FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICE FACILITIES

Jambo, 

INTRODUCTION 

The Food and Beverage Service Sector is very crucial being one of the segments in the tourism and hospitality industry and contributing a great deal of profit. With increase in importance of business meetings, a range of personal and social events, a large number of customers visit catering establishments frequently. The food and beverage professionals tirelessly work to intensify guests’ experience through their service.

The food and beverage service providing businesses, deliver food and beverages to their customers at a particular location (on-premise) such as hotel, restaurant, or at the customer’s intended premises (off-premise).

The food and beverage service sector is classified into two categories namely; Commercial Establishments and Institutional Catering. 

1. Commercial Establishments

Are committed to earn profits through sale of food and beverages. The restaurant is the king in this category. 

2. Institutional Catering

Provide volume food and beverage services to institutions such as factories, business houses, school, military, railways, airlines, etc. 

CLASSIFICATION OF FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICE FACILITIES

a) Commercial Enterprises like restaurants and cafés are committed to making profits. 

b) Institutional Catering that are operated to serve food in large quantities to institutions like schools, hospitals, pension houses, etc are heavily subsidised by federals or governments to benefit the communities they serve and usually operate on covering their costs.

c) Those that serve the public, like theme parks food services or fairground catering may be commercial or institutional operated but do not make decisions as to who they serve. An independent restaurant is willing to serve any walks in as long as they are in a position to pay. Similarly, government cafeterias may serve the public with subsidised meals. For example a government funded university campus could have a food court that serves enrolled students and faculty as well as visitors to the campus. 

d) Those that serve restricted groups of people like passengers on flight or members of a club. Here food and beverage is subsidiary to a greater activity. 

e) Government bodies who may want to subsidise food and beverage programs as a perquisite to their employees.

f) Private ownership that provide food strictly for commercial purposes. 

EXAMPLES OF COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENT FACILITIES 

1. Restaurants 

In addition to the basic purpose, they provide bar, entertainment, children's play facilities, home delivery services, take away services, outdoor catering, etc. 

https://youtu.be/fG0SMjbwU9c

(press and hold or double click the link above to watch a restaurant set up video) 

2. Coffee Shops 

This is a small café or restaurant typically serving light refreshments and snack along with coffee based drinks. They act as multipurpose dining opportunities with piped music and usually off the lobby or overlooking the swimming pool. 

https://youtu.be/OTtNKAUuAqw

(press and hold or double click the link above to watch a coffee shop set up video) 

3. Speciality Restaurants 

Their entire atmosphere and decor is geared to a particular theme normally related to a regional cuisine eg Chinese, Italian, French, Indian, Japanese, Thai, Polynesian, etc.

https://youtu.be/0CvAHp7_Fy8

(press and hold or double click the link above to watch Speciality Restaurant set up) in this case being an Ethiopian Restaurant in a different country. 

4. Grill Room or Rotisserie 

These are restaurants which specializes themselves in grills of different meats, fish and poultry. 

https://youtu.be/4fsdW-LHz08

(press and hold or double click the link above to watch a Rotisserie set up) 

5. Dining Rooms 

They are found in smaller hotels, motels, resorts, inns, clubs or heritage hotels. They specialize in a good spread buffet or a two table d'hote menu. 

https://youtu.be/7vnKN3kxwWQ

(press and hold or double click the link above to watch a dining room set up) 

6. Discotheque 

It's a restaurant which is primarily meant for dancing to recorded Music. The music is usually driven by a qualified and experienced DJ who creates or responds to the mood of the guests. The Discotheque is generally a bar which also offers light meals and finger picking snacks. 

https://youtu.be/gR_Bne3B_O8

(press and hold or double click the link above to watch a discotheque set up) 

7. Night Clubs 

This is a vibrant sort of discotheque, open at night for dinner, dance and live entertainment. It's decor is lavish while service is elaborate with fine linen, elegant glass, china and silverwares. 

https://youtu.be/NS3wMsaEQXc

(press and hold or double click the link above to watch a night club set up) 

