qualities of a good waitress or waiter

Waitressing is a difficult job. I've tried it, and I doubt that I could do it again. I think the most important qualities a waitress/waiter should have are being polite and being clean. I'll overlook a screwed up order or having to wait if the waitress isn't nasty or rude and is clean. I was at a restaurant once where the waitress crouched in front of our table and propped her arms and head on the table while she told us the specials. I was grossed out by that. I was afraid to complain or ask for another waitress, because you hear stories about waitstaff spitting in food or dropping your order on the floor and serving it to you. Another time at another restaurant the waitress grabbed my iced tea glass from the inside when she took it to refill it. I know she didn't replace the glass, and I didn't drink any more tea. Also, if you have long hair or bangs, put it up or pin it back. I hate seeing waitresses with hair hanging over their shoulders or long bangs hanging over their faces. Save the pretty tresses for a date. You're serving me food. I don't want hair in my food. If you're attentive but not intrusive, you'll get a good tip from me. I'm told I tip too much, but I know it's rough. If you're dirty and rude, you won't get a tip from me.

I have been a waitress before. I think that the qualities of a good waitress is someone who is friendly, kind and who makes sure that the food is right without pestering so much. I've learned to bring extra drinks to the table after the food is there, and to not bother them until after they are done eating. Lol. I know as a customer I get annoyed at a waitress who keeps coming back to the table.

i would say all you mentioned. my late hubby and i have always tipped very well to really good waitresses. my aunt was a waitress all her life from 15 to now and she 75! no idea how she has put up with some very mean people that long. i worked for her once way back in my 20's when she was manager of a resturaunt. i only lasted 3 weeks. i spent most of my free time in the back crying because some people were so mean

Waitressing is a very tough job. The delicate juggling of getting the middle ground between annoying or neglectful, especially when a busy service is happening I don't envy at all. Then there's the orders and 'special needs' that may throw a curve ball. Chewing gum is revolting, as is loud discussions of personal life "gee I got with that Johnny Smitts last night, he has really baaaad teeth!". Pancake makeup is scary.So are nails that resemble talons, and Amazonian 'wild hair'. The poor waitress if she can pass all these tests then has to interact with the ego-centric monster that is the chef (okay some of them are nice) and be the bearer of bad news when a steak etc is over- or under-cooked. That requires diplomacy parallel to Kofi Annan lol! Speed is also a desirable factor as the meals cannot sit too long under those lights before tha garnish wilts and the crust starts hehe. A good waitress is polite, genuine (or at least APPEAR to care), attentive without being overbearing, resourceful, quick, attractive and definitely have a good sense of humour! That's my opinion, and I'm a Chef lol!

To be a waitress is not a easy job, I think waitress all have a good remember, they can remember every table's food, and they almost never miss mistake, this is really hard to do, and I think patient is very important, sometimes the restaurant is very busy, and some customer will order slow, so I think waitress should have patient fro them, when the food is slow, some customs will rude and in a hurry, so the waitress should have enough patient to them, good service is important.

firstly a waitress should look sexy& spanky..body language lures the customer..then she should treat the customer as a king..be soft spoken to attract some kind of sexual pleasure thats not there..this will make customers flood there just because of you..

I was a waitress for 8 years, all through high school and college, and I think that a good memory is definitely a plus. You have to be able to remember the table set-up, remember who nees what if all of your tables happen to need something on your way back to the kitchen, and, as you said, you need to remember the shorthand for the cooks in the back.

Multi-tasking also comes in handy. Patience in dealing with people, and being personable in general are also good qualities to possess as waitstaff.

One of the things I would do in order to get larger tips is take the whole order down in my head, without writing it down, in large parties (15 people is the most I've ever done). One party of people even all switched places just to try to mess me up, and I STILL got it right! I could even do that if people had substitutions, as long as they weren't really weird ones (like, skip the rice, but I'd like a small pile of tomatoes instead).

So, above all, a good attitude and a good memory are key in being a good waiter/waitress!

It is indeed a difficult job. But as a matter of fact, the most important factor a waitress require is politeness. Jonny depp gave a wholesome bomb to a polite and friendly waiter. Even though the business is with the owner the waitress is the earner for the man. she should have good memory power to remember the right things for the right table and also should be composed even if the customer is rude

The most important qualities for a waitress to consider is treating their customers with nice attitude, and with concern about their satisfaction with the food and the service they are receiving. I never been a waiter before, but I work at a restaurant to help out for while. From my observation, and personal experience. Even the rude customers are wrong, we have to treat them sincerely and nicely too. They are our meal ticket there, and no way we going to offend them. I just hope that they will return more often. Accept your customers criticism, and improve it in every way.

Be polite,deal with the customers attitude,Always keep a smile on your face,and check on the customers and asked the customers If I can get you a refill or ask the customer is everything ok.You should be fine.