Resetting means clearing, cleaning and relaying a table for the next guests. During service you do it quickly to turn the table; at closing you finish your sidework, the closing jobs for your section. Tables are always relaid to the venue's standard lay-up.
Why it matters
A dirty table can't seat new guests, and diners notice crumbs. Good closing means the next shift starts on time.
Key ideas
The standard lay-up
The set layout of cutlery, glasses, napkins and condiments, identical on every table.
Clean before relaying
Clear everything, wipe the table and chairs, check the floor, and only then relay.
Sidework
Jobs like polishing cutlery, folding napkins and refilling condiments, usually from a list for your section.
Step by step
- 1
Clear everything once the guests have left.
- 2
Wipe the table, chairs and menus.
- 3
Relay to the standard lay-up with polished items.
- 4
Sit in a guest's seat to check the table.
- 5
At closing, finish your sidework and restock your station.
Do
- Carry a crumb brush or clean cloth.
- Tell the host as soon as a table is ready.
- Ask a manager to check your section before you leave.
Common mistakes
- Don't brush crumbs onto the seats or floor.
- Don't relay with smeared glasses or cutlery.
- Don't do noisy closing jobs near guests still eating.
The situation
The host needs table 6 for a booking in five minutes, and its guests have only just left.
What a professional does
You clear everything in one safe trip, wipe the table and chairs, relay it and check it from a guest's seat. Then you tell the host, 'Table 6 is ready.'
Useful phrases
“Table 6 is clean and ready to seat.”
“I've finished my sidework. Could you check my section?”
Pro tip
Keep a small reset kit of polished cutlery, napkins and a clean cloth at your station.
Quick check
Why check a reset table from a guest's seat?
Think about it, then show the answer
To see what guests will see, such as stains, crumbs or wobbles you might miss when standing.