Guests are — first and foremost — people. They want to be treated like individuals, not just nameless customers. The best way to initiate table talk is to ask polite, but not too personal, questions. Here are some safe topics:
Appearance: “That’s a beautiful tie.” “Love those earrings.” “What a great T-shirt.”
Sports: “How about them [your area’s local team]?” “Did you see the game last night?”
Weather: “Can you believe this rain?” “Wow, we’re having some great golfing weather.”
Hometown: “Where are you from?” “Are you visiting from out of town?”
Quality check: “Are your steaks prepared the way you like them?” “Do you have everything you need to enjoy your entrées?”
Whatever your servers decide to say, make sure they remember to smile, look at the customer, listen, and thank each and every patron for his or her business.
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