Chain Restaurants and Franchises

• Working in food service as a server comes with a catch-22: to be hired as a server, you need to have experience as a server. So how is a server made? If you're just starting out in food service, apply for jobs at chain restaurants and franchises of nationally operated restaurants. It may not be the most glamorous position, but even if you need to start out as a host at the guest stand, you can inform management of your desire to ultimately work as a server and train for the position. The experience you gain will be invaluable to your future job search at higher-end restaurants.
  
  

Liquor License

• The math is simple for server positions: the higher the bill at a table, the higher your 15- to 18-percent tip will be. Apply for jobs at restaurants that have liquor licenses. Most restaurants make their money by marking up beverages, and alcoholic drinks are notoriously expensive, but that won't stop people from ordering them and hiking the price of the bill. Learning to upsell alcoholic beverages -- which is as simple as recommending one to accompany a meal or appetizer -- can boost your earnings considerably.
  
  

Local Hot Spots

• Look for server positions at restaurants that are busy. Locally known restaurants that don't cater to tourists and have a consistent waiting list for reservations and walk-ins will have excellent earning possibility. The more people like the restaurant, the longer it's been in business, the more people will show up. When your tables turn over quickly, that means you earn more money.
  
  

Efficient Establishments

• Don't discount the importance of working at an establishment that is managed well. Find out whether servers at the restaurant you're considering are happy on the job. Waiting tables can be a very stressful job, and you don't need to compound the combined pressure of time and customer expectations by working in a place that doesn't coordinate servers' needs with kitchen needs. Also keep in mind that the more specialized and varied the positions are within the restaurant -- for example, if there is a busser, a food runner and a bartender -- it's common practice for the server to tip his helpers out of the tips earned for the shift.