# standerdizing hand written tickets.



## powerviolence (May 19, 2012)

Hey, 

 I have been working at this little M&P restaurant for a few months now. I was hired on to help get the kitchen in order, since they seemed to have stints of poor employees, which is not uncommon for Mom and pop places. 

 Anyways one major problem is the tickets. I have not worked with hand written tickets in over a year, so I thought it was me... but it did not take very long for me to realize the problem lies mainly in the lack on consistency. 

 Sometimes I have essentially the same tickets, written by different servers, and they look completely different. I tried looking for an abbreviation guide, but no luck. Also possibly a guide for how to write sides ect. 

I will probably end up just making my own chart for them and examples, but I figured I might as well use the standardized way, which I cannot find. 

The biggest problem lies in training new people to understand these tickets, and in the middle of a busy service when I have 15 or more tickets, they are using different abbreviations for the same items, it can be very confusing in the heat of battle. 

advice?


----------



## kuan (Jun 11, 2001)

What's your menu like?


----------



## rbandu (Apr 30, 2012)

I've worked in a M&P place that used handwritten dupes.  It was Italian, I'll give some examples.  The waitstaff *HAS* to format the dupes the same way or it's just retardedly frustrating for the kitchen.

1 Spag MB

1 Ling MB

1 Ling White Clam

1 BK Ziti - SS

1 BK Ziti - Mar

1 Chx Scal, M&P

1 Chx Parm

One Spaghetti and Meatballs.

One Linguine and Meatballs.

One Linguine, white clam sauce.

One Baked Ziti, Sausage Sauce.

One Baked Ziti, Marinara.

One Chicken Scallopine with Mushrooms and Peppers.

One Chicken Parm

Going to bump Kuan here, what is your menu like?


----------



## michaelga (Jan 30, 2012)

there is no 'standard' short-hand for all restaurants only the short-hand that your place uses.

Every place is different and who ever is in charge of tickets is the one who will decide how things need to be written.

Sometimes this is the chef - sometimes this is the head waitress / waiter or maybe even the owner.

ATM where I work..

---- here is one of my 'usual' handwritten tickets..for an 8 top

1 pick

1 CSF

1 Liver

1 8oz MR

1/2 Liver

1 CCW

1 BDCB

1 Turk w ranch

--

3 B

2 S

1 CS

1 1000

1 Ital

--------- what this means to me

1 breaded / saute pickerel

1 Chicken SanteFe

1 Full portion of breaded liver, with bacon and onions

1 rib eye Medium Rare  (steaks R different weights) ex. 4oz = tenderloin, 8oz=ribeye, 10oz=strip, 6oz=steak sammi

1/2 portion of breaded liver, with bacon and onions

1 chicken caeser wrap

1 bacon double cheese burger

1 turkey chef salad with ranch

... starters

3 borscht

2 soup of the day

1 caeser salad

1 tossed salad Thousand Island dressing

1 tossed salad Italian dressing


----------



## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

There is standardazation using numbers  it was used many years ago

Large chart hanging in kitchen  #1  Turkey

                                                       #2 Roast Beef

                                                       #3  Ham

                                                       #4 etc.

 Menu also has numbers  corrosponding   to above chart                            Dupe to kitchen is ordered by same  numbers  as menu that matches chart,

                                                      Even Idiots should understand this , and you do noteven  need good handwriting. or know how to write or spell


----------



## michaelga (Jan 30, 2012)

Any chance you can explain this a bit more?

I have no idea what number system you are referring to.   Is this some USA code thing like meat cuts?

o.0        confused!


----------



## chefboy2160 (Oct 13, 2001)

I believe what chefb is saying is that the items on the menu are numbered and the kitchen has a board with the menu and numbers also.

Let me use Hamburgers as an example.

A hamburger would be #1.

A cheeseburger would be a #1 w/cheese

A chef salad could be a #13 w/1000 island.

This system has been used by many places in the old days to cut down on the confusion and is really pretty bullet proof if your cooks and servers can count that is. Good Luck, Doug...


----------



## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

Chefboy!

  You are correct. The system was devised so one would not have to be a brain surgeon to figure it out.


----------



## kuan (Jun 11, 2001)

Yeah, in a chinese restaurant people even order by number.  LOL!


----------



## powerviolence (May 19, 2012)

Sorry I have not responded. I hope this is not considered Necro-posting! Anyways I work in a Cuban cafe. the breakfast consist of items that get a side and some toast or a bagel. 

there are a few sides to choose from, such as fruit, and roasted Potatoes. We have about 8 specialty omelets and one "original". Where you choose the cheese (cheddar, swizz, ect) and meat (chorizo, ham, bacon)

Maybe something like.

Orig Om 

 ham/swiss

  fruit/wheat

Spanish

 Ropo/Rye

Original Omelet with ham and swiss, fruit and wheat toast

Spanish Omelet with Roasted potatoes and Rye toast. 

Orig Om

 ham/swiss

  fruit/no bread/86 bread

I think thats necessary if they do not want bread. Sometimes not writing it causes confusion, because often they forget to write the bread in, and it's impossible to know if they forget or they are not having bread.. 

The dinner menu is simple and most dishes come with Black beans and rice, and sweet plantains. Some mash potato

Ropa

 BBR/plant

Pork

 BBR/sub mash

That would be a 2 top, consisting of Ropa Vieja with black beans and rice, and sweet plantains. Also, a Roasted pork plate with black beans and rice sub mash potato for plantains. 

This all seems very simple, but you have not met the servers I work with!...


----------

