Some terms that a new waiter needs to know pt.1

Bank – a stated amount of a server’s own money required  by a restaurant used to make change when a guest pays cash. It’s usually $20 or $25, broken down into tens, fives, ones and a dollar’s worth of pocket change. This money isn’t given to the restaurant – it stays with the server and is simply on top of the tips that the server ends up with.

Deuce – As implied by the name, a table where two people are dining. It can refer to the size of a table, i.e. a table that can only fit two people, or it can refer to the size of the party, i.e. “That deuce is chewing up my six-top”.

X-top – “X” refers to a specific number, top refers to the table or party. Refers to either the size of a table (two-top or deuce, 4-top, 6-top, etc.), or, as in deuce can refer to the number of people in the dining party. Usually refers to the size of the party.

Crumber – As the name implies, a curved piece of metal used to remove crumbs from a cloth-topped tabletop (doesn’t work very well on glass or wood). One of the server’s tools in restaurants with tablecloths. It looks like a small tongue depressor with the sides curled up.

The Pass – this is where you’ll get your food delivered from the kitchen. Also known as “the window”, “the line”, or, in the case where everyone helps run food, “the place to avoid” (obviously I’m kidding here, newbie.)

Expo – the person who acts as the go-between between the front of the house and the kitchen. Calls the tickets to the kitchen and assures that the order is put up in the window for pickup. Coordinates any special requests or changes to the food. Calls for a food runner.  Basically is responsible for coordinating the smooth operation of the kitchen. Is sometimes the chef, sous-chef or manager. Short for expediter.

Rollup – in restaurants that employ them, this is the silverware wrapped in either a paper or cloth napkin. One of the bits of sidework that most servers and server assistants hate. If you work in such a restaurant, you’ll learn this term very quickly.

On the fly – often times caused by a server screw up, this means, “Cook this item as quickly as possible because other food is on the table and jump it to the front of the queue”. This is a phrase that a server hopes he or she only hears in the case of a kitchen screwup, but sadly, that’s not usually the case. Also said as on the rail.

Captain’s pad –  No, you haven’t been promoted. This is the usual term for whatever you write your order down on. It’s usually only used in the case where restaurants provide such a pad to the server. This is becoming rarer, so it’s  a term that you might not encounter.

B&B – bread and butter plate. It’s also a liqueur, but you’ll hear it most often referred to a 5 in. or 6 in. plate often times used as a place setting item on a set table or also used as an underliner for a monkey dish (see monkey dish later on). Guests use it oddly enough to put their bread on. Is found to the left of the forks in a place setting.

Monkey dish – the smallest bowl in the restaurant. Usually used to put butter in or side sauces. Can be used for grated cheeses, pepper flakes or any sort of dry ingredient that the guests requires in small amounts. Is always placed on a B&B  plate with a bev nap to keep it from sliding. The only exception is if it’s being used as a butter dish with a bread basket. Most restaurants don’t require it to be on an underliner for that use. Note the use of the word “most”.

Bev Nap – short for beverage napkin. Also sometimes called bar nap. These are the square paper napkins, sometimes with the logo of the establishment printed on them, that are placed under a beverage glass. Normally, you don’t use them on tables that have tablecloths or with stemmed glasses. Stemmed glasses don’t sweat at the base so there’s no need for an absorbent napkin. Some restaurants require them for wine glasses as well, which I think is foolish, but if it’s required by your restaurant, always follow the house policies. These are also used to underline plates that hold bowls.

Underliner –any plate used to hold a bowl. You always use a bev nap to keep the bowl from sliding.

Dupe – The printed ticket hanging in the kitchen that the cooks read to prepare an order. For restaurants in the stone age, can also refer to a carbon copy of a hand-written check. short for duplicate.

Pop-up – a table that has folding leaves that turn it from a square table to a round. Also refers to the act of making said table larger, i.e. make table 14 a pop-up and set for 8, or “Pop-up table 12 and make it an 8-top”.

Pivot Point – this is the first position at any table. It’s where you start numbering your guests. It’s usually determined in advance by concensus (closest seat to the door, the left seat on a banquette, the position to your left as you naturally approach the table, etc.). In some restaurants, it’s up to the server to determine the pivot point and the communicate that point to anyone helping them run food. In classical serving, numbering is done in a counter-clockwise fashion. However, you’ll find that most modern restaurants assume a clockwise fashion. You should always follow the convention because it’s very important that each guest is presented with the proper plate. It’s an imperative if you don’t run your own food,

Cap – the rounded end of a long table. If the long table looks like a long cigar, the cap would be either rounded end, although most servers use the one on the right hand side as you face the table. It’s sometimes the designated pivot point.

Head –the position immediately to the left of the cap. For a long table, either the cap or the head might be used as a pivot point (guest number 1). This is either determined by the server heading the party or by house policy.

Fire –the point where a server is ready for his or her food. Used in kitchen systems where you preorder your courses but the kitchen doesn’t deliver it until you’re ready. Sometimes this is done verbally and sometimes it’s a command sent through the computer. Old-style Italian restaurants call this via. A server should never fire their food unless they’re ready to run it.