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Some offer a “California style” menu where items that are usually served only for breakfast, lunch or dinner are offered all day.. Menu Planning Menu planning is a process in which the t

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OVERVIEW OF THE FOOD SERVICE INDUSTRY

I Types of management and ownerships

1 Independents

Independent restaurants are owned by the owner or owners who in most cases also

operate them However, independent restaurants are statistically not as successful as

other types The reason is that many people who enter the foodservice industry do not

have the skills or abilities to successfully operate such an establishment

The advantages that an independent restaurateur has are in terms of flexibility and

hands on management that allows the owner to implement change quickly and adjust

to new trends and consumer behaviors He is “in charge” of the whole operation and

does not have to follow rules made by franchisers or chains

The disadvantages of an independent are in terms of limiting expenses and marketing

capabilities The rates quoted by suppliers for purchases made by independents are

never as good as for those quoted to franchises and chains who have many

restaurants – hundreds or even thousands Bulk purchasing allows the franchise or

chain restaurants to obtain discounts that cannot be accessed by an independent In

terms of marketing, the independent relies heavily on word of mouth advertising

through its customers or locally In most cases, it does not have the capital to invest in

marketing strategies internationally, nationally or even regionally However, there are

some independent restaurants that do very well For example, Windows on the World,

located in the World Trade Center in New York City regularly achieved over $31 million

in sales before September 11

2 Chains

Chain restaurants are a part of a multi-unit organization owned by a parent company, a

franchise company, or by a private owner or owners Chains restaurants often share

the same menu, purchase supplies and equipment cooperatively, and follow operating

procedures that have been standardized for every restaurant in the chain Some

people incorrectly believe that a chain and a franchise operation are the same; they

are not While a franchise property may be affiliated with a chain, a chain property is

not necessarily a franchise; it may be company-owned, for example In other words, a

chain may operate some restaurants itself and franchise others or it may not offer

franchises at all

The advantages of the restaurant chains are some-what like franchises in terms of

purchasing, marketing, and brand recognition In terms of control, a chain restaurant

can measure how well each restaurant is doing by comparing each of the

establishments in its organization Finally, chains can afford experts in finance,

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construction, operation, and recipe development Independent operators must handle must handle most, if not all, of these responsibilities themselves

The disadvantages for operating restaurant chains are in terms of bureaucracy and

sometimes overwhelming paperwork, rules and procedures that can slow things down, especially when chains grow Another disadvantage of restaurant chains is it can be difficult to keep up with changes in the market and economic conditions

3 Franchises

Franchise is a concept that takes the form of an individual purchasing the rights to use

a name of a recognized restaurant With a franchise, the franchisee (owner of a facility) pays fees to a franchiser (or franchise company) in exchange for the right to use the name, building design, and business methods of the franchiser The franchisee must agree to maintain the franchiser’s business and quality standards

The advantages of operating a restaurant under a franchise name are the brand

recognition, start-up assistance, training programs for management and staff, tested operating procedures that specify how things should be done, extensive advertising, and lower food costs due to volume purchasing by the chain Many consumers find it reassuring to go to a franchise because they know that the food quality and the service will be the same no matter what geographical location they may be in

Disadvantages of entering into a franchise agreement are the strict limitations that are

placed on the establishment If the franchiser wants to reduce prices or offer specials

as part of a marketing campaign, the franchisee must do so (some will compensate the franchisee, others will not) Also, in most cases all products must be purchased through the franchisor, which can result in price gouging Finally, the most prevailing disadvantage for many operators setting up a franchise restaurant is having little decision-making capabilities in terms of how the operation should be run With strict guidelines in place, the owner cannot respond to local conditions that an independent operator can

II Types of commercial food service Commercial food service centers on providing an enjoyable experience for the guest It includes: fine dining, family, quick service, bars or taverns, coffee shops or cafes, bistros, cafeterias, independent caterers, etc Though the list can be endless in terms

of labeling, each of these establishments serves food to a paying customer in one form

or another, and some but not all, also serve alcoholic beverages (i.e liquor, wine, beer) All serve “soft drinks” (i.e coke, mineral water, juices, coffee, tea, etc.)

