Sample result
Hospitality Service Script Builder for Restaurants
The owner asked this:«60-seat bistro, à la carte, 95,000 COP average ticket. My servers greet however they can and nobody offers a starter: we are at 12 % of tables. I want the script for the welcome and taking the order, but it must not sound like a call centre — my people speak local and the place is informal.»
① The sequence, with a clock and a cue
The script starts before the first word: what fires each step is something you SEE.
| Step | Clock | Cue that fires it | Who |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 · Eye contact from wherever you are | < 30 s from the door | The door opens | Whoever is closest, host or not |
| 2 · Greeting and reading the party | < 60 s | How many, children, in a hurry | Host |
| 3 · Seating and menus | < 90 s | They sit down | Host |
| 4 · Server's first approach | < 2 min from seating | Menu open | Station server |
| 5 · Drink on the table | < 5 min | Drink order taken | Server / bar |
| 6 · Taking the order | When the menu closes | Menu closed or set down | Server |
| 7 · Read-back out loud | Immediate | Order complete | Server |
Step 6 has no clock on purpose: it is fired by the cue, not by the minute. Asking «do you know what you want yet?» with the menu open is the most common way to rush a table without meaning to.
② Three versions of every line, because the table is never the same
| Step | Peak (< 15 words) | Calm table | Recovery (previous step failed) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greeting | «Welcome! Table for how many?» | «Welcome! First time with us? Let me seat you where you'll be most comfortable.» | «Sorry about the wait, your table is ready. Thanks for bearing with me.» |
| First approach | «Shall we start with something to drink while you look?» | «While you look at the menu: coconut lemonade, or would you rather see the wine list?» | «My greeting ran late. What can I bring you to drink right away?» |
| Starter | «Something to share while the main comes?» | «The main takes about 18 minutes. Shall I bring something to pick at meanwhile, or would you rather wait?» | «The main ran late. A house starter is on its way, on us.» |
| Read-back | «So: two platters, one without pork crackling.» | «Let me read it back so I don't get it wrong: two platters, one without crackling, and both lemonades.» | «Confirming the change: yours goes without crackling, already fixed.» |
Notice that no question can be answered with a bare yes or no: each offers a decision. That single change is what moves the 12 % starter rate.
③ What you look at before you speak
| Cue at the table | What it means | What changes in the line |
|---|---|---|
| Menu closed on the table | Ready to order | Approach without asking if they know; arrive and take it |
| Phones face down, active conversation | They came to talk | Short line, no long description, no unrequested recommendation |
| Children at the table | The clock runs differently | Something to drink and pick at first, and the kids' menu before the mains |
| One guest with a laptop | Wants quiet | Give the wifi unasked and do not return until they look up |
| Watching the clock or the door | In a hurry | Say what comes out in under 12 minutes, before they have to ask |
| Menu open but nobody reading | Deciding between two | The only moment where recommending two dishes helps |
The full example has 2 more part(s): you see them inside the library, with your account.