When dealing with restaurant employees, trust their knowledge and respect their opinions.

Eating out at a nice restaurant is one of life's great pleasures, and the experience can be even better with top-notch service from a helpful waiter, host or sommelier. How can you, as a customer, help ensure that the restaurant staff is cooperative, respectful and ultimately a positive part of your evening of fine dining?

Ted Wright is an international hotel consultant who has eaten in restaurants all over the world and has experienced all levels of service from restaurant personnel. Here he gives us the benefit of his vast experience in dining out by providing us with some basic ideas for getting good service in a restaurant:

• Build relationships. Try to frequent a few good restaurants in your local area, and get to know the owners and staff. If they come to know you as a regular customer, you'll get preferential treatment with regards to reservations as well as service. Restaurants know that regular customers are their bread and butter, and will treat you with the highest respect if you take the time to build relationships.

• Ask questions. Wright suggests breaking the ice with a host, owner or waiter by asking friendly questions. Ask how the business has been this evening, or about what dishes the chef is particularly fond of lately.

• Give compliments. It never hurts to be free with compliments, either. When you walk in, try telling the host how great the place looks, or how delicious the food smells.

• Take advice. Restaurant workers are like doctors and lawyers in as much as they're experts in what they do and they like customers to trust their knowledge and opinions. Part of going to a fine restaurant is letting the employees do their jobs, so if a sommelier suggests a favorite wine, or a waiter offers advice about a particular dish, try to listen. They'll treat you better if you make them feel like important parts of the dining experience rather than like servants.

BYOB Etiquette