Servers & Bartenders Training Manual

Dress Code Servers/Busboys/Runners:

1) Clean, pressed white dress shirts

2) Black dress pants

3) Black socks and shoes. NO TENNIS SHOES

4) Necktie

5) No large or dangling earrings

6) Long hair pulled back at all times

Bartenders:

1) Clean, pressed black dress shirt (must have collar)

2) Black dress pants

3) Black socks and shoes. NO TENNIS SHOES

4) Necktie (male staff only)

Shift Starting and Ending Times for Servers/Busboys/Runners:

Lunch (M-F)>
-Start time is 10:15 a.m.
-End time is 5:15 p.m. plus time to do side work

Brunch (Sat & Sun)>
-Start time is 10:15 a.m. (except if you work previous night shift then time is 12:00 p.m.)
-End time is 5:15 p.m. (except if you are late waiter then time is 6:00 p.m.) plus time to do side work

Dinner (M-F)>
-Server’s start time is 3:30 p.m.
-Busboy and runner’s start time is 4:15 p.m.
-End time is closing plus time to do side work

Dinner (Sat & Sun)>
-Start time is 4:15 p.m.
-End time is closing plus time to do side work

Bartenders:
Lunch & Brunch (M-Sun)>
-Start time is 10:30 a.m.
-End time is 6:00 p.m. plus time to do side work

NOTE TO ALL STAFF: You should be fully dresses and ready to work at time of starting shift!!!

Restaurant Serving Times
Breakfast (M-F)> 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Lunch (M-F)> 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Brunch (Sat & Sun)> 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Dinner (M-Sun)> 5:30 p.m. to close

NOTE: Only select items will be served between meal shifts due to kitchen setup.

Schedule Changes/Vacation Requests
All employees are required to fill out an availability schedule at start of employment. This is attached to your Employee Training Manual. Your personal availability may change. Each time it changes, we will ask that the availability schedule be refilled out and submitted two weeks prior to this change.

If a schedule is not posted for the week and you discover you cannot work one of the days you normally are available, tell a manager immediately. We will try to accommodate the request to the best of our ability. However, ultimately it is your responsibility to find someone to cover your shift.

If there are shifts you cannot work once the schedule is posted, these are solely your responsibility. You may find someone to cover your shift, but the manager must approve the change. If you cannot find someone to work for you, you must work the shift. NO EXCEPTIONS!!!

Vacation requests must be approved in writing one month before the days requested off. All vacation requests will be approved on a first come first serve basis. No two servers, busboys, bartenders, runners, etc. can take vacation at the same time.

If you are legitimately sick, you must call in at least four (4) hours in advance of your shift you are scheduled to work in order to leave managers enough time to cover your shift. If you are going to be out more than one day, a doctor’s note is required.

NO SHOW, NO CALL, NO JOB!!!
Schedule Changes/Vacation Requests
Breakfast (M-F)> 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Lunch (M-F)> 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Brunch (Sat & Sun)> 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Dinner (M-Sun)> 5:30 p.m. to close

NOTE: Only select items will be served between meal shifts due to kitchen setup.

Disciplinary Action
With regards to Procedures, Rules, or Standards of Manhattan Bistro, the following action will be taken if an employee does not comply with our policies:
First, the employee will be given verbally warning of an offense or break of policy. If the employee continues on without improvement, the employee will be written up. If progress still is not made, management will then decide if sufficient warning has been given to consider termination.

An employee may be warned on many different issues at one time. Each break of policy is considered a separate issue. You cannot be written up if you have not been verbally warned on that specific issue even if you have been written up regarding a different matter. However, you may still be considered for termination if management determines a general disregard for the restaurant and our policies.

Procedures/Rules
We are Manhattan Bistro and just like every other restaurant or employer we have certain ways we do things at this establishment. These procedures or rules are not negotiable. If you would like to do it your way, feel free to do it your way elsewhere.
Personnel Rules:

Each new employee is required to complete three (3) mandatory training. These training will be unpaid. Following these training, you will be tested on our procedures.

Every employee must be able to provide proof of eligibility to work in the United States. These documents must be brought with you before the start of your first shift or you will not be allowed to start work. If your first shift is on a weekend, please bring this information with you prior to your first shift, so our secretary can setup an account for you.

