Server contests can be a great way to inject some fun and excitement into your restaurant while boosting morale and sales. A little friendly competition between Servers can go a long way in motivating the team to improve performance, engage more with guests and even increase their tips.
These contests encourage creativity, teamwork and collaboration, all while driving the restaurant’s success.
In this article, we’ll explore various restaurant contest ideas for Servers and share tips to help running these smoothly.
1. Upsell Challenge: Who Can Sell the Most Specials?
Upselling is an essential skill in the restaurant industry, and the Upsell Challenge encourages Servers to push high-margin items, like daily specials, appetizers or premium drinks.
This contest motivates Servers to be proactive and boosts the restaurant’s revenue by promoting dishes and drinks that contribute the most to profit.
How To Run It:
- Start by selecting one or two menu items to highlight — these could be new items, special promotions or higher-margin products like premium cocktails or appetizers.
- Set a time frame for the contest — typically a week or even a weekend — to see which Server can sell the most of the featured items.
- To help Servers, provide them with selling points, such as describing the unique flavors of a dish, pairing suggestions or emphasizing the premium quality of a drink. The more knowledge the Server has, the better they’ll be at engaging customers.
- Keep track of sales by having Servers report their totals, and at the end of the contest, reward the top performer with something enticing like a gift card or a paid day off.
This contest works because it encourages Servers to develop a proactive approach to sales, which boosts both their skill set and the restaurant’s revenue.
By focusing on upselling, Servers learn to recognize opportunities to enhance the dining experience, while pushing high-margin items that directly improve the bottom line. It’s a win-win that fosters a more confident, engaged team.
2. Review Collector: The Server With the Most 5-Star Reviews
In the digital age, online reviews play a huge role in a restaurant’s success. The Review Collector contest challenges Servers to encourage guests to leave positive feedback, which not only enhances the restaurant’s reputation but also motivates Servers to provide exceptional service.
How To Run It:
- At the start of the week, explain to the team that the goal is to gather as many five-star reviews as possible.
- Encourage Servers to politely ask satisfied guests to leave reviews on platforms like Google, Yelp or TripAdvisor, emphasizing how much a great review helps the restaurant and their own recognition.
- Keep track of the reviews submitted by customers, and make sure they’re verified or from recent visits to ensure fairness.
- To motivate participation, offer a clear reward for the Server who collects the most positive reviews, such as a cash bonus, a special privilege like a long weekend off or an exclusive prize.
This contest drives home the importance of customer satisfaction as a measurable outcome. Servers are incentivized to go the extra mile by connecting with guests and providing top-tier service, leading to more positive reviews.
The result is not only a better reputation for the restaurant but also a sense of pride and accomplishment for the Server who contributes to that success.
3. Speed Round: Who Can Take the Most Orders in 30 Minutes?
In a fast-paced restaurant, speed is essential, especially during busy times like dinner rushes or brunch weekends. This contest is designed to test and improve Servers’ efficiency, helping them serve more guests while maintaining excellent service quality.
How To Run It:
- Select a particularly busy time, such as a peak dinner service or weekend brunch, to run the contest.
- Challenge Servers to take as many orders as possible within a set time — say, 30 minutes — without compromising accuracy or service.
- Ensure Servers are still providing quality customer service while being quick. Speed is important, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of friendliness or accuracy.
- Keep track of the number of orders each Server takes and enters into the system. The Server who takes the most orders during the given time wins a reward, such as a meal on the house or extra time off
This contest forces Servers to work under time constraints, helping them refine their speed without sacrificing quality. It trains Servers to prioritize tasks, keep up with high demands and become more adaptable, all while maintaining service standards.
Overall, it’s a great way to improve both speed and accuracy under pressure.
4. Team Spirit: Best Group Performance
Sometimes, fostering teamwork and collaboration can be just as valuable as individual performance. The Team Spirit contest challenges Servers to work together to achieve a shared goal, whether it’s increasing sales, handling a large number of guests or improving overall service quality.
How To Run It:
- Set a collective goal for the team — such as reaching a certain sales target, serving a specific number of guests or achieving a guest satisfaction milestone.
- Track progress throughout the week, keeping the team motivated and informed about how close they are to meeting the goal.
- If the team successfully meets or exceeds the goal, reward them all with a group prize, such as a team dinner, a fun group activity (like a cooking class or bowling night) or a team-building outing.
- This contest can also be run as a “best team improvement” contest, where you measure performance against past shifts to highlight progress.
This is one of the best restaurant contest ideas for Servers as it encourages collaboration. Here, Servers realize they are all working towards a shared goal.
When the team succeeds together, it creates stronger bonds, a sense of unity and collective pride, which ultimately boosts morale and improves overall performance.
5. Customer Service Superstar: Who Can Get the Best Tips?
Customer tips are often the best measure of how satisfied guests are with their service. The Customer Service Superstar contest focuses on encouraging Servers to provide exceptional experiences to guests, thereby increasing their tips.
How To Run It:
- Over the course of the week, track each Server’s tips for all shifts.
- Adjust for variables like the number of tables or the size of the checks to ensure fairness.
- Offer additional suggestions to help Servers improve tip earnings, such as paying attention to guests’ needs, creating personalized experiences or using charm and humor to engage guests.