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A fine dining restaurant can be distinguished by the high quality of furniture, fixtures,

wares, etc that it has, along with the number of waitstaff per table and the type of

service that is available Many fine dining restaurants will offer French or Russian

service which is very labour intensive The atmosphere of the restaurant is one of

elegance The prices to eat in this establishment are expensive due to the high labour

and food costs that are incurred by the restaurant Alcoholic beverages are always

served at these establishments, with a sommelier (wine expert) being present at most

This is the largest category for restaurants The range in this area goes from bistro

style to a small roadhouse cafe A full menu is offered at this type of establishment and

most offer different menus for different meal periods Some offer a “California style”

menu where items that are usually served only for breakfast, lunch or dinner are

offered all day Therefore, family style restaurants, along with fine dining, can also be

named full-menu restaurants Plate service in family style restaurants is the

predominant style of service due to the decreased number of waitstaff as compared to

a fine dining establishment

Quick service restaurants offer a limited menu that can be produced quickly (“fast

food”) This is the reason that this kind of restaurant is also known as a limited-menu

restaurant Typically, customers go to a counter or drive to a service window (for

drive-through one), order their food, and take it to the place where they consume it (in their

car, at work, or at home) Most of these establishments do not serve alcohol Quick

service restaurants are inexpensive and operate on low food and labour costs

III The recipe for success

Good foods, good drinks and good service alone do not always guarantee the success

of a commercial restaurant There are many other factors need to be considered and

combined as well Here are some of the main factors to look at:

1 Effective management:

Good food and effective service are essential but these factors by themselves cannot

guarantee that a restaurant will be profitable Rather, they should go hand in hand with

knowledgeable management of every aspect of the operation from menu preparation

to beverage dispensing Effective management of food and beverage consists of three

main elements:

a Knowledge: In today’s highly competitive environment, a good knowledge on

who the restaurant’s guests are, where they come from, and what motivate them is

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essential to success In addition, a good and effective manager must have thorough knowledge of the restaurant’s products, procedures, and employees

b Coordination: the manager must be able to coordinate activities happening in

the restaurant efficiently

c Cost control: the success of an operation depends on the manager’s ability

to monitor, plan, and control operating costs including costs for labour

2 Quality food and beverage:

One of the main reasons for guest to eat out is the food Quality food and beverage begin with quality ingredients Without good ingredients, even the best cook cannot produce good tasting meals The ultimate measurement of food quality is the guests’ satisfaction Of course, different people have different notions about what food tastes good and it is difficult to make all of them satisfied However, a successful operation is one that consistently satisfies the majority of guests

There must also be consistency in service Similar to cooking, this can also be done by standardizing the way of serving guest through Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) which should be incorporated in training, supervising and evaluation

The level of service should correspond to the type and image of the food and beverage operation For example, guests expect the staff of a gourmet-style restaurant to be very well trained and highly disciplined Less service is expected in a fast food

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restaurant However, regardless of the restaurant type, guests should be served with

as much promptness and courtesy as possible A smile is important

5 Leisurely surrounding:

The interior surrounding reflects the restaurant’s personality and style For example, a

resort dining room may be designed for luxury, but a coffee shop is furnished for

efficient service For people to feel comfortable, the environment in any restaurant

must be tastefully furnished, free of clutter and, above all, sanitary Unique

decorations, luxurious surroundings, and breathtaking views are traits of restaurants

that are known for their leisurely ambience

6 Satisfactory value

Value is a guest’s satisfaction with a product in relation to the price The value of a

restaurant meal is a matter of perception – how the guest sees the quality of the dining

experience Often, a guest does not mind to pay a higher price as long as what he/she

receives is worth the money In this case, the guest gets the satisfactory value In

contrast, poorer service than expected cannot compensate for lower price In this case,

the guest does not receive the value

I Menu Planning

Menu planning is a process in which the type of menu and the food items to be served

are selected, and the price for each item is determined To perform this work we need

to have some basic knowledge on the type of menu, criterion for food selection,

structure of a meal with classical French meal as a standard as it is still considered a

standard around the world

1 Composition of the meal

The composition of the meal determines the way the foods are displayed in the menu

The classical French meal includes 13 courses Today this kind of complex meal is

hardly ever offered in restaurants Instead, many variations of shorter meals are

offered but most of them follow the structure of the classical French meal as far as

succession of courses is concerned

The classical meal of today consists of nine separate courses: appetizer, soup, fish,

intermezzo, entree, salad, cheese and fruit, dessert, and after-dinner beverages

Appetizer: Hot or cold appetizers, offered to titillate the taste buds, are usually

prepared from shellfish, smoked meats and fish, fruits, vegetables, pates, caviar or

other exotic and often expensive ingredients Portions are modest due to the high food

