How to carry plates - restaurant server training
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- Опубликовано: 10 фев 2025
- Full programs here: www.realserver...
This is how to carry plates for restaurant waiters.
#forserversbyservers
Take the time to learn to carry plates right. It'll save you time in the long run, and you won't ever need to be anxious about dropping plates at work.
So I first go over grabbing my third plate first. This has to do with when I drop the plates in the next video.
For now, just focus on holding one plate correctly. Thumb and pinky are spread wide and hook over the edges. Then my middle three fingers are spread out and my palm and three fingers hold the weight. If I pinch the edge of the plate, my wrist will be carrying all the weight. It'll get heavy real quick. Restaurant plates are typically much heavier than what you got at home.
Then my second plate rests on my thumb, pinky and forearm. Without my little pinky sitting on top of the plate, the bottom of the second plate will rest on the top of the first. This is health code violation. But of greater concern (to me at least) is that it's not a stable carry. The plate can slide off too easily. Dropping a big plate of food is kind of an ordeal. In the grand scheme of things, it does not matter. But it will then.
Another thing to pay attention to: I hold plates the way I do so my palm carries the weight. BUT another factor to consider is that when you pinch the edge of the plate, you thumb will be kinda sticking into people's food. People notice.
Last point (this isn't soooo important but take note) is that I want to remember my seat numbers for the food BEFORE I look at the table number. If I look at table number first, I always forget after committing the seat numbers to memory.
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Hello I'm new here
Im 19 and I started my first job as a server in a restaurant just to make some money and pay stuff since I live with my mom. Been there for two months and never dropped a plate and I serve dozens if not hundreds of plates everyday, but it was still very helpful, thx.
hell yeah man
I’m a server and waitress and been there about a month. I’ve only dropped one plate but it’s bc it fell off the gu counter.
Will it come naturally? I'll be doing my interview tomorrow for a server position but i have no experience
@@sepsaptell us how was it any updates?
Pick me vibes 😂
I dont work at a restaurant and still found this video useful now watch how i bring the plates out next thanks giving 🔥🔥
Bruh
Today’s your day to shine dawg. Happy Thanksgiving!
@@RealServerTraining wow
And no tip? 😂we got a winner here.
@@ezequielalvarez8263 you get tips?
Wow! Just starting a new server job. Got the job today actually. I’ve done serving before however it’s been quite a while I haven’t done it so I just binged all your videos and praying I will remember and put it to action! Thanks so much!
Thanks! Good luck!
Nice
The editor is FANTASTIC. Good, clear, and concise instruction too!
Fr lol managed to make waiting look epic haha
cannot stress how much this helped me I'm about to start a new food running job but I have shaky hands but this technique works even for me the key is that 3 point! Thank you been practicing haha
good! :)
I owe this mann a lottt .
I was being interviewed with a really big and important company for lounge services, and the last question in the interview was to show them how I hold plates,I did perfectly as shown in this tutorial and the recruiter was impressed! And guess whattt!!!! I was accepted into this amazing company after 3 interviews, all because of this AMAZINGGG man ,Thank you sooo much !!!!
haha that's awesome! good for you
Perfect! My first Waiting shift in 2 years tonight I literally forgot how to 3 plate carry somehow haha
Good! So pleased you find this useful!
This is so helpful, when I see people carrying plates like this I thought that I couldn’t do it, but I am so happy that just by watching this video I can do it
Thank you
Good glad you found this video!
Can you please show how to carry it WITH all the food on every plate? It’s definitely a lot harder when there’s hot food on each plate
THIS IS SO MUCH SMARTER AND EASIER WAY THAN WHAT MY COLLEAGUE SHOWED ME WTF 😭 now i can actually carry 3 plates without feeling like one is gonna slide off my hand any second, thanks for this!!!
Your colleagues don't want you to do better than them
For 7 months, I am a server at a senior assisted living home and things are pretty chill. I totally understand the stress of getting the orders up on the window and out to the tables on time. This video is so helpful! I am going to try to carry the 3 plates. Usually I would only put two plates on a tray with 2 drinks on my right hand and with the left hand I carry the 3rd plate. My worst fear is accidentally spilling 3 plates! haha.
glad you found these then! yeah dropping plates... isn't the end of the world, but in that moment it kind of is. :)
Im about to start working at a senior assisted living home as a server myself. I’ve never been a server before, and also don’t really have any experience at these homes either. Do you have any tips for me, or just some things I should expect from the work? I would appreciate the help a ton.