8. Food Bars 

This is a collective name to cover informal snack bars, milk bars, kiosks, frozen yogurt stands, theater counters, etc. It's basically a counter at which people choose what they want(mostly to go snacks and beverages) from the display and pay directly to the cashier. They are found in public areas such as bus or railway stations, business centers, etc. They include mobile food vans and hotdog carts at public social gatherings, fairs and fetes.

https://youtu.be/mToWwy5lsBY

(press and hold or double click the link above to watch a food bar set up) 

9. Fast Food Restaurants

They give ready to serve food and beverages at reasonable rates. Guests pay and carry the food instantly. The service is fast and done by friendly waiters cum cashiers. 

https://youtu.be/o7sQEU6gXE4

(press and hold or double click the link above to watch fast food set ups) 

10. Casual Dining 

This is a restaurant where delectable pre-plated meals are served in an informal atmosphere, yet formal in presentation. The chairs and tables, lighting and artifacts are beat off yet selective. They are wonderful alternatives to expensive restaurants in hotels. 

https://youtu.be/FMMN6hrjQh4

(press and hold or double click the link above to watch casual dining set up) 

11. Cafés 

These are casual restaurants found in commercial and entertainment districts. They are meant to serve only coffee and tea initially, however they include house wine and a limited snack menu. They are often off the streets and marked by a board announcing their menu. They have limited seats provided for those who wish to rest for a quick treat.

https://youtu.be/XCh_nraZw14

(press and hold or double click the link above to watch a cafés set up) 

12. Cafeterias 

They are found in institutional catering, such as industry canteens, army messes, residential colleges, etc. Food and Beverage is displayed at the counters and the prices displayed on large menu boards where diners choose items according to the budget. It's free seating for all at common tables. 

https://youtu.be/ajlyPCzHKsQ

(press and hold or double click the link above to watch a cafeteria set up) 

13. Bars 

This is where liquor is sold and consumed. They can also be called inns, pubs or taverns. They may be private ones as those found in hotels, clubs or officers messes restricted to public whilst the public ones are found in different settings eg in residential estates, cities or towns, etc are open to general public.

https://youtu.be/07inYM3B5CE

(Press and hold or double click the link to watch a bar samples' video) 

14. Food Service Innovations 

There is no limit to where and when food and beverages can be provided. Such innovations are like Drive-In Restaurants and Home/Office Delivery Services. Drive-in restaurants is where the motorists drives in and parks, the order is taken and food and beverages are served in the car. Home/Office Delivery Service have also become a common trend, where food and beverage orders are placed online or via phone calls or messages and delivery made at an approximate specified time. 

https://youtu.be/wBLWBq72XDE

(press and hold or double click the link above to watch a food service innovation)

 

EXAMPLES OF INSTITUTIONAL CATERING FACILITIES 

1. Industrial Catering 

This refers to food programs in factories and corporate houses, where food is provided and served at staff canteens or cafeterias specially designated for purpose of giving wholesome food to workers and executives. The cafeteria style is where a worker can choose the food from the menu board according to his or her budget and are for a large number of people, while canteens are smaller usually serving fewer employees. Executives employees may have exclusive dining rooms, where the food is superior with formal service. 

https://youtu.be/uPQu55FzIlU

(press and hold or double click the link above to watch an industrial catering set up) 

2. Hospitals 

These together with nursing homes are major beneficiaries of institutional catering. The main focus of these food programs is to provide diet foods and beverages supervised by qualified dieticians, to patients, who are unable to actively seek alternative sources of food and beverages. Food is served to the patients at their beds in pre-portioned plates/trays. 

https://youtu.be/l6pJz2PdyYU

(press and hold or double click the link above to watch a hospital catering set up) 

3. Schools 

Food programs are popular in both full day schools as well as schools boarding facilities. The food should be nutritious and planned by dieticians who know the kind of food for growing children.

https://youtu.be/cHYcPuvBV_A

(press and hold or double click the link above to watch a school catering set up) 

4. Colleges/Universities 

Here food programs are of two types, Residential Hostels which build in meals costs in the total fees structure and those who permit Licensed Operators to open facilities to serve students, faculty and administrative staff. Some even have their own food courts to offer a choice of cuisines.