Poisson or fish course and relevÐ Traditionally the fish and the releve were offered

separately, the releve acting as an intermediate light course between the fish and the main entree Today one or the other is generally offered Chicken, sweetbreads, or some other white meat usually make up the releve The fish course and releve can be served hot or cold

Intermezzo or sorbet:. The sorbet is a pause between courses of a large meal to refresh the palate Because alcohol rekindles hunger, an apple brandy called calvadoswas first used in France as the sorbet Today unsugared (unsweetened) fruit ices are commonly used The serving of a sorbet also allows the kitchen to time the preparation

of the following courses with greater accuracy

Entree: The entree is the main course Various types of hot entrees might be offered

such as meat, offal, poultry, fish, seafood, game, or game birds Cold entrees may consist of items such as fish, salads, or vegetable plates Generally a vegetable and some type of starch accompany the entree The accompaniments must be aesthetically planned to complement the color, contour, and texture of the entree

Salad: Gastronomically speaking, lightly dressed greens should be taken after the entree, as greens naturally relax the stomach and help to lighten a heavy meal In the United States, however, the salad with a heavier dressing is often served as a filler item before the entree

Cheese and fruit: There are over four hundred varieties of cheese Each is

characterized by a particular flavor, texture, composition, size, and shape Cheese is categorized as hard or soft depending on the amount of whey liquid left in the cheese, the manner of forming the curd, the bacteria or molds used, and the manner of curing One good cheese is adequate, but an offering of four cheeses provides the proper color contrasts, contour differences, and flavor variations for the complete cheese board Cheese may be accompanied by appropriate and well-ripened fruit In Europe, where diners do not like to mix their courses, fruit and cheese are served separately

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Dessert: they are popular menu items that prove to be quite profitable for the

restaurant As the appetizer sets the tone for the meal, the dessert brings the meal to

completion Desserts are meant, literally, to leave a sweet taste in the guest's mouth,

and to provide stimulation after an extensive meal

Beverages: Some typical beverages taken at the end of a meal are coffee, tea,

cordials, brandy and cognac, and special after-dinner drinks As hot beverages tend to

satisfy hunger and thus detract from further eating, they should be discouraged during

the meal

Friands : Not actually a course, friands are little extras given with the check Petit fours,

candies, mints and other sweets are, like dessert, literally intended to leave a good

taste in the customer's mouth

VARIATION: In practice, individual restaurants will deviate from the classical menu on

the number of courses available, the makeup of each course, and the manner in which

it is served Soup, for example, might be offered as an appetizer, thus eliminating the

need for a separate soup course If fish is served as an entree, the fish course might

be excluded from the meal Cheese can be presented with the salad, again reducing

the number of courses on the menu Any number of variations can be developed to

create imaginative, contemporary, and economical meals for today's palate

2 Types of menu:

In this part we look at different types of menu under the various ways of classification

from the pricing style, length of usage, type of meal to menu for special purposes or

customers

a Classification by pricing style:

Table d’hote menu:

Table d’hote is a set menu with a set price It means that the menu offers an entire

meal with several courses at one price Guests often have little or no choice regarding

individual courses It is sometimes called “prix fixe” or “fixed price” This type of menu is

also used for banquets

A la carte menu:

In this menu, food items for each course are listed and priced individually The guests

can select individual items for their meals The price of the meal will be calculated

according to what the guests selected

Combined menu:

Many operations have menus that are a combination of the table d’hote and a la carte

pricing styles Chinese and other ethnic restaurants are examples

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b Classification by Menu Schedules:

Fixed menu:

Fixed menu is the menu that is used daily over a long period of time This kind of menu

is suitable for restaurants whose guests are not likely to visit frequently or where there are many items listed on the menu to offer variety

Cycle menu:

Cycle menu is the menu that is changed daily or over a very short time period This

menu is suitable for those that receive guests frequently or the same guests daily Cycle menus also enable the use of the freshest foods at the best market prices

Combined menu:

Again, some restaurants have a combination of both That is, a fixed menu and a daily special that features the items that the restaurant wishes to promote

c Classification by type of meal

There are three basic types of menus, they are breakfast, lunch, and dinner (menus designed around the traditional meal periods) There are also a large number of specialty designed menus to appeal to specific target market groups The type of menu(s) a food service operation offers will depend on the number of meals it serves, type of operation it is, and the customers that it serves

Continental breakfast includes: hot beverage (coffee, tea, cocoa, milk), breads, butter, jam,

extras (fruit juice, cheeses, cold sausage meat in Europe, etc.)