@@paranoid5073 Hey friend! I am so excited to hear that you re starting to work at a senior assisted living home was a server! Congrats! Listen, I can relate to how you are feeling now. When I started last year I had that same thought of not having server experience before. I had done work in food service industry through volunteering and working at an ice cream shop. And I did well in costumer service when serving costumers at the ice cream shop. You'll find that most people who become servers, it's their first time as servers with no experience. The company that you work for will give you training and will help you to know everything you need to know. I never worked in a senior home until last year when I became a server.You will expect training from the company they will show you how to take room service orders and how to take orders from the residents in the dining room. You will learn the tips and tricks to serving. And you will learn how to stack plates well when cleaning tables. Stacking dirty plates is an art and if you do it right, you won't smash any lol. It's okay to be nervous. I was at first terrified on my first day but as the day progressed I got to know my lovely coworkers and over time I got to know the facility. And remember, don't expect to be perfect. You will make mistakes and don't feel bad, it's part of life working at a new job. Please feel free to reach out if you have any more questions. Again, I am so happy for you!
@@paranoid5073 Whats it like? I'm considering that too.
I work in Assisted senior living as a lead server Dinning room manager I find this extremely helpful by watching your channel my skills as server my residents has definitely stepped up thanks 😊
awesome! glad this has helped! More here if you want more complete training: www.realservertraining.com/
thank you :) i've been working as a waitress for a few months now but we normally use trays to bring our plates out, but just incase the trays are occupied i needed to learn this. thanks! ^^ i just hope the plates arent too hot when i go pick them up haha
Awesome ! Second shift as a food runner and I tried to double carry and smashed cake all over myself and I knew I needed to flatten out things some how!
Will be practicing this from now on!!
haha good luck!
I LOVE HOW YOU ARE EXPLAINING THINGS, SIR.
I'm glad this works for you then. Check the playlist.
Me too... 😊
That intro was freaking sick!!! Thanks for the tips!
Thanks for watching Arty
@@RealServerTraining thanks and greetings from the Philippines
@@happychad1548 thanks for watching!
@@RealServerTraining I love you my friend and be good body
Going for a waiter role and this helped so much thank you
Thank you for this. The thumb pinky and forearm POC tip was INCREDIBLY helpful to me. Thank you very much, was getting so frustrated at the plates sliding on me
you're very welcome. glad this helped.
19 and going for server training at a local restaurant on Monday(1st job) so this was really helpful coz I’ll try getting comfortable with this at home first. Thank you.
good luck! go through playlist here if you want to get up to speed fast: ruclips.net/p/PLEOBIdqevo1yBfwc2HYk19PQUAUc_aILa
never in my life worked in a restaurant but your vides are extremely entertaining
i’m about to start working at Texas Roadhouse and these videos are reallyyyy helpful! thank you so much definitely about to watch all of the videos!
you're very welcome. glad this helped.
Thank you for this video. I am a doctor who will be performing surgery tomorrow for the first time and I found this video incredibly helpful!
Good! Good luck in your surgery!
No idea how much this helped me! Thank you 🙏🏽
Thank you.Very simple and now I know what to do on my first day of being a banquet server. I start next Sunday 😊🥰‼️
thanks best of luck to you!
@@RealServerTraining you’re welcome. Thank you 🙏🏼. I’ve been more of your content I’m going to practice 😊.
love the attitude, bro.
thanks man!
I love your content it is very helpful as I am a new server. I hope you make more videos!
thank you! I will!
tl;dr, I had no clue how to properly hold plates and dropped a steak knife in front of an old lady.
I had a stage at a restaurant (an unpaid trial shift) and was asked to clear a 4-person table. I tried to be a hero and get the entire table cleared in one go to impress management and exhibit the necessary skills to be an asset to the team. Yada yada yada.
Anyways, so there I am, picking up these plates one by one. Mind you I have no technique or understanding of balancing plates whatsoever, and figure if I will my way through it and go for it, I'll be fine.
I ended up with like 6 plates in my hands and a bunch of utensils stacked on top of the plate pile. Out of all the innocent utensils that could have possibly dropped (a spoon, butter knife, fork), one of the monstrous STEAK KNIVES fell right in front of this old ladies face and onto the table.
The rest of her party, consisting of 3 other wealthy, elderly women loudly gasp in unison. The lady whom I dropped the knife in front of angrily mutters "Well don't stab me now!"
I stand there, mortified by her comment and the awkwardness of the situation. The Manager and supervisor happened to witness it as well, and rushed over to help me with the plates.
