 TOP
Importance of Service
 Servers have a direct contact with guest, so they are
responsible of providing an enjoyable meal experience for the guest. They are also
responsible of selling.
Procedures to
carry out each service activities should be standardised so that guest�s expectations
can be met or exceeded any time, for all our guests.
Many countries
are facing the same difficulty to find or the keep good servers.
TOP
Service Activities
Preparation for Service (including taking bookings)
Welcoming (and
seating) the Guest
Taking Customer
F&B Order
Service of
F&B
Clearing
Billing
TOP
Service Methods
Service Methods
Table Service (explained below)
Self Service or
Cafeteria (Counter Service, Free-flow)
Assisted Service
(combination of Table and Self Service)
Single point
service (Fast food, Take away)
The Choice of the Method depends on:
The
type of establishment
The type of
customer
The time
available for the meal
The turnover of
guest expected
The cost of the
meal served
The location of
the establishment
TOP
Table Service
Silver or English Service (Food is displayed on a dish and presented to
the guest on the waiter�s left hand, and served to guest on waiter�s right hand)
Russian (Food
is displayed on a dish and presented to the guest on the waiter�s left hand. The Guest
help themselves)
Plate or
American (Service of pre-plated foods to customers usually hold from the right hand and
served from the right side)
Gu�ridon
(Food is displayed on a dish and placed on a trolley, sometimes with heating units. Then,
the half of food portion is transferred from the dish to the plates, and served to
customers. When the guest is finished, the second half is served. Also may include:
Carving, Flambage, Salad and Dressing
Family Service (Food is displayed on a dish and put on the table. The
guest help himself)
TOP
Caracteristics of Cafeterias
Food is prepared mostly in advance and ready for service
Maximum of
self service: food items are selected and carried to the table by the guest.
Emphasis is
on Food display: foods are arranged attractively with attention to eye appeal.
Large numbers
can be fed economically: mass feeding
TOP
Free Flows
Called also �food shopping centre counter�. Instead of
following a line, as with conventional counter, guest make their selections from the
various hot and cold food stations. Free Flow is used in Commercial as well as in
Institutional food service, ideal for cafeterias dealing with large number of guests at a
meal hour. Advantages are:
No waiting in
line: 100 to 150 guests can enter to the square, chose what they want and disperse more
rapidly
Greater
flexibility: the square for free flow can expand easily
TOP
Attributes for Staff
A professional and hygienic appearance (explained below)
Knowledge of
F&B Menu: in order to advise the guest, sell
Punctuality:
being continually late shows lack of interest in work, lack of respect for management and
customers
Local knowledge:
in order to advise the guest.
Personality: the
staff must be tactful, good humoured, must converse with the guest in a well spoken
manner, ability to smile. Not too much friendship.
Attitude to
customers: The staff must not be servile but anticipate the guest�s needs and wishes.
Staff must develop a sense of urgency, sales ability, dealing with difficult customers
ability, complaints. The staff must see that the guests have all they require and are
completely satisfied.
Memory: Order,
Recognise the guest, name, favourite items
Honesty: towards
management, employee and guests.
TOP
Appearance
A shower should be taken daily, at least
Always use
deodorants
Perfumes should
not be too strong
Pay particular
attention to hands. They must always be clean, free of nicotine stain and well-trimmed
nails
Males should be
clean shaven, moustache neatly trimmed
Uniform should
be clean and neatly pressed. All buttons must be present
Hair must all
the times be clean, and well groomed. Staff with long Hair should tied �up� or
�back�
Shoes must be
comfortable and clean. Fashion is not important here, but rather safety and foot comfort.
Teeth should be
brushed immediately before work
Hands should be
washed immediately after using toilets, smoking. Use hot water and soap.
Avoid
�mannerism� such as running your finger through your hair, chewing gum, scratching
your face
TOP
Teamwork
Making the guest�s experience an enjoyable one is not the
responsibility of just one person
It requires the
combined effort of all the staff. Team work between service and production employees is a
must
Servers should
turn in guests� orders to the kitchen in a proper form. Work related with the order
should be well distributed in the kitchen, and food should be well prepared and ready in
reasonable time. Every one must work together to get the best results.
Developing
the Teamwork spirit and maintaining it is every food service manager�s challenge.
TOP
Sample of a
Service Sequences
Welcome the guest warmly for giving a good first impression
Ask if they have
a reservation
Seat the guest
Pour water
Serve bread,
butter
Present the menu
Suggest Chef�s
Specialities
Wait that all
the guest are seated and after 5-10 minutes:
Take the food
and beverage order
Serve beverage
Serve appetisers
Remove
appetisers when all the guest are finished
Serve the main
course
Make sure the
guest has enough bread, water, if not, serve
If the guest is
finished with the bottle of wine for an example, suggest another bottle
Remove the main
course when all the guest are finished
Clean the table
Present the
dessert Menu, or suggest a dessert
Take the dessert
order
Serve the
dessert
Remove the
dessert when all the guest are finished
Suggest coffee,
brandy, liquor, cigar
Serve them
When asked by
the host, present the check
Surprise the
guest (give business cards, candies�)for an excellent last impression
TOP
Taking Bookings
Some Restaurants do not take reservations, some operations do accept
under conditions (written confirmation, pre-payment, reservation during a certain time
only�) and some restaurant accept without conditions.
Since a
reservation is an in advance sale, a commitment that the table will be ready when
required, managers must plan carefully.
No Shows,
guest who stay longer than usual, guest coming earlier or later, changes in the number of
guests for the party make planning very difficult. Managers must anticipate these issues.
When taking
booking the following information to take is:
1. Day, 2. Date, 3. Name of the person who calls, 4. Name of the Guest, 5. Number of
covers, 6. Time, 7. Address, 8. Telephone, 9. Special request.
When you
receive this information, it is advisable to repeat it as a confirmation to the customer,
including the restaurant�s cancellation policy, pre-payment policy, changes of number
policy.
TOP
Mise-en-Place
Setup tables and clean-up work like:
Laying the
tablecloth
Laying Napkin
Laying Covers
(Glass, Fork, knife, Plate)
Laying Table
accompaniments: Ashtray, salt, pepper, Table number, Vase of flowers
Filling salt
& pepper shakers
Watering plants,
Vacuuming, taking the dust
Must be done before dining rooms are opened. Sidework tasks can be rotated among
service commis, so that no employee consistently gets the easy or hard assignments.
TOP
Order Taking (Guest Check)
Orders are taken, top copy goes to the supply point, like kitchen or bar second copy
for service, as a means of reference and billing purpose. (A third copy may be sent to the
cashier). To ensure efficient control, the waiter must fill in:
Table number
Number of covers
Date
Signature
A system for ensuring that the right customer receives the correct food without asking
the guest is to identify on the order which customer is having which dish.
TOP
Bill
When the guest request the bill, the waiter must collect it from the cashier who
prepared the bill based on the duplicate or triplicate of the order taking. He must check
that :
all the items
are entered correctly
all the items
are priced
The top copy of the bill will be presented to the guest on a side plate. One receiving
the payment from the guest, the cashier returns the top copy plus any change to the
waiter.
The bill duplicate with the guest check duplicates (or triplicates) will be pinned to
it.
TOP
Income Control Procedure
No F&B order must be taken from the guest without listing each item
on the guest check
No Beverages
should be given to the service staff without a copy of the guest check
The amount of
sales a food server should have collected is determined by adding the totals on all
duplicates or triplicates guest checks
Original &
Duplicate copies of guest check must be matched |