American or English breakfast includes: hot beverage, bread, butter, jams, honey, fresh

fruit, juices, stewed fruit (prunes, apricots, pears, ), cereal, eggs, meats (bacon, ham, sausage), fish (kippered herring), dairy products (cheeses, yogurt)

Brunch is a combined breakfast and lunch Guests spend more time at brunch (served

mostly on Sundays) It is usually buffet style and it can be lavish with many hot and cold items and desserts

Lunch

Like breakfast, people are usually in a hurry at this time of the day Therefore, lunch menus must also include items that are relatively easy to make Sandwiches, soups,

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and salads are main items on a lunch menu Lunch menus must have variety Many

guests eat lunch several times a week at a restaurant close to them or to work and

thus wish to have a variety of items to choose from Many restaurants offer daily

special menus to add to this variety Lunch menu items are usually lighter than dinner

menu items as most customers still eat the most at dinnertime Also, lunch menus are

less elaborate than dinner menus

Dinner

Dinner is the main meal of the day for most people and the menu items offered at

dinner are heavier and more elaborate than those found on most breakfast and lunch

menus Dinner tends to be eaten at a more leisurely pace Guests are willing to pay

more for dinner than for lunch but they also expect a greater selection of menu items

and place a greater premium on service, atmosphere, and decor Beef, chicken, pork,

cooked in special ways, pastas, wines and other liquor, etc are usually found on a

dinner menu Also, appetizers, main courses, and desserts are almost always found on

dinner menus which is not necessarily the case for lunch menus

d Specialty menu

Specialty menus are created to appeal to a certain target market Below are several types

of this menu that have proven successful in the restaurant industry

Children’s Menu

The children’s menu does not have to blend with the restaurant theme or décor

Rather, the goal of this menu is to entertain the children while the parents have time to

order and eat in relative peace Many of these menus feature animated cartoons,

drawings which children can colour, etc The food offered on this menu should be

simple and nutritious Portions should be smaller and prices should be very modest

Make the menu fun in order to keep the child’s attention Tassels, staples and any

other materials dangerous to children that can be removed and swallowed should

never be part of a children’s menu

Dessert menu

At the end of the meal, most guests cannot recall the dessert items they saw listed on

the main menu Food servers at some operations use dessert trays to remind guests of

desserts Other operations have a separate dessert menu that is presented after the

main course has been cleared away by the waitstaff There are many advantages to

having a separate dessert menu such as:

You can offer more desserts

There is more room for bold graphics and descriptive writing

If items or prices change, you don’t have to reprint the main menu

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Room Service

Some hotels offer room service to guests The main concern is that the hotel must bring the food to the guests in their rooms and thus the quality of food may reduce The longer food sits after being prepared, the lower the quality level Thus, a menu is usually made up of foods that will maintain their quality level while being transported to the guestroom

3 Selecting menu items:

The first step in selecting items is to create a “pool” or many potential items that could

be placed on the menu How does one find these ideas for menu items? Some good sources of information are old menus, books, trade magazines, cookbooks, websites All are excellent sources of information for finding ideas for a menu

Only those menu items that marketing research has indicated guests may like should

be included in this pool of items Once this pool has been reduced down to items guests may like, some of the items may also be eliminated based on:

Theme or cuisine: The theme or cuisine of the restaurant helps determine what types of menu items are appropriate An ethnic restaurant has a very different menu than a family style chain restaurant

Equipment: What is the capacity and type of equipment the kitchen has? The menu must be able to be prepared with the existing equipment in the kitchen and one appliance should not be overloaded while another is rarely used

Personnel: What is the skill level of the employees? Will they be able to cook and serve the menu items?