Every employee is required to be on time for every shift. If you are going to be late, you must call ahead of time and let a manager know. If you do not call, you may be sent home once you do arrive.

Every employee is required to work at least one breakfast or brunch shift a week.

Side work sheets must be completed and signed by both employee and manager at the start and end of each shift. These worksheets are a part of your employee file.

Even after the cashout, your side work and signed off by manager is done, you may not leave the restaurant until you check with a manager.

All errors on the floor that cost the restaurant money will be required to be reimbursed by the employee(s) involved. NO EXCEPTIONS!!!

There is no eating during the time you are on the floor. And all drinking (water or soda only) must be done out of customer’s sight.

There are no smoking breaks allowed. If you caught smoking in the bathroom, you will be terminated immediately.

No phone calls or use of cell phones is allowed during your shift. In case of an emergency, get permission from a manager.

Employee Procedures:

No one is to eat staff meal (or outside food) until side work is finished whether beginning or ending a shift.

Stock items in all workstations (computer, coffee, bar, kitchen, etc.) must be requested before your shift starts in the form of list given to the manager. Stock should never have to be gotten in the middle of your shift.

If you help out another server in their section, you must take the table from beginning to end. This avoids confusion and error.

All orders whether food or drink must be put into the computer. Never give audible requests to kitchen or bar. This could result in termination of both employees involved.

Check presenters should always be stocked with restaurant business cards and postcards.

Trays and menus are never to be left at computer stations or on an unoccupied table. Always return them to their designated places.

General Service Procedure:

A table should be approached within the first twenty (20) seconds of their arrival.

An ashtray in the café or at the bar should never have more than two cigarette butts inside at a time.

When clearing away dirty ashtrays, whether a customer is at the table or not, you must cover the ashtray with another to prevent any ash or debris from flying out.

When sliding doors are open, tables in the café are reserved for customers who are eating only during lunch and brunch hours.

When giving customers the check/bill, always put them down face up. This way you know if the customer is ready pay (evident by cash or credit card).

The credit cards we accept are American Express, MasterCard, Visa, and Diners Club.

We accept travelers’ checks with valid picture identification only. Please write number of ID on the front of check before taking to register.

Any complaints or problems with food, beverage, atmosphere, etc. should be brought to the manager’s attention immediately. DO NOT just tell kitchen, bar, runner, or busboy.

Drink Service Procedure:

Beverage napkins should be placed under all drinks in café area or at the bar.

Iced Tea, Iced Coffee, and Regular and Decaf Coffee are the only drinks that are refillable without charge.

Always ask customers if they would like bottled or tap water.

Never pour water from pitchers out of the side. If customer wants ice for their water, bring in small silver bowls with tongs to table.

Our Orange Juice is fresh squeezed.

If customers order an alcoholic drink, always ask what label of liquor they would prefer (i.e. vodka, gin, rum, etc.). If possible, recommend one to try to up sell your customer.

All drinks carried through the dining room, whether for customer or for employee, must be placed on a tray.

All juices are served in a white wine glass without ice (unless specified by customer).

Soft drinks are served in the highball glasses.

Iced Tea and Iced Coffee are served in the hurricane glasses.

Champagne is served in the flute glasses.

Water is served in the red wine glasses.

White wine is served in the white wine glass filled to about 1 cm from rim.

Red wine is served in the red wine glass filled halfway.

Bottled beer is served accompanied by a glass either highball or corresponding glass for specific beer (i.e. Hoegaarden, Duvel, etc.)

Framboise beer is served in champagne glasses.

Specialty coffee drinks are served in the glass mugs and should be placed on a saucer with a paper doily.

All coffees and teas should be served on a saucer accompanied by a spoon, sugar caddy, and milk.

Always pour bottled water, bottled beer, and wine for customer. Bottles may be left on the table, however, you should be back to refill their glasses for them.

A customer should be asked if they would like another drink as soon as their current glass becomes empty.

Except for water glasses, all empty glasses should be removed from the table immediately.

Water glasses should remain on table and refilled until the customer leaves the restaurant (even after the bill has been paid).

Food Service Procedure:

At the beginning of your shift, always obtain the specials and items that are not being served off of the regular menu for that day.