- The Server with the highest tips by the end of the week wins a prize, which could range from a financial incentive (like a tip bonus) to extra shifts off or a special gift like concert tickets.
By competing for the highest tips, Servers are motivated to constantly improve their service standards — like being attentive, personal and engaged. This improves the guest experience, leading to better tips and stronger customer loyalty in the long run.
6. Sales Booster: Who Can Sell the Most Add-ons?
Selling add-ons — like appetizers, sides, desserts or premium drinks — helps increase the check size and overall revenue. This contest motivates Servers to pitch items that enhance the guest experience while benefiting the restaurant’s bottom line.
How To Run It:
- Select a range of add-ons to encourage — such as desserts, cocktails or sides — and challenge Servers to sell as many as possible.
- Provide tips on how to suggest these items naturally without coming off as pushy. This can include pairing desserts with after-dinner drinks or recommending side dishes that complement entrées.
- Keep track of add-on sales through the point-of-sale system (POS), and the Server who sells the most add-ons during the contest period wins a reward, like a special gift, extra time off or a free meal.
This contest encourages Servers to understand menu pairings and make suggestions that feel thoughtful rather than pushy. It’s a great way to foster creativity and awareness, leading to higher check totals and more satisfied guests.
7. New Dish Challenge: Who Can Sell the Most New Menu Item?
Introducing a new menu item is always an exciting time, and this contest is a great way to get Servers excited about selling it. It encourages them to engage guests with the new item, which can lead to higher sales and guest satisfaction.
How To Run It:
- Introduce a new dish or drink to the menu and challenge Servers to sell as many as possible within a designated period.
- Provide Servers with key details about the new item, including its ingredients, flavor profile and why it’s special.
- Track sales of the new dish through the POS system, and reward the Server who sells the most with a prize, such as a premium gift, a special mention in front of the team or a bonus.
Introducing new menu items can be a challenge, but this contest turns it into an opportunity for Servers to be ambassadors for the restaurant’s offerings.
By focusing on selling new dishes, Servers are pushed to become knowledgeable about the item, learn how to pitch it effectively and build excitement. This enhances their product knowledge and motivates them to bring energy and passion to their service.
8. Cleanliness Contest: Best Table Setup and Tidiness
A clean, organized workspace is key to delivering exceptional service. This contest motivates Servers to maintain a neat environment, enhancing both efficiency and the overall guest experience.
How To Run It:
- Set clear standards for cleanliness and organization at the beginning of each shift. This could include proper table setups, spotless dining areas and well-stocked stations.
- Have a manager or team leader conduct inspections at random points during the shift to check each Server’s section.
- The Server with the cleanest, most organized section by the end of the contest period wins a prize, such as an extra break, a paid day off or a gift card.
This contest encourages servers to take pride in their environment, which reduces stress during peak hours and minimizes the chance for mistakes.
A tidy section also makes it easier for Servers to focus on the guest experience, creating a smoother, more enjoyable service for both the team and customers.
Conclusion: Boosting Morale and Sales With Fun Competitions
Server contests are a powerful tool to boost both team morale and restaurant sales. By introducing fun, engaging competitions, you can encourage your team to upsell, provide exceptional service, work together and maintain high standards.
The listed restaurant contest ideas for Servers do more than just motivate them; these also contribute directly to the success of your restaurant.
At OysterLink, we understand the importance of fostering a motivated, high-performing team. Our platform offers insights into industry trends and a wealth of resources to help restaurants recruit and retain top talent.
Restaurant Contest Ideas for Servers: FAQ
To ensure fairness, set clear criteria for success, track performance transparently and consider factors like table count or check size for tip-related contests. Avoid favoring certain shifts or sections and gather feedback from your team to make adjustments if needed.
Servers can be motivated by prizes like extra time off, preferred shifts, public recognition, gift cards or a prime parking spot. Other options include staff meals, leadership opportunities or a say in the next schedule. The best prizes are those that feel meaningful and rewarding to your team.
To keep contests from creating tension, focus on team-based challenges that encourage collaboration, such as group sales goals or collective service achievements. Recognize individual efforts without pitting servers against each other and highlight positive reinforcement instead of ranking employees.
Running a contest once a month keeps things engaging without overwhelming staff. If contests happen too often, they can lose excitement or become stressful. You can adjust the frequency based on team feedback and alternate between different types of challenges to maintain interest.
To prevent restaurant contest ideas for Servers from becoming stressful, keep the focus on fun and workplace improvement rather than strict performance metrics.
Avoid high-pressure rewards that create tension, and offer contests that encourage teamwork or skill-building instead. Regularly check in with staff to make sure the contests are enjoyable and not adding extra stress.
Written by Sasha Vidakovic
Sasha is an experienced writer and editor with over eight years in the industry. Holding a master’s degree in English and Russian, she brings both linguistic expertise and creativity to her role at OysterLink. When she’s not working, she enjoys exploring new destinations, with travel being a key part of both her personal and professional growth.
Reviewed by Marcy Miniano
Marcy is an editor and writer with a background in public relations and brand marketing. Throughout her nearly decade-long career, she has honed her skills in crafting content and helping build brands across various industries — including restaurant and hospitality, travel, tech, fashion and entertainment.
