FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICE STYLES

Jambo, 

INTRODUCTION 

There are many different types of food and beverage service styles or procedures, but the major categories of the food service are (1) Plate Service, (2) Cart Service, (3) Plater Service, (4) Buffet Service, (5) Family style service.

TWENTY DIFFERENT FOOD SERVICE STYLES 

1. Table Service

*Table service is considered as a border category of service style which consists of English Service, American Service, Pre plated Service Etc.

*In this type of service, the guest is seated at the table with laid cover and orders from the menu.

*The guest has to be greeted with an eye contact and a warm welcome.

*The server or waiter should normally address the guest by sir or madam.

*If the server knows the guest name then they should address the guest by their Surname and title.

*Assist the guest in seating as per the number of persons or any special requests.

*While seating the guests the least desirable areas like the tables near to side stations, kitchen, dishwashing area etc. to be only offered if all other tables are full.

*The menu to be presented after opening to the women first, then the host and clockwise for other guests.

*Special attention to be given to kids.

*When serving the guest orders the server or waiter should have a good understanding of who ordered what dishes.

2. English Service / Platter Service 

*English service requires the food to be placed on large platters or in large bowls.

*These food portions are then delivered to the guest's table by waiters/servers.

*Once the host checks and approves the food the same is placed on the table.

*The guests then pass the food around the table and serve themselves.

*In some cases, the host may also ask the waiter to serve the food.

*This service style requires waiters to be well skilled in its procedures. 

*This type of service also requires little dining area or space.There is a higher or rapid table turnover rate with this type of service.

*One of the major disadvantages of the platter style service is the difficulty to control the portion sizes. This is because the last guest who gets served may not get enough item if other guest had taken more.

3. French Service

*This is a very detailed and highly skilled, very elaborate and expensive type of service. The chefs demonstrate their culinary skill, by preparing meals in front of the guests.

*This kind of service is found in fine dining restaurants, where high profile guests and VIPs usually frequent. 

*Plated entrees are served from the right, all other courses from the left while beverages are served from the right.

*This style is very expensive because it involves professional waiters to the serve properly and slowly. The ambience and decor of the restaurant are always in high luxury and all diners are given the individual attention as they enjoy.

4. Silver Service

* It is similar to both French and Guèridon type of Services. The difference is the elaborate sterling and expensive silverware used.

*Only fine dining or speciality restaurants use silverware due to the high investment and maintenance cost.

*The table is normally set with sterling silverware and all food is portioned into silverware from the kitchen and during serving the waiter presents the food to the host for approval and serves to the guests. A pair of service covers are used. 

5. American Service / Pre-plated Service

*This one of the most common and widely accepted kinds of service. Where wait staff take guests orders in the dining area and the order is sent to kitchen staff via KOT (Kitchen Order Ticket).

*Food is prepared and pre-plated in the kitchen itself by the chef. The server or bus person then carry or brings the food to the guests. 

6. Russian Service

*It is similar to the French Service but faster and less expensive. It involves a lot of display and presentation.

*Whole joints, poultry, game, fish etc are elaborately garnished and dressed. After presenting to the guest the server or waiter portions or carve them to the guests.

7. Cart Service / Guèridon Service 

*In this service, partially cooked food from the kitchen is brought to the service area in a Guèridon trolley, which has a portable heating unit for completing the cooking process.

*A wide variety of fish, meat and poultry is either cooked or flamed (flambéed) in the trolley. A Chef du rang is responsible for taking orders, serving drinks and preparing food at the table, but in large establishments, Commis du rang assists the Chef du rang. 

*The Food is always served from the right hand side of the guest. All the fixtures, furniture, layout, etc, in the restaurant should be compatible with this elegant and personalized guest service. 

Gueridon Type of F&B service provides highly personalised guest service.

8. Snack Bar Service

A Tall stool is placed on a counter so the guest may order and eat at the counter itself.

The menu is presented either as a menu card or is simply displayed on a black board or on a LCD Monitor or guests can choose directly from the display counter.

