore.
Check Back: 1} A visit a server will make to the table to make sure all the food and drink(s) tastes good. At this time the guest will say everything is fine, or has the option of saying everything is not fine. A third option is to say everything is fine now, and then later say everything was not fine. If the third option is taken, then free dessert might be offered.
Check Cover: 1} A book used to present the check to the table and/or temporarily store credit cards during transactions.
Chef: 1} A very grumpy man or woman who is in charge of creating foods and food combinations. 2} One who has access to very large knives.
Dessert: 1} A confectionery course usually at the end of the meal. 2} The first thing a manager will suggest when their is a problem with a guest.
86: 1} A term used when you are out of something completely. i.e.: "The prime rib has been 86'd." 2} Can be applied to servers also.
Entree: 1} Main course dish. 2} Not the same as an appetizer.
Expeditor: 1} Also known as "Expo". 2} One who is in charge of line cooks and/or plate presentations. 3} One who works in place of, or with, a chef.
Folding Napkins: To take a napkin and fold, twist, or tie into a new shape so it resembles a napkin that has been folded, twisted, or tied into a new shape. i.e. shell, hat, candle, folded napkin.
Front-Of-The-House: Any area a guest might see including: dinning room, lobby, bathrooms, a show kitchen, and/or side station.
Gratuity: See also Tip.
Guest: 1} One who dines in restaurants. 2} A term to replace "customer" to make them feel more welcomed. 3} One who might get free dessert if there is a problem with their entree.
In-The-Weeds: See Weeded.
Line Cook: 1} One who cooks and/or assembles food onto the plate. 2} One who works with the chef.
Manager: 1} One who is in charge of the daily operations of a restaurant. 2} One who performs such tasks as; scheduling, inventory, budgeting, and supervising. 3} One who eats free food in their restaurant.
Manager's Office: A place for Managers to do paper work, make important phone calls, and hide.
On-The-Fly: 1} A term used for needing right away. 2} A term used when the server forgot to order some part of the entree. 3} A term used to get a new dish in place of a bring back. 4} A good place to put the dish if their is one on the table.
Postal: 1} A term used for a Server who looks way to stressed. 2} A term used for a Post Office Worker who looks way to stressed. i.e. "John looks like he is going postal!"
Rolling Silverware: 1} To take a napkin and wrap it around a fork, spoon, knife, or any combination there of, and tie off with a piece of string or sticky paper. 2} To mug or rob silverware.
S/A: See Server's Assistant.
Scrumps: The opportunistic feeding of stray entrees, appitizers, or desserts by Waiters. Verb examples: Scrumpping ,Scrumpage (Gerald.)
Seater: See Seating Host/Hostess.
Seating Host/Hostess: 1} One who shows the guest to their tables. 2} Your best friend. 3} Your worst enemy.
Server: Also Waiter, Waitress, Slave. 1} One who takes menu orders. 2} One who brings the meals and drinks to the table. 3} A person who acts as a representive of the guest to the kitchen.
Server's Assistant: 1} One who assists a server waiting on tables. 2} A back-up to the server. 3} One who assists in staying out of the weeds. 4} One who performs busser-like duties.
Shift: The amount of hours spent at one's job, measured from moment you walk into the door, till the time you walk into your house. (Has no relation to what the time clock might actually tabulate.)
Show Kitchen: A kitchen that has been placed in the dinning room for full guest viewing.
Side Station: A station set-up in the dinning room for use by servers, Server Assistants, and Bussers. Usually contains extra china, utensils, and linen. Also may or may not consist of a beverage area. Also may or may not be stocked, depending on who's Side Work it may be.
Side Work: Tasks performed by servers other than waiting on tables. These tasks can be performed before, during, or after a shift. i.e. folding napkins, cleaning, rolling silverware, kissing up to the manager for free food.
Skate: 1) For a server to leave without doing closing sidework. ie:rolling silverware 2) To move on shoes with blades or rollers attached. (Elaine)
Slammed: 1} See Weeded. 2} What One Becomes In The Local Bar After Being This All Day Long. (Inspired By A Contribution From Gerald.)
Slave: 1} See server.2} One who is indentured to another. 3} One who has no rights as a human being. 4} One who is owned by another.
Stiffed: 1} No tip was left for the server. 2} No money was given in an exchange for services. 3} A bad, bad, evil, thing.
Tip: 1} Money left in exchange for a service performed. 2}In restuarants usually 15 to 20%, unless British.
Tip Card: 1} A card that explains in serveral different languages, including English, the custom of tipping 15 to 20%. 2} A card placed in english-speaking peoples check covers that explains in several different languages the custom of tipping 15 to 20%.
Waiter: See server.
Waitress: See server.
Waitron: A slang term that is an androgenous form of waiter or waitress.
Weeded: 1} To have to much to do. 2} To not be able to keep up or accomplish all the tasks set before you. 3} A feeling or act of being behind in one's work. 4} A very bad place. i.e. "I have too many tables, I'm very weeded!"
Wig: Term used to describe a server reacting in an adverse manner to being Slammed. Closely associated with postal behavior. Also known as: Wigging, Wigged-Out, Toupee. (Gerald)