Waiter Training

March 2017

Name

Restaurant

Start Date

WAITER TRAINING PLAN 1

 Our Vision - A World Made Happier By Pizza
Welcome to PizzaExpress and the beginning of your training. This guide is for you to use
throughout your training and even beyond! It contains your training plan, record of
assessments and discovery challenges. Your trainer will guide you through all the training and
support you at all times.

What You Can Expect

Our restaurants are often very busy and exciting places to be for the team and guests.
During your training you can expect to shadow your trainer, absorb your surroundings, make
notes and answer questions. When its quieter, your trainer will be able to spend time training
you one to one and during the busier periods you can begin practicing what you have learnt
so far.
You will be able to have access to the following to help with your training:
- The 10 Steps of Service
- PizzaExpress Recipe Sheet
- Finishing Touches Sheet These boxes appear throughout with
- How To Cards tasks and tips. Ensure you dont miss
- Brand Standards Booklet any boxes out as they are important
- SOPs
- Restaurant Notice Boards
Ensure you use all of the tools above to complete your training. Recipe Sheets for example,
will give you all the weights and measures of every dish and it is in alphabetical order too.

How to Complete Your Plan

Your trainer or manager will support you throughout your training. You will use both this plan
and the Online Talent Academy (OTA) to complete your training, with quizzes to complete
You must pass each quiz before your training is complete. Your development very much
depends on YOU and how much you put into it!

To Get Started
Complete the checklist below with your trainer ensuring you have covered each point.

Task Complete?
Sign Contract
Receive Uniform
Read Job Description
Understand Expectations
Complete All My Welcome Online Training Modules
New Starter Paperwork Complete
Source and Read Brand Standards Booklet
Source and Read 10 Steps of Service Booklet
Source and Read SOP folder

Your training plan covers all you need to know to perform your job to the standards required
and forms a record of your training. Make sure you complete all sections and sign every box.

2 WAITER TRAINING PLAN

Join Us Online
Find us on social media and check out our website. You will find menus, offers and restaurant
details as well as all of our marketing activity. Find us on your PC or download the apps.

pizzaexpress.com

facebook.com/pizzaexpress

twitter.com/pizzaexpress

instagram.com/pizzaexpress

sliceofpe.com

Ready To Go?
By now your trainer or manager will have gone through the Restaurant Tour Checklist. You
can now familiarise yourself with the domestics of the restaurant (fire exits, toilets, team room
etc.). This is really important for you to have completed this before you begin, so you are
aware of the environment you will be working in. You have also completed part of your online
training.

You have two weeks to complete your My Training modules on the OTA. Be
careful, some may be due for completion sooner. Use the OTA as your hub
for all of your training needs

Check your understanding with your trainer by answering the questions below.
Which illness must be Why do we use
reported to your What does FIFO mean? colour coded
manager? chopping boards?
Why should you not write down a
How do you pass a knife guests credit card number when When must you wash
to a colleague? they are paying a deposit over your hands by law?
the phone?

Know Your Stuff!

As a team member, we are the font of all knowledge to our guests for not only whats on our
menu, but to also know your restaurant, the area and any local information!
All this knowledge really enables you to have great conversations with your guests, build
relationships and gives them a helping hand when needed! It also help you feel confident
when answering questions from a guest.

WAITER TRAINING PLAN 3

 1. Complete the table below to gain a better understanding of your restaurant.

Manager
Restaurant Phone Number
Restaurant Opening Hours
Operations Manager

2. A guest may ask you about local attractions, travel or even where the local hospital is.
Find out where all of the following are located in your area.

Local Hospital
Taxi Rank/Number
Train Station
Bus Station
Post Office
Convenience Store

Checkpoint 1 - Clean as You Go

As well as having good local knowledge, guests love a beautiful looking restaurant. Keeping
tables clean and working areas tidy at all times adds to the whole guest experience. Guests
notice every tiny detail when they come into our restaurants - whether the tables are clean,
the tables are set correctly, smudges on the windows. As small as these may seem, they have
a huge impact on the overall guest experience! So always make sure when you are on the
floor you are completely switched on to whats going on. Dont walk around with empty hands:
clear empty bottles and unnecessary items on tables around you, stack the pot wash, and
work together as a team.
When cleaning is done correctly it can make your restaurant really sparkle; when its not done
correctly it can look unprofessional, dirty and can cause accidents. It also will also help you at
the end of the shift as there will be less cleaning to do!