https://youtu.be/7UwqloOilTc

(press and hold or double click the link above to watch a university catering set up)

5. Military Catering 

Covers the entire armed and paramilitary forces(Army, Air Force and Navy with their respective administrive wings). Food is provided in messes separately for soldiers, non-commissioned officers and officers. The challenge comes when armies are on the move and need mobile catering services behind them to provide large quantities of quality food in different changing locations.

https://youtu.be/7hOwstZBVco

(Press and hold or double click the link above to watch a military catering set up) 

6. Airline Catering 

This is classified into Flight Catering and and Airport Catering. Flight Catering is a specialized food program for passengers on board planes, whilst Airport Catering involves food outlets that are either self-service, waiter service, vending machines, licensed bars, etc. They may be run by the airport authorities or by outsourced catering establishments.

https://youtu.be/0EP4m0Bk8AE

(press and hold or double click the link above to watch an airline catering set up) 

7. Ship Catering 

This is almost like catering in an actual hotel. The challenge in Cruise Liners is the ability of stocking and storing the right quantity of provisions and raw materials between ports to ensure that the food is available and in good quality to the passengers during their voyage. The standard of catering is high, as it is part of the sales package. Cruise Liners have have full silver service with waiters and gourmet meals.

https://youtu.be/R2vXbFp5C9o

(Press and hold or double click the link to watch a ship catering sample video) 

8. Railway Catering 

This is a large and challenging food program which is classified into Railway Terminal Catering and In-Transit Service. Catering at terminals consists of a range of facilities including take-away food, fast food restaurants, self-service cafeterias, kiosks, etc. In-Transit Service can vary from fresh foods provided to passengers at their seats, this achieved by carefully planning supply points en-route. Basically railway catering is pre-portioned food served at station stops or by food warmers in dinning cars. Cooking on board is discouraged due to fire hazards.

https://youtu.be/_X4MdU7D8UY

(press and hold or double click the link above to watch a railway catering set up) 

9. Theme Parks and Resorts 

They offer great opportunities that come in a wide variety of facilities from restaurants, mobile vans, vending machines, kiosks and dining rooms. Parks in remote areas require specialized planning and execution as much of the is got from from the local flora and fauna(Plants & Animals of a particular locality).

https://youtu.be/x7A_QKa2N00

(press and hold or double click the link above to watch a resort set up) 

10. Prisons Catering 

The challenge with inmates is that they have to be fed with nutritious and wholesome food so as to avoid the spread of diseases in the limited campus. Prisons have their own cooking program and take care of inmates with special dietary needs.

https://youtu.be/YRdE00fcQSY

(Press and hold or double click the link above to watch a prison set up) 

11. Clubs 

They have licensed restaurants and bars eateries, which can also provide buffet brunch services on holidays and weekends or provide catering to special occasions like weddings, birthdays, farewells, reunions, graduation parties, etc. Members have to pay a subscription fee for maintaining their membership, whilst non-members are permitted to the facility as long as they are accompanied by an existing member or if there are special arrangements made by the club, for them to come in. 

https://youtu.be/_zI2QFBHYuY

(press and hold or double click the link above to watch a club set up) 

12. Outside Catering 

This is a popular food and beverage service where a guaranteed number of people are catered for, at a specific time and place on an agreed food & beverage menu and prices. It's ideal for functions like Weddings, Galas, Training Workshops, Sport Events, etc. Caterers should be specialized in setting up marquees and tents, lighting and decor of different sites, special transportation of food, beverages and other resources needed at site, retaining food and beverages at site at best possible quality standard, providing waitstaff services and maintaining a clean environment of the site during their preparation, actual service, teardown and clearance after the catering event. 

https://youtu.be/EKKDR1x6IVY

(press and hold or double click the link above to watch an outside catering set up)

CONCLUSION

*The Food and Beverage Service Sector can generally be defined as the process of preparing, presenting and serving of food and beverages to the guests(customers). 

*This is achieved or done in different service styles and in different kind of premise facilities, thus the service matching the type of outlet. 

We are hoteliers and hospitality is our business!

Regards...