Quality Standards: All menu items must be able to be prepared to a high quality level or they should not be put on the menu

Budget: Menu planners must recognize the financial constraints when planning menus Profit and cost control must be kept in mind when creating any menu

II Menu design When the items are selected and menu style and prices are determined, they should

be organized in a way that maximizes sales There are some key areas to look at when designing a menu:

1 Focal point and Field of view:

One way to create a menu that is also a sales tool, is by applying the same design principle you would use for a poster Since viewers cannot read everything at once, you must guide their vision This is very important when positioning menu items on the menu card

The eye naturally gravitates to a certain area of a rectangular menu, called focal point,

and then moves in a fairly standard pattern around the rest of the page

Area 1: the focal point: the eye naturally focused first on this area Therefore, this is the

place to put all items with high profit margins

Area 2: After viewing the focal point, the guests’ eyes will naturally move to this area

This is also a good area to list house specialties that produce high profit margin

Area 3: the eye moves to this part only after seeing 1and 2 This is the spot where you

list the standard item found in most restaurants, items that the guests expect to find

2 Lay out:

A layout refers to how the items will be categorized and placed on the menu It also

means the way menu should look like Usually food items are placed in groups

following the sequence of courses In every group, the lighter dishes are listed before

the richer ones Use white space on the menu, as it is more appealing and easier for

the customer to read The classical French menu, as mentioned above, includes 13

courses Today, this kind of menu is hardly ever offered but today’s shorter menus

follow the structure of French menus as far as succession of courses is concerned

They always start with something light, build up to the main course, and then become

lighter towards the end of the meal Typical shorter menu order is appetizer, soup,

salad, entree, and dessert

What size, shape, graphics, are going to be used for the menu? This is often

determined based on the type of operation There are some general guidelines to

follow when determining the format A menu that is too large may dominate small

tables or cause guests to knock over glasses Menus too small are hard to read and

are often too crowded Menus with too many pages just confuse the guest Sometimes

items may have to be added or deleted to finalize a format that is appealing for the

customer What typeface should be used? There are so many to choose from that the

restaurateur can be overwhelmed Most menus are type printed in order to make it

easier for the customer to read The typeface chosen must be based on what the

operation believes the customer will find appealing and what fits with the overall theme

of the restaurant A good rule is to never set menu copy in anything smaller than

12-point size Choose larger typeface for Senior’s Menus Paper choice for the menu is

based in part on how often the menu will be used If the menu is used for only one day

and then thrown away, inexpensive paper can be used If the menu is to last for weeks

or months, a high quality paper along with lamination may be used to ensure it lasts a

long time Lamination is not used in high quality dining rooms Menus often change by

seasons – heavier food in winter, lighter in summer

3 Copy:

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Once the food items have been chosen, the copy must be written (menu item name

and any description that may go along with it) The tone of the language for the copy must be carefully selected based on the type of guests the operation serves Copy for children should be entertaining, copy for lunch menus should be brief, copy for dinner menus more descriptive because guests are likely to have more time and menu items are more complex than at breakfast or lunch Menu copy can be divided into two elements:

Headings: Headings usually identify courses (appetizers, soups, etc) and subheadings

show the major food categories under each heading (e.g steaks, seafood, etc.) For most operations, it is best to keep menu item names simple so that guests are not confused

Descriptive copy: Descriptive copy informs guests about menu items and help

increase sales Usually the menu’s main ingredient, important secondary ingredient and method of preparation are included The descriptive copy should not read like a cookbook and should not be too “flowery” A few well-chosen words are better than a long-winded paragraph Rules of grammar apply Everything must be true If the cheese is not Switzerland, don’t say it is Supplemental merchandising copy can be entertaining A history of the restaurant, a statement about the management’s commitment to guest service, something about the location, or even poetry can be added to enhance the menu and help it stand out from its competitors Artwork may also be added to encourage sales

Cover: Most menus feature a cover A well-designed one communicates the image,

style, cuisine, and even price range of the operation It sets the mood All it needs is the Restaurant name, and perhaps some basic information such as the address, telephone number and hours of operation Basic information may also go on the back

of the cover along with banquet information, take-out service information, etc The color or colors on the cover should either blend in or contrast pleasantly with the color scheme of the restaurant

III Evaluating the menu:

No matter how well planned and designed, a menu should be evaluated periodically

To evaluate the menu, management first has to set goals that the menu is expected to

help meet For example, a goal for the lunch menu may be: “The average guest check

at lunch should be $5.” A goal for dinner might be: “Each dinner guest should order at least two items – appetizer and entrée or entrée and dessert plus a glass of wine.”