Cleaning SOP Trainee Sign Trainer Sign Date

Clean Tables ENT9
Cleaning the Servery BAR10
Cleaning the Drinks Fridge BAR3
Cleaning Fixtures and Fittings ENT13
Cleaning High Chairs CH1
Cleaning Glass Shelves BAR5
Cleaning Menus ENT2

You are mopping a section of the floor during service where a drink just spilt; there
is a large group of children moving in and out of their seat nearby. You dont want
an accident to happen! How would you solve this situation without upsetting
anyone and still being able to complete your duty?

4 WAITER TRAINING PLAN

To ensure we are consistently delivering a great experience at all times, it is vital that ALL
team members are trained in all aspects of cleaning, no matter what your job role is. It is not
always possible to have the luxury of a cleaner 24/7 in our restaurants, so it is important you
know how to mop the floors, manage the pot wash and make regular toilet checks .
Get to grips with these and work as a team in our restaurants and we are guaranteed to have
a much smoother shift in all occasions!

Potwash SOP Trainee Sign Trainer Sign Date

Handling Rubbish PW17
Broken Glass PW19
Set Up of Pot wash Section PW28
Cleaning of Chemical Store PW9
Cleaning/Use of Brushes PW10
Changing of Mop Heads PW13
Switching the Dishwasher On PW1
Switching the Glasswasher On PW5
Soaking Cutlery PW22
Using the Dishwasher PW2
Using the Glasswasher PW6
Drying Glassware PW8
Drying Cutlery PW4

Who is responsible for keeping the pot wash running when there is not a cleaner available?

Checkpoint 2 - Our Guests

Every guest is unique and we like to treat them as individuals, however there are some things
that they will probably need, for example a young family might love our piccolo packs.
Understanding the guests need helps you to give a great guest experience and this helps
you have pride in the job you deliver, as you will be able to adapt your service to successfully
meet everybodys needs!

Give one example of how you can meet each of these guests needs.
Tourists _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Piccolos _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Raving Fans _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Less Able _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Lovers _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Regulars _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Stars _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Suits _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Cultural Buffs _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Party _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Mums _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Family/Friends _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

WAITER TRAINING PLAN 5

 Discuss with your trainer and describe a time when you were out dining with your family
or friends and a waiter may have or havent met your needs. What were your needs?
How effectively did they notice these? Did this effect your overall experience?

The Service Journey

The first step to understanding the guest journey is reading your Service Journey booklet.
Understanding what the guest needs throughout their experience will help you be more
confident in your job, and the service you deliver to your guests. Here are some questions to
think about and discuss with your trainer.

A Warm Welcome
1. Why is it important to always welcome your guest with a genuine Hello?
2. Why is it important to welcome your guests as quickly as possible?
3. Why is it important to discover your guests needs?
4. How should you treat guests coming to your restaurant?
Sat Comfortably
5. Why should you let your guest pick their own table?
6. Giving the guest the best seat in the houseWhat does this mean?
7. What can you do to help your guests get comfortable?
Lets Get Started
8. Tell us YOUR way of offering drinks and nibbles?
9. Why is it important to remove the spare cutlery once the guest is sat down?
10. How does introducing yourself enhance your guests experience?
11. How can you be aware of your guests needs, even when you are not at the table with
them?
Our Hero Pizza!
12. Why is your product knowledge vital to giving the best experience to your guests?
13. What are the advantages of repeating back the order?
14. Why should you put the order through the handheld till straight away?
Hot Food
15. Before serving the food, what things should you check?
16. How do YOU make the serving of food an occasion?
17. What else can you offer to compliment the beautiful flavour of our dishes?
Heads Up
18. How can you check back with your guest without visiting the table?
Clear the Decks
19. When should you clear a table?
20. If you notice a guest hasnt eaten all of their meal, what can you do?
21. It doesnt look great to offer desserts with a handful of dirty plates. Why?
Sweet Temptation
22. When should you offer desserts?
23. How can you tempt your guest with dessert?
The Bill
24. When can you offer the bill?
25. What can help you make the bill payment process quicker?
26. What sort of conversation can you have with your guest at this stage?
A Genuine Goodbye
27. How can you ensure your goodbye delivers the Bring them Back Experience?

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Moments of Speedy Service
The Moments of Speedy Service are our priorities that really affect our guests experience:
The times in the restaurant experience where it is crucial we get it right, first time. A sense of
urgency is required here.

