Though we are sometimes loathe to admit it, not all customers are created equal. I like to think I treat all my patrons well, and I’m forever grateful when they pick us over thousands of other choices. I do my utmost to show them that their choice was not a mistake. But for a select group of individuals I go one step beyond. These are the VIPs. For them I’ll break out my most precious sample wines, send out extra courses, and yes, just like in the movies, I may even bring out an extra table in the middle of service just to seat them. You may think that VIP status is reserved for the rich and famous, but you’re wrong. Becoming a VIP is a lot easier than you’d imagine. Find out how below:

Become a Regular

If you’ve been coming to our restaurant religiously for the past nine months, believe me, we’ve noticed it and appreciate it. To us, it means that you trusted us before we got any press or anyone was talking about us. Even through our growing pains, you understood and took the mishaps with grace because you saw something in the restaurant that you really enjoyed and wanted to support. For your loyalty and faith, I will happily customize menus, offer freebies, and donate gift certificates to your charity of choice.

Be a Good Customer

This doesn’t just mean tipping, though of course that never hurts. To me, being a good customer means being courteous and respectful and treating my staff like people, not serfs. Look at it from our side: if there are two tables, one that’s filled with drunk diners snapping their fingers and making crude remarks and another that’s using your name and making eye contact, who do you think is better liked? My staff will often come up to me and ask if they can send some ice cream or side dishes to a table simply because they were really great. I’ll always say yes. Anyone who makes my team’s job more pleasant is OK by me.

Bribe the Chef

Bribe the chef, manager and / or owner. OK, bribe might be a strong term–schmooze, perhaps? We happily spend our careers making others happy, but if you buy us a drink, we will notice. Talk to us about the good or the bad–any F&B professional worth their salt is happy to talk with their customers and about restaurants of any type. You’ll soon learn which female chef of Irish descent favors premium gins and which fifth-generation tempura master likes his shochu. Buy me a decent glass of wine and ask me about historical foodstuffs on a slow day and I’ll be your new best friend. Assuming you don’t buy me five more, I’ll remember you and make sure you have a great time when you’re next in.

VIP status is more attainable than ever before, especially as restaurants get smaller and more intimate. Come by, treat everyone with a smile, get to know the restaurant as a living entity and you’ll soon have your very own “Cheers” where everyone knows your name.

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When Austin Hu isn't busy writing City Weekend's The Dish blog, he runs things over at Madison. Check out more of his articles here.