Best Waitress

These days, it's not enough for a great waitress simply to know a marinara from a marinade or a martini from a Manhattan. By checking out their posture, their vibrations and moods, a savvy server can understand instantly whether her customers want service as aloof as a British butler or as bawdy as a burlesque dancer. "That's what makes Alethea so incredibly professional," says her boss, Mark Kirke, P.F. Chang's operating partner. "Is it a business meeting, where the service needs to be understated and discreet? Or is it a table that wants to be entertained? She can do it all." Smart, funny and no-nonsense, Alethea quickly takes control of any situation.