A TikTok user who described herself as a ‘terrible server’ revealed how she still managed to pocket great tips.
Halli Smith explained in a viral video that she made up for errors at work with little flourishes, like her hairstyles, holiday accessories and simple communication.
‘Even though I would suck sometimes, forget food or be cold, write down the wrong thing, and you’d get the wrong order, I’d make up for it in other ways,’ she said.
Smith emphasized that appearance does matter, and she claimed that older men complimented her the most on her braided hair.
Smith claimed older men loved a ‘cute, braided hairstyle’ and that it didn’t matter how she styled it.
Women did too, leading the waitress to compliment them back.
Smith noted that servers should never ‘leave their customers hanging’ if they compliment the waitstaff.
‘You butter up your clientele so that they like you,’ she said.
Waitresses can also get tips if they accessorize for the holidays, something Smith advised servers to do.
These can include earrings that celebrate the Fourth of July, Halloween, and Christmas.
‘People love extra pageantry… They want to be entertained,’ the former server said.
She added that servers don’t have to wear ‘too much,’ but it’s crucial to celebrate the holidays because customers would ‘eat it up.’
The one tip Smith could not ‘preach enough’ was for a server to introduce themselves by name when first greeting their customers.
Smith suggested writing names on a pad to remember them.
‘People love it when you remember their names,’ Smith said, before advising servers to mention them in conversations or when asking a question.
One bonus tip she gave servers in the comment section is not to forget that customer’s name after they walk out the door because they ‘love it.’
‘Make them feel special, make them feel listened to… Then they’re like, “Wow, she kind of had bad service, and that was awful, but she was sweet,'” Smith said.
According to the TikToker, this can also help a server earn ‘pity points’ and still give them a good chance of receiving a fantastic tip from a customer.
TikTok users were impressed with Smith’s tips, but more than one person wrote that they could never remember a customer’s name.
‘I love this energy but there’s no way i’m remembering everyone’s names when my section is full,’ one wrote.
Others thought the braids were a ‘great idea,’ and one commenter who claimed to be a server wrote they ‘always get compliments,’ because of it.
‘I had an old couple compliment my dutch braids, and they tipped me $25 on a $30 order,’ a commenter wrote.
Another TikToker added: ‘Sometimes you just gotta be a cutie pie like me. Personally, I put stickers on people’s checks and receipts, and they eat it up every time.’