If these goals are not met, management must first determine if and to what extent other variables are contributing to the problem such as: price, food servers, quality of food items, external condition like a poor economy, etc After that, the management must

take a serious look at the menu There are two key areas to look at They are the

design of the menu and the items selected

For the design of the menu we can trace back to the previous part of “menu design”

and reevaluate However, for the items selected, we have to evaluate them through

statistics There are two measurements of how good a menu item is: popularity and

profitability A popular menu item is ordered frequently by guests A profitable menu

item generates a higher contribution margin

Popularity is measured against the expected number of unit sold for each item If

carefully selected, each menu item is assumed to be equally popular and thus

“expected” to contribute an equal share of total menu unit sold For example, if there

are only 5 items on a menu, the unit sales of each item should contribute 20% of the

total unit sales of the whole menu However, in reality it is impossible to reach that

absolute share Therefore it is recommended that the level of “expected unit sales” of

each item should reach around 70% of the absolute equal share In the above example,

in the 5-item menu, a menu item is considered popular if its unit sales reach: 70% of the

20% of the total unit sales of the whole menu This equals to: 14% of the total unit

sales of the whole menu (70% x 20% = 14%)

Profitability is measured against the Average Contribution margin which is calculated

by dividing the total menu contribution margin by the total number of items sold during

the period of evaluation

Average Contribution Margin =

sold item of number Total

margin

on contributi Total

An item is considered profitable if its individual contribution margin equals or exceeds

the average contribution margin

(Note: Contribution margin (CM) is calculated by subtracting Food cost from Revenue (Revenue – Food

cost) or for an item the CM is calculated by subtracting the item food cost from its price (Price – Item food

cost); and thus it is equal to the gross profit.)

Menu items can be evaluated in terms of both Basically, menu items can be classified

into 4 types:

1 Star – items that are popular and profitable

2 Plowhorse – items that are not profitable but popular

3 Puzzlers – items that are profitable but not popular

4 Dogs – items that are neither profitable nor popular

The following examples illustrate how a menu can be evaluated using the above two

# sold Menu mix % Item food cost

Item selling price

Item

CM Menu cost Menu Revenue

Chicken 420 42% $5.21 $7.95 $2.74 $3,339.00 $1,150.8 Low High P-horse

Steak 360 36% $8.50 $12.50 $4.00 $4,500.00 $1,440.0 High High Star

Lobster 150 15% $9.90 $14.50 $4.60 $2,175.00 $690.0 High Low Puzzle

Loin tip 70 7% $7.00 $9.45 $2.45 $661.50 $171.5 Low Low Dog

Average contribution margin = M/N = $3.45 Popularity index = (1/4)x70% = 17.5%

From this evaluation, managerial decisions can be made for each item

Service styles And management

II Service style:

There are many types of services An operation should select and use a service style,

or combination of service styles, that best satisfy its guests’ wants and needs as well

as its ability to provide them Here are some common styles:

1 Buffet service:

For this style of service, foods are fully prepared in the kitchen and attractively arranged on platters that are placed on a large serving table so that guests may serve

themselves Sometimes, a separate table is used for each course Plates, silverware

and other necessary items are conveniently located Buffet service is very low in labor cost due to the lesser amount of servers required However, it should be noted that the food cost of this style tends to be higher as wastage and consumption tend to increase

2 Cafeteria service / Fast Food or Quick Food service

In most cafeterias, guests move through a serving line selecting the food items they

want which are on display They place the food on an individual tray Cold foods are usually displayed at the front of the line The most expensive or hardest-to-serve food items (usually hot) are normally portioned out by service staff Serve yourself

beverages are located at the end of the line beside the cashier where the guest pays

and then exits into the dining area to eat the food selected In fast food or quick food

restaurants, guests order food that is listed on a board above the servers who stand

behind a counter The guest then pays the cashier who may also be the server Once

guests have their food, they proceed to seat themselves A condiment counter with

miscellaneous items such as salt, pepper, vinegar, ketchup, napkins, etc is placed away

from the food service area so guests do not hold up the line deciding on what condiments

they want This type of service requires minimal staff and the menu is usually simple, thus

the food cost and selling point price are very reasonable

Table service refers to the service used for guests who are seated at the tables

Servers bring food and beverage to the guests There are four common styles of table

service: English, America, French and Russian

a English or family service:

This style of service is for many guests, much like service at home That is, foods are

fully prepared in the kitchen, displayed on platters or in bowls, and then brought to the

table The guests then serve themselves, taking the amount they desire, and pass the

food around to others at the table

b American or plate service:

