Topics for Discussion
Food and Beverage Service
Chapter 10
Types of Service
n Plate Service (American Service)
Most frequently used in U.S.
Server takes order, gives to kitchen staff,
plates brought to table
Banquets are variation of plate service
Types of Service
n Cart Service (French Service)
Foods often only partially prepared and
then finished at table side
Caesar salads, flaming desserts
Requires experienced employees
n Types of Meal Service
n Providing Enjoyable Guest Experience
n Guest Service Training
n Pre-Opening Concerns/Activities
n Providing Guest Service
n Alcohol Service
n F&B Revenue Control/Sales
Types of Service
n Family Style (English Service)
Quantities of foods placed in
bowls/platters and placed on table
Guests pass food around the table
Types of Service
n Platter Service (Russian Service)
Food production employees arrange
foods on platters
Servers carry platters to table , present
food to guests, then serve portions
Faster than cart service
Sometimes used for banquets
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Buffet Service
n Foods arranged on platters that are
placed on large serving tables or
counters
n Plates, flatware and other necessary
items conveniently located
n Combination of table and buffet
soup, salad, desert bars used with
table service
Providing Enjoyable Guest
Experience
n Goal of table service is to provide
enjoyable experience for guests by
meeting or exceeding guest
expectations
n Must have standard operating
procedures to ensure consistency
Providing Enjoyable Guest
Experience
n Job tasks should also be identified for
each work position
n Procedures to perform the tasks
should be clearly outlined, step by step
n See Exhibit 1, page 214,215 for Taking
Beverage Orders
Cafeteria Service
n Guests move through serving line
n Similar to buffet service
n Straight-line, or scatter systems
n Good for large groups of people to be
served
Providing Enjoyable Guest
Experience
n Performance standards must be established
that are measurable and observable
n Performance standards help managers and
employees determine whether procedures
are being performed correctly.
See exhibit 2, page 216, performance
standards for food server
Guest Service Training
n Guest concerns should be anticipated
and incorporated into SOPs
n Training service staff to welcome and
serve guests is a PRIMARY concern of
F&B managers.
n Service staff must be able to identify
menu items and ingredients in these
items
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Guest Service Training
n Training must include sanitation and
safety
n Supervision throughout the service
shift is also needed to ensure
problems are solved appropriately and
to evaluate server performance and
need for further training
Pre-opening
Concerns/Activities
Five General Areas of Concern:
1. Inspecting facilities
2. Following reservation procedures
3. Assigning food server stations
4. Performing sidework
5. Holding food server meetings
Pre-opening
Concerns/Activities
Reservation Procedures:
v Train staff on how to take reservation
v Answering telephone
v Anticipate how to handle no shows,
individuals who stay longer than usual
v Make part of SOPs
Teamwork
n Cooperation and good communication
between kitchen, bar, and dining room
personnel essential to success
n Teamwork between all staff is essential
n Goal of teamwork is to give more freedom
and responsibility to make it easier to
provide excellent service to guests
Pre-opening
Concerns/Activities
Inspecting Facilities:
v Room Temperature
v Lighting
v Safety carpeting, loose banisters,
wobbly tables, water on floors, etc.
v Clean windows, wall fixtures, lights
Pre-opening
Concerns/Activities
Food Server Stations:
v Assign before dining room opens
v Station number of tables in specified
location for which server is responsible
v Consider factors: no. seats, type of service,
guest turnover, experience of server, distance to
kitchen or bar, variety of menu items, number of
servers for specified meal period
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Pre-opening Pre-opening
Concerns/Activities Concerns/Activities

Sidework: Food Service Meetings:

v Setup and cleanup before dining v Brief meetings before dining room
rooms open opens helps communication specials,
v Refilling Salt/Pepper problems, menu pricing, etc.
v Filling bun warmers with rolls v Allow time to taste new dishes
v Watering plants, replenishing
v Answer questions
silverware, glasses at service stations
v Share vision, goals, objectives, etc.
v Should be rotated among personnel

Providing Guest Service Providing Guest Service

Guest service is the PRIMARY reason

you are in business! See page 220 in text for Service Sequence.

No industry standards specifying how See Exhibit 3, page 222 for Advice for
service should be provided. Servers

Each operation must develop their own See Exhibit 4, page 223, Handling Guest
style and standards for service. Complaints

Alcohol Service Alcohol Service

Bartenders and Servers must be training Be aware of alcohol equivalencies:
in service of alcohol.
Major legal considerations in alcohol service:
- Dram Shop Acts 12 oz beer
- Negligence 4 oz wine
( Failure to exercise the care that a reasonably prudent 1 ounce 80-proof liquor
person would exercise under like or similar
circumstances) 1 oz 100-proof liquor
- Underage drinking
All have same amount of liquor = oz alcohol

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Alcohol Service Computers
Intoxication BAC .08 or .10 in most states

Factors affecting intoxication:

Read pages 228 236 in text for overview
- weight of individual
of software, input, output devices commonly
- number of drinks consumed
used
- fatigue
- food consumed
Know terminology: POS, ECR, menu item
See page 227, KNOW YOUR LIMITS file, labor master file, etc.

F&B Revenue Control Enhancing F&B Sales

Must be concerned with controlling Maximizing revenue while meeting needs

revenue in food and beverage service. of guest is goals of operation.

Must set up a system for controlling Suggesting Selling Goals:

guest checks, money, credit cards
receipts, checks. 1. increase sales of most profitable
items
See pages 236-238, more in RHM 474 2. increase check average

Enhancing F&B Sales The Primary Focus------

Increase sale of Alcoholic Beverages

- Train service staff on how to sell q Bottom Line is to meet guests needs for
product, service, atmosphere.
- Train on drinks and ingredients
- Have well rounded wine lists q Distinguish yourself from the competition.
- Have contests among employees
- Use of seasonable drinks q HAVE FUN!
- Use of special and distinctive glassware