Which Hand Would a Left-Handed Waiter Carry a Drink Tray

By David (Guest Post)

I can't remember the last time I carried a service tray but I recall using my off-hand to carry the tray between table and service areas.

I'll note we were trained to balance the tray on our shoulder and your hand's only job was to keep it steady. Eventually your tray will become an extension of you. I can recall some amazing saves by myself and others.

There's also a proper way to carry a tray above your head. You should not bend your wrist back, you should form a tri-pod (pento-pod?) with your fingers. Carrying above your head is just for show.

By juliet (Guest Post)

I enjoyed it

By Glenn Dennison (Guest Post)

I have never worked in a restaurant so I do not know much about that. However, as for the left-handed vs. right-handed issue I write with my left hand but when I'm at the country club playing golf with my buddies, I write things down on my scorecard left-handed but I swing the golf-club right handed. Then my buddies James, Gary and Jeff look at me like I have 2 heads. I guess I'm right-handed because I do everything else right handed. I only write left-handed. Either I'm ambidextrous or something else.

By

PICO

I would just like to say to people who are servers in restaurants to be careful. Have you ever gone into a restaurant and seen waiters or waitress's carrying a big tray of food up high over their shoulders, with the wrist bent back? Carrying a tray this way may cause carpel tunnel in the wrists. I have a cousin who this happened to from the weight of the trays.

By

azDana

I also think it depends on the person. I'm a lefty, so's my daughter, yet she and I never do the same thing with the same hands. I use scissors with my right, she uses her left, etc. I don't think two lefties ever do everything the same.

By jjsill (Guest Post)

I'm a left handed ex waitress and I always carried my tray in my left hand, because my left arm is stronger and I felt more confident with the balance as well. I think that most of us "lefties" are more ambidextrous than the "righties". :) I never had a problem placing the drink with my right hand.

By Shellee (Guest Post)

I'm a righty and I always carried my trays on my left hand so I could serve with my right.

By

carolb

Being a lefty, I would carry it with my right hand, and serve with the left.
I've noticed I always leave my left hand available -- I carry groceries with my right, my purse goes on my right shoulder, I carried my babies on my right side, etc.... I guess it's a subconcious effort to always have your dominant hand available.

By Kristan (Guest Post)

I am a right handed waiter and I carry my tray with my left hand. I use my right to serve drinks/pour wine because I have more control. Hope that helps!

By U*u*U (Guest Post)

For a lefty, it would make sense to carry right, serve left. Serving requires both balance AND coordination. : ))

By

perfume and powder

You could carry it on either palm but you'd probably spill more handling the glasses with your opposite(right) hand.

By

MCW

I think the waiter would carry the tray in his right hand so he could serve the beverages safely to the patrons without spilling the drinks.

By (Guest Post)

I am right handed but do sports left handed. So I guess it would depend on the person.