In this type of service, servers take guests’ orders and give them to the kitchen staff

who prepare the food and put it on individual plates which are then brought to the table

by the server This style of service was created in order to serve a large number of

people quickly yet with lower labour costs than that of French or Russian service Plate

service has been adapted for some banquets attesting to the fact that this service is

efficient and effective when dealing with large numbers The plates can be brought out

either by hand or on trays More and more, the trend in restaurants, and sometimes in

banquets, is to have servers bring out plates (usually three at a time) in their hands

because it has been found that the time spent putting plates on trays was slower than

having someone make two trips

c French service:

French service is considered the most elegant and theatrical of food services The food

is partially or completely produced in the kitchen and is then brought out on a

“gueridon” (cart that has a heating unit to keep food warm) Alcohol and a match are

used to produce a flame for finishing the food by the waitstaff The food is finished

(de-boned, flambÐed, etc.) in front of the guest This style of preparation can be very

theatrical with good waitstaff When ready, the food is served from the right of the

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guest This type of service is usually found only in fine dining establishments due to the large labour and capital expenditure costs involved

d Russian or silver service:

In this style of service, foods are fully prepared in the kitchen and attractively arranged

on large silver trays or platters The server then presents and portions the foods with a

fork and spoon from the platter directly onto the guests’ plates The key to success for this type of service is in the speed of delivering the food from the kitchen and transferring it while it is still warm, quickly and efficiently, onto the guests’ plates Russian service can be as elegant as French service, but it is faster and more practical It is often used for banquets

IV Service procedures

1 Preparation for service (pre-opening)

The preparation activities for service to guests include: inspecting facilities, following reservation procedures, assigning food sever stations, performing sidework, holding food servers meetings

a Inspecting facilities:

Before opening, the dining room or restaurant must be inspected to detect and resolve any problems with room temperature, lighting, safety, sanitation and so on Such safety hazards as rips in carpeting, wobbly tables, and wall decorations not securely fastened

must be corrected immediately A checklist of what needs to be checked can be helpful

for effective inspection

b Following reservation procedures:

If the restaurant takes telephone reservations, it is important that all required information be received and noted in reservation book To avoid any misunderstanding and confusion, only a few employees, usually the hosts, are allowed to take reservations On the day of arrival, the tables assigned for the guests should be blocked

Assigning food and beverage server stations:

Food and beverage server stations are assigned before the dinning room or restaurant

opens A station is a section of tables for which a server is responsible Stationing is a

systematic approach that improves the effectiveness of food and beverage servers The elements of it are:

1.Numbering each table in the restaurant

2 Numbering each seat at each table

The number of tables assigned for each server should depend on the following factors:

Number of seats

Type of service style used

Frequency of seat turnover

Experience of the server

Whether any servers are being trained during the shift

Distance to the kitchen and bar

Variety of menu items

Number of servers scheduled for a specific shift

Stationing brings many advantages Some typical advantages are:

☺ Once the guest has given his/her order, it is the responsibility of the server to

remember who ordered what Servers should never bring an order to the table and ask

“who ordered the chicken?”

☺ It also helps when guests want to reorder drinks It is common for guests to say,

“I’ll have another one please” which assumes that that server will remember the

original order

☺ When the restaurant is extremely busy, or a server has to leave work

unexpectedly, or is taking a short break, the use of this system will allow other servers

or managers to help in an efficient way

3 Providing Guest Service:

Each operation has its own way of serving guests The process may even change in

responding to different situations or guest needs Discussing all different processes

applied in different properties may be complicated and confusing To make things

simple, this part gives an example of a dinner service sequence in a full service

restaurant applying table service

c) Menu and wine list presentation i) Fruit and cheese

e) Bread, rolls, appetizer l) After-dinner beverages

(a) Welcoming the Guest:

In a full service restaurant, guests will be greeted by the maitred' A warm smile

with good eye contact will help make the reception a success A verbal greeting should

accompany the smile — "Good afternoon," or "Good evening," as appropriate Assist

guests with wraps, umbrellas, and parcels Check these items at the appropriate place

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After the reservation has been verified, escort the guests to the table Remember to take the guests to the best table available if there is one or more tables available Tables in traffic aisles, next to the kitchen doors, or near sidestations are less desirable and should be held until no better tables are left When escorting, the host should be three steps ahead of the guests and should not change speed suddenly (If there is no table available at this time, ask the guests if they are willing to wait - at the bar, in the lounge or other area Inform them of the approximate waiting time and then enter the guests on the waiting list.) When seating guests at the assigned table, it is traditional to seat ladies first Extra place settings and chairs should be added or removed Once all the guests have been comfortably seated, let them know a server will be over to take their orders Tell the server immediately that a new table of guests has been seated in his/her section

(b) Cocktail:

The server requests the cocktail order If there is a house specialty, be sure to mention

it Then record the cocktail order Repeat the name of each cocktail as it is ordered Excuse yourself from the table by stating to the host, keeping eye contact with the entire table, "I will be right back with your order."