They sent me home early, said that I was "really green", and emailed me the next day to let me know they "don't have the bandwidth" to train me and thus I was not offered the position.
I felt as if I was doing well on the shift, and was feeling really confident and comfortable at the restaurant. But, I was ultimately judged by that horrific blunder, as it totally outshined any other positives I may have been having throughout the rest of the shift.
The moral of the story is to not be hero and attempt to clear an entire table by yourself when it is beyond your ability. Ask another server for help if needed. Aside from elbowing someone in the face or dropping hot food on them, I'd say nearly being stabbed by a flying steak knife is pretty much up there with one of the worst possible things that can happen. Having someone help you out or clearing the table in two goes is an infinitely better solution.
haha thanks for your story. hopefully you can now just laugh at it now. mistakes happen.
This was funny. Can only imagine
how is an unpaid trial shift even legal? you're supposed to get paid for training
im doing a similiar way at my job with 2 plates each hand, how ever the plates being a uniform size and not particularely large to begin with. the method you show is awesome and feels much safer holding, defnetly a very helpfull video on my book.
Good! Glad this works for you
Thank you so much since I have watched this video my job has become so much more easier
Wassup boss, what happened to the other videos? This is the best channel I found about this, keep it up!
hey man -- so we pulled the series from RUclips a while back and will be re-uploading soon. Just changing up our goal with this content.
Thanks for sharing... very much helpful in serving 😊
This so helpful, glad you made the video sir! Thankyou so much
awesome! glad you find them helpful!
@@RealServerTraining thankyou sir!! I'll learn much with your amazing video
That was SO helpful ,thanks so much :D
Waw thank you
tomorrow I have an interview about this position 😊 . I’m here for learn more …
Done learning. Thank you so much sir
You’re welcome!
Such a simple but powerful tip! Thank you 🤙
you're welcome!
The pinky is life changing omg
My man the intro! This guy made doing chores look epic!
hahaha love this thanks
I liked this guy !! Thanks, from Brazil !!
thank you! glad you found the channel
this guy makes this job look cool
I will be starting at a new restaurant today, hopefully it goes well
I love the way you talk
Moving from kitchen to expo- no experience running food and balancing plates 😅 thank you so much for the information here!
glad you found the channel!
I liked! Your next show should be about how to open and serve wine.
Guy is buffed.
Thank you Bro for share with us these videos frankly it's very helpful ..thanks again From Morocco
Great to hear! Share with your friends if you think it can help them or anyone else!
I wish I was taught this when I worked one day at a restaurant as a busboy would’ve made it a lot easier cause it was an upscale restaurant that didn’t use the gray bins. They wanted me to work there but I was kind of intimidated by this
Ain't nobody gonna talk about how badass that intro was??
stop omg ive been needing to see this. i’ve been working in this restaurant for nearly 4 months now and i still can’t carry more than three plates at a time 😥 it’s just so hot at the bottom
Put your thumb on the rim of the plate, your finger on the lip of the bottom of the plate, now you have 3 fingers free to hold the 2nd plate, the 3rd plate goes on the rim of the 2nd plate, and your forearm, your other hand holds the 4th. Same with when clearing a table
I've been waiting for 2 years but the pinky trick dosent work at my restaurant because we pre-heat our plates in a convection oven to keep rice and beans hot we use mittens and pan handle sleeves I take out 4 plates max I've dose 5 before but it's really unstable same with drinks serving drinks 5 max but I've done 4 on one hand before not recommended
This is great technique and you made a great video, but I would like to make a point that was not touched on. Rather than pick up the dishes by seat number, you should know the table number so you can carry the way you set down. For example you don’t always serve food seat number 1-3 if seat 3 is occupied by the only woman at the table or if there is booth seating you want to serve the people on the inside first so that you don’t reach across fresh food to serve the inside. Your tips are great, but I’m just offering advice to elevate it a bit further. Cheers!
Absolutely agree and thank you for adding this!
Very very thank you sir
Great and very informative video bro ! Help me a lot for starting my new job next month. Thanks ! Just subscribed
ขอบคุณมาก! โชคดี
@@RealServerTraining wow 🤩 how do you know Thai language ? So impressed!
@@pharkwunsheappitukthum8971 ha thanks! I live here. I'm a Muay Thai fighter and run a business in Thailand. I first moved here in 2014. I moved back to America and made these videos. Now back in Thailand.
y'all went IN on this intro sequence 😂 i love it
thank you!
