SERVING

1. SERVING

2. Key Terms • Serving • Over-the-Counter Service • Drive-Through Service • Cafeteria Service • Buffet Service • Seated Service • Flatware • Glassware • Plateware • Condiment • Bussing • Sidework

3. Serving • In the food and beverage industry, serving is delivering food to guest • Serving consist of four parts: • Setup • Serving food • Bussing • Sidework

4. Style of Service • There are five basic styles of service: • Over-the-Counter • Drive-Through • Cafeteria • Buffet • Seated

5. Style of Service: Over-the-Counter • Over-the-Counter service is a style that is used mainly in quick-service and fast-food restaurants • Customers place their orders at a long counter that has cash registers • Meals are paid for and received at this counter • Customers either take their food with them, or carry them to a table

6. Style of Service: Drive-Through • Drive-through service is a style of service that many quick-service restaurants offer • Customers stay seated in their car for the whole process of ordering, paying, and being served • There is typically: • An order window/ speaker • A payment window • A pick-up window

7. Style of Service: Cafeteria • Cafeterias are very popular in institutional foodservice • In the cafeteria style of service customers are given a tray with silverware and a napkin • Food items are displayed along a counter called a serving line • Customers carry their trays along the serving line, as they request the items they see and want • At the end of the serving line, the customer pays and carries their tray to the table

8. Style of Service: Buffet • In buffet service, food is arranged on tables throughout the dining area • The presentation of the food on the buffet tables is important • Servers keep the displays of food stocked, so that the customers can serve themselves • Some stations have servers there to serve you, such as a meat-carving station, or an omelet station • The customers take their food selections to the table

9. Style of Service: Seated • Seated service is service in which the customers are seated at a table • A server comes to the table to take the order • The server then brings the food to the table • There are three popular styles of seated service: • American • French • Russian

10. Style of Service: American Seated • Many restaurants use American service • The food is plated in the kitchen • This type of service is also called plate service • It is the fastest of all types of service • American service requires the least amount of skill to wait on the customers

11. Style of Service: French Seated • Some fine-dining restaurants use French service • In French service the meal is partially prepared in the kitchen • Then the server finishes the cooking, carving, or flaming of the food in front of the customer

12. Style of Service: French Seated • The partially prepared food is bought to the table on a cart called a gueridon • The gueridon has a small heating utensil on it called a rechaud • The rechaud is used to complete the cooking in front of the customer Gueridon Rechaud

13. Style of Service: Russian Seated • In Russian service, the food is cooked and divided into portions in the kitchen • The portions of food are placed on silver trays • The server carries the tray of food to the table • The server uses a special serving spoon and fork to place a portion on each guest’s plate • This style of service is often used at banquets, when a large number of people are served similar food items

14. Setup • Setup involves preparing the table for service • The steps involved in setting up include: • Make sure the table is stable (no wobbling) • Cover the table with linen or placemats (if that’s the style) • Set the table (each guest gets a place setting) • Add any additional accessories or condiments to the table

15. Setup • Items included in a place setting depends on the style of service, restaurant concept and theme, an meal being served • General categories of items included in a place setting are: • Napkins • Flatware • Glassware • Plateware

16. Setup • Flatware consists of the knives, forks, and spoons that guest will use during a meal • It is also called silverware or cutlery • Glassware includes all the drinking glasses • There may be as many as three glassware items per setting: • Water glass • Juice glass • Wine glass

17. Setup • Plateware includes all dishes, such as plates and soup bowls • It also includes coffee cups and saucers • Plateware is also called china

18. Setup • A condiment is something that is added to food to make it taste better • Condiments often placed on the table include: • Salt • Pepper • Syrup • Sugar • Soy Sauce • Hot Sauce • Ketchup • Mustard • Cream • Accessories being added to the table can include: • Flowers • Ashtrays • Candles • Napkin dispensers • Menu or advertisement holder

19. Serving Food • Regardless of service style, service should be excellent • The most important thing in a restaurant is the comfort and safety of the customer • Recommended serving techniques include: • Sequence • Direction • Timing

20. Sequence • Female customers should be served before male customers • If age can be determined, oldest to youngest • If children are in the party, they should be served before anyone • Serving children first will help keep them occupied and happy • The host or hostess of the party should be served last

21. Direction • Food is served from the customer’s left side with the server’s left hand • A good way to remember this is by saying, “leave (the food) with the left” or “lead with the left” • The left hand is used to serve the food to avoid the possibility of bumping into the customers with your elbow

22. Direction • Beverages are served from the customer’s right side with the server’s right hand • Because the majority of people are right-handed, the glasses and cups for beverages are placed on the right side of the place setting

23. Timing • All guests at the same table should be served at the same time • It is courteous for customers to wait to begin eating until everyone at the table is served • Customers often get annoyed or impatient if everyone is served but one, or if one person is served ahead of everyone else • Customers’ food will get cold while they wait for others to be served

24. Timing • Some restaurants remove used dishes as soon as possible, with the consent of the customer • Others do not remove any plates from the table until the customers have finished eating their meals • You never want to rush people who have not finished eating • Sometimes customers may suggest the removal of their plates • Take that plate away even if the other customers have not finished their meals

25. Place Setting • The items included in a place setting depend on the menu and the style of service • Keep in mind the style of service • American • French • Russian • This will determine the dishes needed

26. Place Setting Formal Setting Informal Setting

27. Clearing Dishes • Dirty dishes are cleared from the customer’s right side with the server’s right hand • A good way to remember this is by saying, “Remove with the right” • The right hand is used to remove dishes gracefully and to avoid the possibility of bumping into the customer

28. Clearing Dishes • Dishes should be removed in a counterclockwise pattern • It is unappetizing to see food being scrapped off a plate • The server should “crumb the table” before dessert is served • A side towel or a crumbing device can be used to brush crumbs from the table into a small plate

29. Clearing Dishes • Dishes are removed in a counterclockwise pattern 2 3 4 1

30. Bussing • Bussing is an essential part of excellent service • Bussing consist of: • Setting the place setting • Clearing dirty dishes from the table • Taking the dirty dishes to the kitchen • Sometimes the servers also do the bussing • However, often a separate person, the busser, performs these tasks

31. Sidework • Sidework consists of duties that servers must perform other than serving guest • These duties include: • Preparing the dining room • Learning the menu • Folding napkins • Replenishing condiments • Leaving the work area in good order when the shift is completed

32. THE END SERVING