What do we refer to when discussing a small piece of paper used in service?

The term "chit" is used in the context of restaurant service to refer to a small piece of paper that typically serves as a record of an order or a request. Chits are crucial for efficient communication between kitchen staff and servers, allowing orders to be processed accurately and promptly. In many establishments, chits are where waitstaff write down the specifics of what each table has ordered, which helps in ensuring that nothing is missed and that customers receive exactly what they requested.

This terminology is part of the restaurant lingo that helps streamline operations and reinforces the organization of service. While "ticket" could also be confused with this meaning, it generally refers more to the formalized kitchen order document, and "memo" suggests more formal communications, which do not align with the casual and immediate context of a chit in restaurant operations. "Slip" could imply a broader range of papers but does not specifically denote the order communication that a chit does.