What is sidework in a restaurant? Explore the thankless but necessary tasks that ensure the shift runs smoothly.
For every part of a job that excites and challenges, theres tedium. Cleaning duties, admin work, and schmoozing with dull coworkers might not be what gets you out of bed in the morning. But these ongoing tasks are key ingredients for success. Beloved or not, theyre part of the job.
In the hospitality industry, these work duties are known as “sidework.” Sidework is composed of the cleaning, organizing, and prep work that servers do to set themselves up for a successful shift. Its often completed pre-shift or post-shift, or sometimes mid-shift if guest traffic is low. Sidework cant pull servers away from potential tips and in many states, it cant take up more than 20% of a servers workload. But for many, sidework tasks are a favor for your future self that, once complete, improves the guest experience and helps the restaurant server cover tables more efficiently.
Restaurant side work checklist for cleaning duties:Cleaning surfaces like chairs, tables, and counters.Sanitizing bathrooms.Sweeping the dining room floor.Wiping down or sanitizing menus.Putting food back into the fridge.Makings sure windows are free of handprints, dust, and grime.Dusting ceiling fans.
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Cleaning surfaces like chairs, tables, and counters.
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Sanitizing bathrooms.
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Sweeping the dining room floor.
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Wiping down or sanitizing menus.
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Putting food back into the fridge.
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Makings sure windows are free of handprints, dust, and grime.
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Dusting ceiling fans.
Keep a side work checklist
When life feels stressful or work is overwhelming, the same rule applies: make a list. Keeping a work checklist, either as a physical document or a digital checklist, has myriad benefits. First, it increases transparency, so each staff member is aware of anothers responsibilities, and no one feels unfairly burdened.
A laminated printout and dry-erase marker are typical tools to track progress on employee sidework. But, depending on the tech savviness of your team, you might consider using restaurant management software to communicate with your staff and delegate sidework tasks ahead of shift time.
5 tips to make sidework duties a breeze
As a manager, it can be difficult to motivate your team while adding more and more items to your restaurant server sidework checklist. The work needs to get done, but it shouldnt come at the cost of employee wellbeing. Here are some tips on how to make sidework less of a drag to the ultimate benefit of your restaurant operations.
Server Duties: Restaurant Server Side Work Tasks and Best Practices for Managing Them
FAQ
What side work do servers do?
What are the 3 most important duties of a server?
Which of the following is a part of a servers opening side work duties?
What is the task of a restaurant server?
What are the different types of server side work tasks?
To ensure that your restaurant is properly cared for, there are 4 types of server side work tasks you’ll want to consider while creating your checklist: cleaning, restocking, organizing, and safety duties. Using these categories, you’ll be able to draft a cohesive list and account for all of the necessary areas of your business.
What are running server side work tasks?
These are considered running sidework tasks and are to be done whenever your servers have a spare moment. These are some running server side work tasks to include on your checklist: Running side work tasks are vital for keeping your dining room operating smoothly.
What is a server sidework checklist?
Whether it’s cleaning, restocking, or organizing, servers perform an array of daily side work tasks that are essential to the success of a restaurant. A server sidework checklist can help your staff understand what needs to get done and help them pace their day. This prevents tasks from being overlooked, which can lead to pricey mistakes.
Which server side work tasks should you include on your checklist?
These are some running server side work tasks to include on your checklist: Running side work tasks are vital for keeping your dining room operating smoothly. They are the details your customers will notice if missed, which can lead to a bad experience in your restaurant and negative reviews.