This is awesome man, thanks a lot!!! This video is amazing bro.
thanks man! glad this is helpful
Thank you very much, please continue
yo that intro is clean af 👏🏽👏🏽
thanks man
well ive never worked in a restaurant but this looks very helpful 👌
Honestly knowing how to carry three plates and three glasses comes in handy in real life :)
as a student that's studying hotel stuff, my hands are always shaking whenever i try to carry full plates:( i don't know what to do, when i do it on clear plates it's much easier - thank you for your video!!:)
I never wanted to be a server but was always curious about this
yeah it comes in handy in real life too
Nice to see you addressed the thumb shoved far into the plate issue, 9/10 servers have zero consciousness of that. Good vid!
thanks!
The into was absolutely fire wow
Thanks!
It's the plate resting on thumb n pinky is hot, then it's a problem
I need a 1 hand follow to the pass!!!!
Great video
thank you!
thank you for this video I learned a lot and its help for me as food and beverage....also thank you for tips! more videos plsss.!
you're welcome and thank you for watching! Uploading many more soon
Yo that was the hardest intro I’ve ever seen 💪
lol thanks!
Very good explanation 👏 I'm a waitress this helps..thanks
Really liked it.
I really appreciate this technique and employed it as a food runner. However, I am still struggling. The plates are huge with lots of food on it making it to heavy to hold with just my thumb and pinky. The bottom one was still slipping from my pinky and the plates were very hot, causing me to stop and put them on the nearest counter. Any advice on how to correct this? Also my restaurant really wants us to carry FOUR plates at time!
Trays. You'll need a tray.
four plates lmao, tell them they cant eat yo ass or give you slenderman arms if they want 4 plates taken out without a tray
Whoa😃😃
Ya boy he doing 4 , 3 in one hand - 2 on the index and middle 2 under woth ur pinky and ring finger , 3rd plate goes on top like he does
thank u so much
I’m new to this and it’s very helpful
Thanks
Thank you for this is great I love my job as a wetron
This is live saving
Best vedio bro n it makes a lot of sense yo method of carrying
I'll be flying to Europe by next month to work as server/waiter.. I'm very nervous and excited because this will be my first time going abroad and without my family. Only with my dreams.
That's great! I moved to Europe when I was 16 without family and am glad I did. Good luck!
I prefer square plates, I can carry four if I have two squares, up to five plates if the fifth is something small.
I love this thank you man
thanks glad you found the content!
Re: just practiced in my kitchen and 100% would not have smashed cake into my shirt if I knew this trick!!!
Very helpful man.
Yeah the plates are flaming hot btw
oh, wait this was a plate holding video? 🤩 lol
Thank you
cool video, make some more pls
thank you so much. have my trial on friday. wish me luck haha
good luck!
Thankyou I never had training for mine
glad this helps. most restaurants don't offer much instruction
Step of service 10
(1) welcome the guest
(2) seat the guest
(3) present the menu
(4) serve the water
(5) Take the order
(6) Serve the order
(6) Take beverages Order
(7) Take food follow up
(8) Take dessert order
(9) Present the Bill
(10) See off to guest
Remember in your Prayers 🙏
The Guy who taught me today told me to carry 3 plates with food in one hand ... It was so hard
Y'all are naturals in the comments, not having dropped anything even though you had no experience. I was a waitress for three months before covid hit, and I never learned how to properly hold a tray or plates. My boss never taught me how to do any of that. I broke a glass once, and another time I spilled a drink on a customer... Pretty sure I would've been fired anyway if covid hadn't struck.
“It’s a health code violation ight?” 😂💀
What does first seat, second seat, or third seat mean unless its referring to tables what do those “seats” mean?
a lot of restaurants use seat numbers in addition to table numbers. this helps track orders and know which plate is going where. Typically you'll have an established pivot point (where you take orders from) and seat 1 is first to your left and continues in clockwise manner.
Gert video sir❤
any tips on avoiding hands shaking because of the weight of the plates+dishes above? i suppose just practice maybe, getting stronger wrists, anything doable in short time?
hmmm don't have a fast solution for you. only what you mentioned -- although really shouldn't take long for your hands to steady
@@RealServerTraining what about doing an it with depth plates instead of flat ones? I've been told to do it as well and i think it's more difficult. Sorry for the abuse.
@@HaroldEsc almost like bowls? trickier for sure but same principles apply. you should be able to ask other servers to follow you as well.... getting hot food out successfully is #1
Thank you!
I’m right handed but I carry multiple plates/cups with my left hand.
Thank you.