Best Pens for Servers

Pens are paramount in the role of servers or waitresses, especially if they are picking up the payment at the table and processing it or taking an order from a customer. Therefore, a reliable pen is necessary to do their daily task. 

The best pens for servers are reliable, professional-looking, affordable, and pen that doesn’t scream steal.

What is the best pen for a server?

Being a server is no easy task. Servers are on their feet for a very long time, attend too many tables in a short period, take orders quickly and accurately, or process customers’ bills and payments at their table. They face so many challenges in their everyday job. So, a good pen will be a big help to accomplish their task efficiently. Good pens are reliable pens, professional-looking, affordable, and not prone to stealing. 

Several pens in the market are best suitable for servers, such as: 

1. Uni Jetstream SX-217– it’s affordable, smooth, and quick to dry, and it won’t skip or bleed, which is good for servers since they usually put their pens on their aprons. 
2. Pilot Vanishing Point– is easy to use, writes fine and smooth, and dries fast. 
3. Zebra 1.0mm pen- is one of the favorites, budget-friendly pens, which is a reliable and smudge-proof pen. 
4. Frienda Quick-drying extra-fine point liquid ink pen, costing around $9. It dries fast and writes with precision. 
5. Pentel Libretto Roller Gel Pen- it has 0. 7mm tip, and was pre-loaded with black emerged ink that writes smoothly, dries so fast, recommended for left-handed people
6. Pentel R.S.V.P. Ballpoint Stick Pen- it has a rubber grip that provides comfort when writing. A lot of servers would agree that these pens have good quality with their built-in pocket clip that helps to prevent the loss of your pen without harming their aprons. 
7. Pilot Razor Point II Fine Line Marker- this pen is great for explicit writing needed when taking orders from customers. It is durable with its fiber point supported by a metal collar.
8. Eco Pen- materials are made from 100% recycled plastic and cardboard. Materials are cruelty-free, biodegradable, and eco-friendly at a very affordable price ranging from $8 to $9.

Reliable pen for work as a waitress

A reliable pen for servers is best described as a pen that does not smudge to their clothes, writes easily, dries quickly, is affordable, and does not invite swiping. Reliable pens are pens that they can carry around or keep inside their aprons, while they attend to tables, take orders to form customers, or process their payments. Less expensive brands are also preferred by servers. Most servers would agree that ballpoint pens are the most reliable pen for their role because they are low maintenance, highly reliable, last longer than any time of pens, unlikely to bleed through paper, water-resistant, dries fast, good for signing checks and credit cards, can write well on various types of papers (e.g., copy paper, cardboard, glossy paper, synthetic paper, and receipts).

Here are some of the ballpoints pens you can use as a server: 

1. Uni-Ball Jetstream– the best for left-handed
2. Pilot the Better Retractable– the best for refills. It is easy to find refills for this pen
3. BIC Cristal Xtra Bold– it is disposable, inexpensive, and easy enough for most people to write with.
4. Schneider Pulse Pro– a retractable pen best for people who tend to lose pen caps.
5. Paper Mate’s InkJoy Mini Retractable Ballpoint Pen– it is most convenient to carry around because they are smaller than the usual ballpoints. 

What type of pen writes the smoothest according to servers? 

Most servers agree that the best pen that writes smoothly is a ballpoint pen, specifically the Uni-Ball Jetstream Pen. It is also recommended for left-handed people because it’s unlikely to smudge when writing. This pen is reliable, affordable, and easy to carry around. Generally, it uses oil-based ink, which dries faster, and because oil-based inks are vicious, they are more likely to last longer, which is favorable to servers because they don’t have to buy a replacement from time to time.

What pen brands do servers always carry?

Most servers use and recommend Uni-Ball Jetstream Pen. Because servers process payments of their customers, high-quality and smudge-free pens are necessary. Ink dries quickly, allowing for smudge-free writing on a check or credit card payment. A lot of reviews would say that Uni-Ball Jetstream pens don’t skip, write smoothly, and feel good using them.

What are the cheapest pens for servers? 

Here are the less expensive pens that you can buy online or in a local store: 

1. Uni-ball Jetstream RT– cost around $10 (pack of three) in several stores like Amazon or Walmart. 
2. Uni Jetstream Slim Multi-Color– cost $11. This pen allows you to switch between black, blue, red ink without having 3 different pens. 
3. Pilot Dr. Grip Center of Gravity– costs $9 to $11 in Amazon or other stores. It has a larger barrel that relieves strain when writing.
4. Pentel EnerGel RTX- A smudge-free gel pen that costs $11 for 5 pens.
5. Uni-ball Signo RT1– a fine-tip gel pen that costs $12 for 5 pens. 

Which pen is best for fast writing?

Uni-Ball Jetstream Pen is the best pen for fast writing, because it dries quickly and glides through any type of paper usually used in food establishments. 

Are gel or ballpoint pens better for servers?

Ballpoints are better for servers because they use oil-based ink, which dries faster, and because oil-based inks are vicious, they are more likely to last longer, which is favorable to servers because they don’t have to buy a replacement from time to time. On the other hand, gel pen dries longer as it is not absorbed by paper easily. Gel pens also have shorter ink life which means you need more refills.