Alicia Zalewski
Toms River,NJ
Summary
Enthusiastic and reliable professional takes pride in providing excellent customer service and creating memorable dining experiences for restaurant customers. Skilled in anticipating customer needs, addressing complaints and resolving issues in timely manner. Maintains focus and positive attitude in stressful situations and high-volume environments.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
Work History
Server/Server shift leader
Texas Roadhouse
10.2021 - 10.2023
- Collaborated with kitchen staff to coordinate restaurant goals such as upselling certain items, addressing product availability issues & other communication concerns
- Suggestively selling wines or margarita to go with meals as well as appetizers, desserts, & coffees
- Handled table service & other dining room tasks to address shortfalls due to unexpected absences or unusual service volumes
- Taught staff how to deliver outstanding service to every customer without sacrificing profit objectives
- Check products for quality
- Shared knowledge of menu items & flavors, enabling customers to make personal decisions based on taste and interest
- Explained menu items and suggested appropriate options for food allergy concerns
- Maintains dining ambiance with an enthusiastic attitude
Server
Maple valley diner
07.2022 - 04.2023
- Provide excellent customer service
- Make suggestions based on guests preferences
- Take and serve food/drinks orders
- Keep tables clean & tidy at all times
- Deliver checks & collect payments
- Cooperate and communicate with all serving and kitchen staff
Server/Server Trainer
Maggiano's Little Italy
06.2019 - 10.2021
- Upsold high-profit items such as appetizers & mixed drinks to enhance sales numbers
- Arranged & prepared tables for customers to offer memorable experiences to guests and foster repeat business
- Trained new team members on restaurant procedures, menu items & performance strategies
- Displayed enthusiasm & promoted excellent service to customers, successfully increasing referrals & walk-in business
- Excellent time management with greetings, courses, refills etc
Server
Portobello Restaurant
05.2015 - 10.2019
- Worked with POS system to place orders, manage bills & handle complimentary items
- Resolved guest & employee complaints to maintain complete customer satisfaction and workforce effectiveness
- Increased sales significantly by upselling higher-end products to customers
- Handled a high volume of customers regularly
- Attentiveness to guests making them feel special resulting in repeat business
Server
Blue Fountain Restaurant
05.2007 - 05.2013
- Prepared beverages and filled food orders for customers
- Supervised restocking of salad bar & buffet for lunch and dinner service
- Kept updated knowledge of menu & promotions, recommending specific items according to preferences & food allergies
- Greeted & maintained relationships with regular customers.
Education
High School Diploma -
Toms River High School East
Toms River, NJCardiology Assistant - Cardiology And Phlebotomy
Star Career Academy - Brick
Brick, NJ2008
Skills
- Specials Promotion and Upselling
- High Volume Dining
- Beverage Presentation
- Menu Memorization
- Order Accuracy
- Hospitality
- Supervising Experience
- Serving Food and Drink
- Cash handling
- Strong Work Ethic
- Tableside Etiquette
- Wine service
- Exceptional customer service
- Conflict and Complaint Resolution
- Staff Training
- Team Leadership
- Allergy awareness
- High-volume dining
- Ordering Procedures
- Table Monitoring and Turnover
- Ability to Lift 30 Pounds
- Decision-Making
- Adaptable and Flexible
- Point of sale operation
- Suggestive Selling
- Hospitality service expertise
- Order delivery practices
- Bill computation
- Transactions and Cash Handling
Accomplishments
Employee of month at both corporate companies Maggianos’s & Texas Roadhouse multiple times for controlling high stress situations tactfully and calmly, High overall quality of performance, displaying
a helpful, cooperative & positive attitude towards superiors & co-workers, being knowledgeable of Maggiano's policies and procedures, high overall quality of performance with 99% guest satisfaction surveys & consistently in top 3 pasta upselling, & going above & beyond the requirements of the job. Also 100% on all secret shops numerous times with 0% GWAP (guests with a problem) for multiple months in a row at a time.
Work Preference
Work Type
Full TimePart TimeImportant To Me
Work-life balanceCompany CultureTimeline
Server
Maple valley diner
07.2022 - 04.2023
Server/Server shift leader
Texas Roadhouse
10.2021 - 10.2023
Server/Server Trainer
Maggiano's Little Italy
06.2019 - 10.2021
Server
Portobello Restaurant
05.2015 - 10.2019
Server
Blue Fountain Restaurant
05.2007 - 05.2013
High School Diploma -
Toms River High School East
Cardiology Assistant - Cardiology And Phlebotomy
Star Career Academy - Brick