Declare each cocktail as you serve it This will immediately clarify any mix up on the order Serve the cocktails from the right Place them to the right of each cover or directly on the service plate If no service plate has been set, place the cocktail directly

in front of the guest

At this point, the assistant waiter may serve bread or rolls As the bread and butter plate is to the left of the cover, bread or rolls are served from the left Note the use of the fork and spoon for serving the bread or roll The same technique is used in Russian service

(c) Food order taking :

Serving the cocktail before taking the food order may encourage a more some and possibly larger order

adventure-The menu may have already been presented by the maitre d' If not, present the menu from the left with the left hand whenever possible If this procedure will be awkward, present the menu in whatever fashion will disturb the guest least At this time, make the guests aware of any specials that are being promoted during the meal period Give

a full explanation of menu items that might be unclear or foreign to the guests Be honest without being negative in answering pointed questions such as, "How is the soup today?" This will establish a feeling of trust between guest and server

Observe the table after a reasonable amount of time passes (five to ten minutes) and

ask politely, "Are you ready to order?" If the guests need more time, withdraw and

return in a few minutes

The order is generally taken from the right, but as with all dining room procedures, take

the order in whatever manner will disturb the guest least When requesting the order

for a table of two, it is important to establish eye contact to see who will order first

Traditionally, the male will order for the female and then follow with his order This

should not be assumed, however, especially with today's changing social standards

When both guests are of the same sex, the elder is usually first to order, followed by

the younger When there are four or more guests in a party, each one usually orders

separately Start with the guest to the left of the host and work your way clockwise

around the table The host orders last if there is one

Seat numbers are generally assigned by the house to specific places at the table

Order taking throughout the meal should be done with reference to these seat

numbers Regardless of the sequence in which an order is taken, the person seated in

chair number two stays number two on the check Consequently, you can refer to the

check to see who gets what food items at service time

Take each person's complete dinner order at one time Repeat each item after it

is ordered to be sure you are recording the correct selection Be sure to note on the

guest check special requests, timing preferences, and degrees of doneness — for

example, "No potato, delay the entree, steak medium-rare." After the order is taken,

house policy may dictate the summarization of the order and the use of a dupe

(d) Wine List Presentation and Order Taking :

After the food order has been taken, the wine list is presented to the host by the

sommelier, maitre d', head waiter, captain, or waiter This is done after the food order

because the selection of wine will depend on the choice of food

Remember, the more special the wine list presentation, the more effective the sale If

only one wine has been ordered, suggest a special wine or a multiwinemeal, such as

a split of white and a split of red instead of a full bottle of either This will most certainly

enhance the meal by creating a new wine experience for the guests without

necessarily increasing the check average Suggest a light wine for starting the meal,

possibly a full-bodied wine for the entree, and, of course, champagne for dessert

(e) Appetizer:

Before serving the appetizer, all needed utensils must be set in place Clean flatware

should be carried to the table on a clean dinner plate and napkin by the assistant

waiter The appetizer fork is placed beside the dinner fork If wine is to accompany the

(f) Soup:

If soup has been ordered, the assistant waiter sets the appropriate soup spoon in place beside the dinner fork Once this has been done, serve the soup As usual, soiled dishes and flatware are removed from the right

(g) Salad:

As explained earlier, greens should be reserved until after the entree Because greens have a lightening and relaxing effect on the stomach, their consumption after the main course will help prepare the guest for dessert Also, three courses served prior to the entree add up to a considerable amount of food Delaying the service of salad will allow the guest to better appreciate the entree According to custom, however, most American operations serve salad before the main course

As with the appetizer and soup courses, all necessary tableware must be set in place prior to the service of the salad The salad fork is positioned to the left of the dinner fork If a knife is needed for the salad, it is positioned to the right of the dinner knife After the completion of the salad, the table must be prepared for the entree All dishes, flatware, and glassware which were used with the salad should be removed Generally the cover plate is removed at this time Many operators, especially those using expensive cover plates, instruct their staff to remove the cover plate even before the appetizer