Junior Rachel White’s job description at Bub’s Burgers and Ice Cream may be waitress, but in all actuality, she is more similar to a chameleon. According to White, she must shift her personality as she moves from table to table, pleasing the variety of people that the restaurant in downtown Carmel draws.

This new trend of a more personalized service, rather than the stand-by “Hello, my name is so-and-so, and I’ll be your server tonight,” is increasing across the United States, according to the Wall Street Journal, as restaurant growth is expected to grow by less than one percent in the next seven years, according to the NPD Group, a market research firm. Hoping to get customers and keep them coming back, restaurants rely on their waiters and waitresses to create personal connections with their patrons.

“If a table seems more chatty or fun, you want to play that up and joke with them or stick around longer, especially if they say they’ve never been there before,” White, who has worked at the establishment for the past three years, said. “Let them know about the restaurant, and ask where they’re from, so you can really build a relationship there.”

Bub’s owner Matt Frey echoes White in that regard, remarking how important it is for waiters and waitress to adjust their personality to each different person, at each different seat, at each different table. He also said part of a restaurant’s ability to expand and be successful is working to stay a cut above the rest.

“Now we’re starting to grow out business with another location in Bloomington, and I can’t be in all places at once. You just have to cross your fingers and hope that the people you hire have the same outgoing perception, not just ‘Hi, welcome to Bub’s. Can we take your order?’ It’s so standard,” Frey said. “That’s the problem with the restaurant business. There’s a major level of mediocrity that’s been accepted, and I refuse to accept that.”

Rather than treating all of the customers the same, more restaurants are now realizing the importance of creating a dining experience for patrons that extends beyond the plate of food in front of them. The atmosphere and the service are essential factors as well, which often times are just as important as the food itself.

“One of the best compliments I can get is when someone comes up to me and says, ‘Oh, thanks so much… you know I didn’t feel like I was in Carmel. I felt like I was on vacation.’ It’s more than good food and good service,” Frey said.

Since waiters and waitress often work under minimum wage and rely on tips for the bulk of the money that they make, having a good relationship with the multiple people they are serving at one time is vital. Making eye contact and noticing when an individual may be unhappy with his meal are key aspects of the job.

“(They’re) basically people skills that you have to acquire,” White said. “I started out like just like a little 15-year-old kid so I didn’t really have (the skills). But after a while, you get used to it, and you acquire your people skills. It’s really a learning experience rather than being taught how to do it. You have to teach yourself.”

White believes she will continue to work at Bub’s as long as she can until she leaves for college in the fall of 2013. She began working at Bub’s because her brother already had a job at the restaurant. However, she said she has continued to work there for three years now because of the money and the people are great.

Nearly every person dines out at restaurants on occasion, which means that most restaurants will attract people from all different spectrums of life. Learning how to cater to individual needs while providing them with a unique dining experience has now more than ever become essential to the success of an establishment.

“If you come here, and you’re in a really bad mood, I’m going to try to cheer you up. That’s one of the thrills we get here,” Frey said. “You have the chance to really make somebody laugh or smile or just get their mind off what’s outside of here. It’s creating a relationship, and that’s how you get people to keep coming back.”