Dinner specials must be memorized.

All tables should be given bread if they are ordering food.

Additional place settings should be removed from the table, depending on how many persons there are.

After the order is taken, customer’s first course should come to the table with 15-20 minutes of their placing the order. If this does not occur, inform the manager immediately.

Always mark your tables for each course (see section “Marking Tables”).

Female customers should be served first.

Always offer fresh pepper with each course.

All condiments should be brought to the table in a dish placed on a plate with a paper doily.

Every table should be visited at least once during each course to be sure everything is acceptable and nothing additional is needed.

Wait until everyone is finished eating the course before removing dishes from table.

After the entrée is cleared away, put dessert menu down on the table for customers to see. Do not simply ask if they would like dessert.

Marking Tables
There are two main reasons we mark tables: 1) to ensure the customer has all items or utensils for each course, and 2) to signal to other staff what has been already done on that table.
Beverage napkins are to be placed on the café tables the minute you take a drink order. It lets the other staff know this table has already been addressed and an order taken.

Take away additional settings at a table depending on how many persons are at the table. This lets the runner and busboy know how many persons they need bring bread and/or water for.

Pull salt from table as soon as customer gets the dessert menu. This lets everyone know they are either waiting for a check or dessert and/or coffee.

On your Mise En Place, you will have all necessary items to mark the courses of food by means of certain utensils:

Appetizer—
-no salad> take away salad fork
-soup> place soupspoon next to knife
-oysters, clams, or mussels> place shrimp fork next to dinner fork

Entrée—
-mussels> place shrimp fork next to dinner fork and empty bowl on table
-steak, lamb, duck, etc.> place steak knife next to butter knife
-fish (salmon, tuna, halibut, etc.)> remove butter knife and place fish knife in its place

Dessert/Coffee—
-any dessert> place dessert spoon for every customer at table (even if only one orders)
-coffee or tea> place sugar caddy on table

How to Prepare A Mise En Place
Items Needed to Start:

(2) dinner plates (7) dessert spoons
(2) napkins (linen) (7) soupspoons
(7) steak knives (7) shrimp forks
(7) fish knives

When marking tables, place needed silverware for marking particular table on this second plate to take to table. DO NOT carry marking utensils in hand to table.

Steps for Service
1) Once seated, the customer should be greeted within twenty (20) seconds.
2) Smile, say “Good Afternoon” or “Good Evening”. “How are you?” Always look customer in the face.
3) Ask customer (ladies first) “May I interest you in something to drink?”
4) Ask if they prefer regular or bottled water.
5) Ask customer “Will you be having wine with your meal?” If not, take wine list away from table.
6) Once away from table, tell busboy to give customers water if they wanted tap water.
7) Go to computer and put in drink order. (NEVER take more than one order at a time!!!)
8) Bring drinks to table. Remember to serve ladies first.
9) Tell customer specials for that lunch or dinner. Always describe completely and with vigor.
10) Leave customers to think over their choices.
11) Return to table within one minute to take food order. Always say, “May I take your order please?” Start with ladies first.
12) As customer tells you the order, write down what customers want including any special directions including position numbers for each order. Repeat order back to customer to be sure you have it correct.
13) Go to computer and enter in order. (Again, NEVER take more than one order at a time!!!) Be sure to check prep sequence in order for food to come out in correct order.
14) Mark table for first course only. (see section on “Marking Tables”)
15) When food is delivered, go to table and say, “Bon Appetite”.
16) Once customer has started the course, return to table and ask, “How is your first course?” If they are enjoying their meal, ask, “Is there anything else I can get for you at this time?” If they are unsatisfied with their meal, apologize. Remove plate and immediately see a manager.
17) Once they have cleared of their first course, mark table for their second course.
18) When second course is delivered, go to table and say, “Bon Appetite”.
19) Once customer has started this course, return to table and ask, “How is your second course?” Again, if the customer is enjoying their meal, ask, “Is there anything I can get for you?” If they are unsatisfied with their meal, apologize. Remove plate and immediately see a manager.
20) Once second course is cleared, present dessert menu. Recommend a dessert. Remove saltshaker when you leave the table.
21) Return to table within thirty (30) seconds to take dessert order. Ask, “May I interest you in dessert or coffee?” If customer orders dessert, write down and verify with customer. Then, continue with steps 22-25. If not, skip to 26.
22) Go to computer and put in order.
23) Mark table for dessert or coffee.
24) When dessert is delivered, go to table and say, “Enjoy!”
25) After they have tasted dessert, ask, “How is your dessert?” If customer is pleased, ask if anything else is needed. If customer is not satisfied, take away plate, apologize, and tell manager immediately.
26) If customer is having coffee, refill coffee automatically.
27) After dessert is cleared, go to table and ask for last time, “Is there anything else I can get for you today (or tonight)?”
28) If customer does not want anything further, print the check. Verify all items on check are correct before giving check to customer.
29) Put printed check into a check presenter. Give check to the customer.
30) Watch to see when customer puts down cash or credit card.
31) Go to customer and take payment.
32) Process payment of credit card or give cash to bartender to process.
33) Return to customer with credit card receipts or change in cash.
34) Pick up signed credit card receipts before customer leaves. Be sure customer has signed and amounts have been added correctly.

