Immigrating to the United States requires understanding the lifestyle in the United States: If you are dining in a high-end restaurant in the United States and see the waitstaff making some strange hand signals, do not be surprised; this is just a popular secret sign language among restaurant staff.
Recently, a reporter from The Washington Post interviewed Adam Sanders, the manager of the high-end restaurant BLT Steak in Washington, to unveil the secrets of the common sign language used by top restaurant waitstaff.
Sanders told the reporter that loud talking is absolutely prohibited in high-end restaurants, so whenever there is an emergency, the waitstaff will use special hand signals to notify others for assistance. To avoid disturbing customers, all of this usually takes place without the customers noticing.
For the waitstaff, these hand signals are essential job skills—just a simple gesture can inform a colleague whether a guest is a VIP or an unpleasant "foodie".
Sanders gave an example: when an important guest visits the restaurant, the waitstaff will use a horizontal scissor hand signal to notify other partners, indicating that a VIP is present and requires special attention. Additionally, they will use a series of gestures to indicate ordering drinks, clearing tables, etc.—a flat hand with a slight shake means ordering plain water, while fingers mimicking a jellyfish's movement indicate a request for soda water.