The Savannah morning news., 1902-12-28
: BY JOHN R. HASKELL.
Copyright, 1902, by John R. Haskell.

searched one pocket AFTER another.
A dull flush showed under his neatly
cropped side-whiskers. and he raised
his eyes to meet those of the expectant
waiter.
I'm hanged If I've anything but ten
cents and some L tickets. Not even
my check book, by George"
The waiter bowed obsequiously and
murmured:
That's all right, sir. Tomorrow
the next time you come in, SIR
Take my card to the head waiter
or the cashier"
mot at all, sir. Entirely unneces-
sarv You are Mr.. Blank of the Ma
tional Securities Company. 1t is all
right, sir"
The attendant held up his custo-
ner's overcoat. and then, with polite
how. opened the door for him. This
ceremony over. he marched back to
the table and carried off the soiled
dishes with the air of a conquering
hero.
From his point of view the waiter
had scored a triumph. He had per-
formed a service which cost him moth
ing and which meant much to a man
whose tips had always been liberal.
And he had tickled the customers
pride by showing him that while they
had never exchanged a. word of per-
sonal conversation, he had discovered
the customers name and his financial
standing. 1t is brand of f1attery
which the clever downtown waiter
keeps always on tap.
A waiter That is Worth Money.
The head waiter. who had witnessed
ALL ;ncidant had thiS to saw:
"A waiter like that is worth money
IN us. He knows his place and keeps
Il. vet is observant and can give us
points on all his regular customers.
Now, had Mr.. Blank been called upon
to explain his position to our cashier,
he would have settled his account by
sending the money by messenger, but
I hardly think he would have patron
lied the restaurant again. The mem
orv of to-day's contretemps would
have embarrassed him. The walters
quick wit saved him any annoyance
and won us a good regular customer:
why could the waiter do this with
out consulting his superior? Simply
because he works on percentage
So much of each order charged up
to him remains in his pocket. 1t is
his commission. in lieu of salary
Many of the best restaurants in the
financial district pay their walters
commission instead of salary. 1t is
to the employers interest to do So
A waiter who works on a commission,
If he is attentive and keen at making
IN menus. will increase his commits
sion at the expense of his customers,
to be sure, but he makes business
brisk.
For instance, a nervous, over
worked man whose digestion is out
of order comes in with no definite
idea of what ne wants. Before he is
fairly seated at the table he has some
papers spread before him, and he re-
CARDS the introduction of menu as
a highly irritating interruption. Your
observant waiter knows this and dis
creetly suggests something particular
" delicate and appetizing, selected
from the entrees or game list. The
customer mods his head, ana the
waiter continues to build up
luncheon that sounds good, the custo-
mer not even looking at the price list.
His check may surprise him at the end
of the meal but he does not complain
because the lunch has tasted good
and he feels better than when he came
in. The waiter is an artist at menus
and knows how to line his own
purse.
Little Tricks of Favored Walters.
Business men who want the best
quite regularly and have their faVorlte
waiter. Their tips may not be so large
as those of some transient customers
but the waiter learns to depend upon
them as part Of his steady income. In
consequence, the regular customer
get more than a polite bow OF recog-
milton and prompt attention. In fact,
he sucures small favors which he does
not fully realize and which the I'M
initiate never receive,
For instance when he orders oys-
ter cocktail, his attendant, apprecla-
tive of past favors and hopeful Tor the
future. does not send this order 10
the kitchen. He orders raw oysters
and carefully mixes the cocktail sauce
himself from condiments selected
from the dining-room table. WHAT
difference does this make? All the
difference in the world to the con-
nisseur in shell-fish. Oyster cocktails
mixed in the kitchen as a rule con-
tain seconds instead of trsts;' IN
other words. oysters that are smaller
than those served on the half-sheli.
The condiments in the kitchen are
also Seconds while only the best
sauces and havorings are set forth IN
the dining-room. This is just one OF
the regular walters little tricks 10
favor the customer he likes.
The walters great ambition is to
establish and hold line OF cuSlOlhetS'
When I worked in an uptown care
where table d'hote dinners and thea
tire suppers are features of the trade.
! remember one waiter who was often
driven to his wits end to accommo-
date his regular customers He had
charge of three small tables, ana II
we could have given him assistants, L
believer he could have filled one side
of the dining-room with people VINO
liked him to serve them Patrons ac-
tually waited half an hour to secure
place at his table.
Did we raise his salary? That was
not necessary. His customers saw to
that We paid him $500 week. His
income ran from $50 to $40. And he
earned 1t.
What the Diplomatic Waiter Does.
This waiter was born diplomat,
and we turned cranks over to him as
matter of course. restaurant
crank IL a character worth studying.
He viii try waiter after walter. until
he finds one who suits him. why, no
one. the waiter least OF all, can under
stand. BY some miracle, the waiter
happens, In a lucky moment, 10 please
the man either by tricks Of serving,
or BY tickling his faded palate with
some happy combination OF dishes,
And from that moment the crank Is
converted. He swears by this waiter,
ana swears after another fashion II
MS faY0ftte IL not on hand when ne
arrives. Tribes Ike pneumonia or ape