A Warm Welcome
A queue at the door is a great sign, but if you dont manage it well it will soon become a
problem.
28. How can you manage the door?
29. Why should you be honest about waiting times?
30. How can you attract a guest to stay, even when your restaurant is full?
31. What can you offer the guest whilst they wait?
Hot Food
32. Who is responsible for taking out food?
33. What should you check before serving the food?
34. What should you offer when you bring food to a table?
35. When should you start to clear any plates?
Heads Up
36. Why should you ask an open questions when completing a check back?
The Bill
No matter how great an experience you give, if you mess up the bill you are undoing all your
excellent work. If you believe the guest is in a hurry there is no harm to just kindly ask them, I
have noticed you are in a bit of a hurry shall I get you the bill? They will love you.
37. What should you bring when grabbing the bill?
38. Why is it so important to organise the bill quickly?

Recommending
Recommending is offering more to the guest than they ask for. Its about the added extras of
starters, sides and toppings. Its about offering a second drink or coffee. Its about making a
recommendation that can enhance their dining experience.

Why should I do it? It will increase your guests overall experience at PizzaExpress as they can
enjoy more of what we have to offer, and it helps you create conversations with your guest
too, which also enhances experience for you and your guest. It will help to increase your
average spend per head, and this can sometimes lead to an increase in tips for you and your
team.

How do I do it? If you offer extras to your guest it is more likely that they will buy more from
you, and whats the worst that can happen hereThey tell you no thanks. But what it will
demonstrate to your guest is that you are going above and beyond to give them a great
experience, and you care about the service you give to them.
- Recommend your favourite items you can speak passionately about these
- Ask what your guest is on the mood for you can recommend appropriately then
- Help them with their selection this shows you are interested in them
- Offer second drinks when taking away the empties can I get you another?

The tone of your voice and the body language you portray is just as important
as the words you say when recommending. Use a soft tone in your voice and
nodding your head gently all give off a more positive message

WAITER TRAINING PLAN 7

 Checkpoint 3 - Opening and Closing
Before you get going with meeting guests, youll need to know how to set up the restaurant
and bar and how to close it down at the end of your shift too. Knowing and practising the
perfect set up and close down will help you be a great team player and make working with
you a positive experience. Remember, always leave the restaurant as you would like to find it!
How does completing these duties impact your team or guest?

Opening and Closing SOP Trainee Sign Trainer Sign Date

Coffee Area machine Set Up DC8
Bar Area Set Up BAR1
Till Area Set Up TILL1
Dessert Area Set Up DC1
Cutting Lemons AM7
Cleaning Down Bar Area BAR10
Close Down Coffee Machine DC9
Cleaning the Grinder DC11
Stocking up the Fridges OD3
FIFO (First In, First Out) GEN18

Youre closing down the restaurant, completing the close down list and your job
is coffee machine. You notice coffee remaining in the grinder. You need to throw
this away, no matter how much is there, but why?

Checkpoint 4 - Getting to Know the Bar

At PizzaExpress we have such a wide selection of drinks, from still to sparkling soft drinks,
juices, Italian beer and incredible wines. It is really important that we are aware of exactly we
serve and how they should be served. It also looks really professional, and when you do get to
grips with them you can show off some bar flair!

Bar How To Seen It? Made It?

Spirits and Liqueurs DR6
Opening Wine at Servery DR7
Opening Wine at the Table DR7a
Opening Prosecco DR8
Opening and Pouring Beer DR9
Serving Tap Water DR11
Liqueurs and Spirits DR12 (All)
Serving Mixed Drinks DR13 (All)
Making a Bloody Mary DR22
Making an Aperol Spritz DR25
Making a Gin and Tonic DR26
Pimms DR27, 28, 29
Serving Drinks DR34

8 WAITER TRAINING PLAN

 Bar How To Seen It? Made It?
Gin Spritz DR38
Hugo St. Germain DR37
A group of teenagers want to order some Peronis with their pizzas. You ask for I.D
but they have none. What must you do in this situation?
Wine
Youll need to have great wine knowledge in order to be able to recommend confidently, and
when it comes to matching food and wine the possibilities are, of course, endless. The good
news is that there are no right or wrong answers, its just that some combinations will work
better than others. What does this mean for you? A new skill that you can use at the
restaurant and at home!
How does your wine knowledge Tell me where else you can find
improve your guests experience? information about our wines.
A regular guest comes into the restaurant and orders their usual bottle
of wine, however on this occasion it is out of stock. How would you deal
with this situation and still making your regular happy?
Preserving wine is also very important. If we get this right, wine keeps its taste longer and
wont go off. By preserving wine correctly, this will give you more confidence when
recommending wines knowing they will taste great.

Wine SOP Seen It? Made It?