Bartending Order of duties:
Before you get behind the bar:
-Make sure you are dressed by time you are to start shift.
-Get a sidework sheet from back.
-Next get stock list for bar either from previous shift bartender or list taped to front of computer screen from night before.
-Get all waters and juices from downstairs that are needed.
-Give remaining items on list (wine, beer, and alcohol) to manager working your shift.
-Go into refrigerator and get enough lemons and limes to fill two plastic containers of each. Sit down and cut fruit at table 10 or 50.
-Do all other sidework on your opening sheet.
-Get ice for all bins at bar.
-Go downstairs and get bank from the manager. Count your bank carefully.

Once behind the bar:
-Put bank inside cash register.
-Make sure cherries and olives are filled up in fruit caddy.
-Make sure all areas of bar are clean including seats and underneath bar top.
-Put away all stock items.

After the shift:
-Get closing sidework sheet from the back.
-Do all sidework.
-Do no forget to take recycling bottles in back and outside and put into blue garbage can. Take out trash and put into dumpster in the back. Replace bags in the bins and garbage can.
-Beer bottles are to be taken downstairs and separated. DO NOT ever leave bag just lying downstairs in a pile.
-Make sure the bar is completely cleaned before leaving your shift.
-If working at night, pull mats out onto dining floor.
-Never leave the bar unattended. Always tell a manager if you must leave for any reason.
-Ring in all drinks at the bar before making them.
-Never make a drink for the waiters without a ticket.
-Always keep bar clean.
-As time allows, wipe down bottles, clean shelves, scrub out sinks and clean mirrors behind the bottles.
-Additional alcohol needed will not be brought up without empty bottle first being given to the manager.
-Make specialty martinis according to our specifications on drink card.
-Never top off drinks or give free drinks at bar.
-If customer has ordered three drinks, the fourth can be comp’d by the manager or owner only. Ring in drink, then separate the item, and then give copy of both tickets to manager while the customer involved is still here.
-Never leave shift without having manager’s approval. If you are working the day shift, you may not cashout until the new shift is ready to begin and a new bank has been acquired by next bartender or manager.

Availability Schedule

Name:

Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun

N/A N/A
Lunch ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______

Dinner ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______

N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Brunch ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______

Amount of shifts wanted for each week _________ (minimum of 3)

#NOTE: These choices are not guaranteed
to anyone, but will be taken into
consideration.

Instructions:
Please fill out the above schedule of your personal availability. We request you fill this out with a simple “yes” or “no” on each line. This is a list of all days you can work. This not a schedule. You will not necessarily be working all days you have available. The greater your flexibility the greater the chance you will receive the number of shifts you would like.

This schedule must be filled out with every schedule change. It must be given to a manager at least two weeks before said change(s). If not, you will be responsible for shifts scheduled for you to work either by working them yourself or by finding someone to cover your shifts until proper notice has been given to management.
Signature:______________________________________Date:__________

Acknowledgement of Receipt

I, ________________________________, as a new employee of Manhattan Bistro acknowledge my receipt of this employee/training manual.

Signature: __________________________ Date: _________