9. Self Service

This is where guests are required to help themselves. Food is either kept on a counter or in a buffet, where guests choose and pick up the food that they require. Payment is either done prior to the food pickup or after food is picked up.

10. Buffet Service 

*Buffet service displays food in a chafing dishes on counters or tables. Guests help themselves to pick up as many and as many items, they would like to eat.

*Silver and Chinawares are kept at the starting of the buffet counter. Servers behind the buffet counter or tables usually assist the guests in serving the food from the chafing dishes. 

*Buffet can be a simple food spread to very elaborate food, beverage, starters, dessert, salad, etc. The staff should consistently keep the buffet replenished.

*In other set ups, there are on the spot/live cooking along or at the end of the buffet table or counter, where chefs finish off on selected foods eg fish, meat, omeletees, pasta etc.

*Special attention and planning are required for buffet layout and the recommended number of guests on one buffet food counter/table is 75-100 Pax, for this type of service is recommended for large gathering or party.

*The banquet staff should maintain cleanliness and order during buffet service. 

11. Cafeteria Service

*This is generally used in Canteens, Industries, Staff Cafeterias etc. It has limited or fixed menu and the prices may or may not be at a subsidised rate.

12. Single Point Service

*Guest pay for the food and beverage over the counter and receives the same at there and then. 

Fast food, takeaways, Kiosk, drive through are good examples.

*Automated vending machines are also considered as single point food and beverage service.

13. Room Service 

*Just as the name suggests, this is providing service in a guest's room. Food and beverage orders are placed by either, the room telephone or interactive television or hotels' mobile apps and the orders delivered using a room service trolly.

14. Take Away Service

*It's similar to the single point style of F&B service. Orders are received either over the counter, driveway, telephone, website or mobile app.

*Food and Beverage are packed and payments are either made in advance via online payment or paid by cash at the time of order pickup.

15. Mobile Pantries 

*These are moving food preparation pantries installed in service elevators. Orders taken are passed on to the moving pantry, where the food is prepared and served on the appropriate floor or room. 

There are other types of mobile pantries where the food is prepared in the main kitchen and then sent to the floor or room using a mini mobile pantry.

16. Blue Plate Service 

This is a type of table service commonly used for a small group of guests. The food served is pre-plated and consists of meat, starch and vegetables and at times the plates may have ridges. 

17. Automatic or Conveyer Belt Service

*Food and beverage are served to guest via a conveyer belt. Orders are made via the restaurants or hotels mobile app after selecting the table or seat number.

*Food is then delivered via a conveyer belt to the table. There are restaurants with continues conveyer belt circulating around the counter, chef places the prepared dishes on the conveyer belt. Eg: Sushi Restaurant.

18. Robotic Service

*This service is often found in Casino's and Luxury Cruise Liners. Guest makes orders to an interactive touch screen after scanning their room key card.

*Selections are made from the touchscreen, which is then sent to the robotic arms processors. The order is then prepared by the Robotic arm and placed on a small conveyor belt.

*Payment is automatically charged to the guest room account.

*Smart phones/technology with the hotels or cruise liners mobile app installed are also used for selecting the orders.

19. Cocktail Service

*This is where finger foods/mini bites are pre-plated on huge platters and a wait staff takes the food round to the guests. In this set up, the guests are usually on their feet/standing and pick the finger foods directly from the platter plates.

*The same applies to beverages, different drinks are pre-poured into glasses at the bar counter and the wait staff then carry and take them round to the guests.

20. Patient/Bed Service

*This is similar to room service. The staff deliver food and beverages, directly to the patient's bed. 

*In some hospitals there are optional menus where the patients can pre-order, while in others, patients eat what is programed for a particular time.

CONCLUSION 

There you have it, a very long list of different types of food service styles. Some are easy/simple while others complex and involving. 

But remember, the more complicated they are, coupled with a wide range variety of different coarses and beverages - the higher the guests' pay. See you in the next article or at the comments section.

We are hoteliers and hospitality is our business!

Regards...