“Can I take your order please?”. If you work in a fast food restaurant, you’ll be dealing with hundreds of customers each day, either behind the counter or via the drive-through. Even though visitors expect a speedy service, you’ll still need to show the same levels of customer service as if it was a five-star restaurant. Here’s how to greet a customer in a fast food restaurant.
Welcoming Customers to Your Restaurant
When a customer arrives, they see you as a representative of the business. Even if there are thousands of locations and members of staff across the country, during their visit, you’re the only one that matters.
Because of this, a bad experience with you can stop them from ever using your chain again. This is why it’s so important to welcome and greet fast food customers in the right way. Here are some basic tips on how to greet a customer in a fast food restaurant:
- Smile - a smile is an easy way of creating a positive atmosphere. Even if the customer isn’t smiling back, it shows them that you’re ready to be as helpful as possible.
- Be Welcoming - it’s likely that you’ll be provided with a kind of script that you need to stick to. That’s not to say you can’t be friendly and personal with a customer. It just ensures you don’t welcome new customers in the wrong way.
- Be Polite - it goes without saying that you should be as polite and as friendly as possible. Saying please and thank you can go a long way and encourage customers to return in the future.
- Don’t Interrupt the Customer - if you’re serving a large family, they might need a little time to decide exactly what they want. If they’re discussing their preferences amongst themselves, don’t interrupt them. After the initial welcome, just wait until they’re ready.
- Repeat the Order - at lunchtime, things can get hectic, so it’s important to minimise any mistakes. An easy way of achieving this is by repeating a customer’s order back to them. This removes any issues as quickly as possible.
If you work in a more formal restaurant, many of these tips still apply. You’ll still need to be polite, welcoming and smile at customers. You’ll even have a similar script, but you’ll be expected to have a little more conversation with guests. For example, you might offer food recommendations which you wouldn’t necessarily do at a fast food restaurant.
Giving the Right First Impression
It isn’t just the way you speak to customers that impacts their first impression of your restaurant. How you interact with other colleagues can affect a person’s opinion of you. If you’re swearing or not taking your job seriously, they’ll think the restaurant as a whole has very low standards.
You’ll likely be given a uniform to wear so that customers can easily identify members of staff. Most chains provide staff with shirts, trousers and hats but they leave the shoes up to each individual team member.
The choice of work shoes is incredibly important and can be the difference between a happy shift and an uncomfortable one. Here are a few features to look out for when choosing your next pair of work shoes:
Comfort
Whatever your job role, if you spend a lot of time on your feet, you need a pair of work shoes that are comfortable. We don’t mean comfortable like a nice pair of slippers or your favourite pair of trainers. They should offer cushioning and extra support to prevent aches and pain
Slip Resistance
The floor can be dangerous in fast food restaurants. Spills from customers, mopped toilets and grease in the kitchen can all create slippery surfaces. It only takes one fall to cause a serious injury that prevents you from working and leads to you to take days off. Find a pair of shoes that are specifically designed to be slip-resistant, helping to keep you upright and on your feet at all times.
Ventilation
Fast food kitchens are hot places to work, especially during peak times. You need to find a pair of shoes that offer good ventilation, allowing heat to escape and your feet to breathe. Shoes with specially placed mesh can keep your feet cool, dry and comfortable.
Water Resistant
If your shoes don’t repel liquid, then you need to find a replacement pair. Whether it’s a spilt drink or mop bucket, your shoes can come into contact with different liquids at a fast food restaurant. Look for shoes that have been specially treated to prevent fluids from entering, keeping your feet warm and dry during your shift.
We have a number of suitable options for fast food workers, including Delray which is both water and slip-resistant. Available for men and women, Delray also offers excellent ventilation, keeping your feet cool and dry all day.
Also available for men and women, Old School Low Rider IV provides additional comfort cushioning, as well as water and slip resistance. Perfect for those long and hard days in the kitchen.
Find the Perfect Pair of Shoes for Fast Food Workers
Comfort, slip resistance and ventilation are just some of the features you should look for when finding your next pair of work shoes. Choosing shoes that don’t meet these criteria can lead to sore feet, accidents and needing to find replacement shoes after just a few months.
Download The Ultimate Guide to Buying Slip-Resistant Shoes now for help with buying work shoes, whatever your job role. It’s a great way of ensuring your work shoes will keep you safe and protected from the hazards you face each day. Download the guide by clicking on the link below.