Sparkling Wine Preservation Bar7
Wine Preservation Bar8

Checkpoint 5 - Coffees and Desserts

From Espresso, to Latte to Americano to Macchiato. At PizzaExpress we serve just about any
coffee! Our coffee blend is unique to us. It is blended by Matthew Algie, contains 100%
Arabica beans AND is Triple Certified. Knowing how to make coffee to standard will help
you work quickly and efficiently.
Coffee is only as good as the Barista. How
about practising coffee by making them for What does Triple Certified mean?
your team, or spend one shift as the Barista?
Coffee How To Seen It? Made It?
Perfect Espresso HDR1
Flat Milk HDR2
Foamed Milk HDR3
Americano HDR4
Cappuccino HDR5
Latte HDR6
Vanilla Latte HDR7
Flat White HDR8
Mocha HDR9
Macchiato HDR10

WAITER TRAINING PLAN 9

 Coffee How To Seen It? Made It?
Hot Chocolate HDR11
Baileys Latte HDR12
Bambinoccino HDR13
Liqueur Coffee HDR14
Tea HDR15
Mint Tea HDR16

Desserts
A lot of preparation happens before a dessert makes it to the table, and its great preparation
that helps to serve and make PERFECT desserts. Making sure you have all your prep in place
means its less likely that you will run out of certain items you may need. This means a
smoother shift for you.
A child wants warm chocolate fudge cake, what is the vital step you must you warn
the guest of before giving them the cake?
Throughout your training, it is important to make all of our desserts.

Desserts How To Seen It? Made It?

Serving Mascarpone RD13
Serving Double Cream RD14
Serving Gelato RD15
Coppa Gelato RD46
Piccolo Sundaes RD73
Piccolo Brownie RD74
Preparing Strawberries PO48
Preparing Mint PV21

Use the space below to write the desserts you have made. Have your trainer sign them off
once you are confident in making them.

Dessert Trainer Sign Dessert Trainer Sign

Checkpoint 6 - Handhelds, Tills and PDQs

It is vital as a trainee that you really get your head around the handheld tills as soon as you
can. During quieter periods you can practice. The quicker you master your handheld till, e.g.
putting orders through, taking payments etc. the slicker you become on the floor!

10 WAITER TRAINING PLAN

 Its important to become familiar with the till quickly. Why?
Handhelds, Tills and PDQs Trainee Sign Trainer Sign Date
Open a New Table
Place a Main Menu Order
Place a Drinks Order
Place a Dessert/Coffee Order
Enter a Voucher Code

Ensure you complete the Hand held training on the OTA before
using these in the restaurant

A guest has ordered from one of our set menus. At the end of their meal they
hand you a voucher that states Not Valid With Any Set Menus Or Offers. What
would you do in this situation?
Handhelds, Tills and PDQs Trainee Sign Trainer Sign Date
Print a Bill
Take a Cash Payment
Take a Card Payment
Take Payment Using Vouchers
Take Payment Using Gift Card
Find Balance on Gift Card
Top Up a Gift Card
Book Table on Booking System
Process a Takeaway Order
Take Payment on Takeaway
How can you make the A guest phones up wanting to order a takeaway
takeaway experience a within a half hour. What should you do before you
magical one for your guest? confirm any times and why?
Checkpoint 7 - Takeaway and Dining at Home
Lots of our loyal guests also love taking our pizzas home! Its not only in the restaurants we
sell our pizzas, but the supermarkets too.
In our restaurants, we sell over 1 million takeaway pizzas every year. Its now easier than ever
for our guests to order a takeaway. They can do this through: phoning the restaurant, ordering
on the PizzaExpress website, Deliveroo, JustEat or even by visiting the restaurant.

Not every restaurant has Deliveroo. For those that do, read the Deliveroo
trainers guide to understand how to follow the correct processes

Takeaway SOP Seen It? Made It?

Takeaway Box Assembly TA2
Takeaway Packaging TA4
Storage and Display of Boxes TA5

WAITER TRAINING PLAN 11

 The Results are in - Your training is nearly done
Below is a table for you to record your results from each quiz. If you do not score 100% on
your first attempt, challenge yourself to have another go.

Quiz 1st Attempt 2nd Attempt Date

Menu
In The Restaurant
Bartender
Host
Runner
Dessert & Coffee
Waiter

Whats Next?
Have you considered gaining an Apprenticeship whilst working with PizzaExpress? We have
four to choose from:

Level 2 (Equivalent to 5 GCSEs)

Pizzaiolo - Kitchen Services
FOH Team Member - Food and Beverage
MOD and Assistant Manager - Supervisor

Level 3 (Equivalent to 2 A Levels)

Restaurant Manager - Hospitality Supervision and Leadership

Maybe you would prefer to cross-train or gain a promotion. Discuss with your manager the
next steps available for you to progress in your career.

12 WAITER TRAINING PLAN