"Types of service"

‘Enter to learn, go forth to serve’

A restaurant is a commercial establishment committed to the sale of food and beverage. A restaurant may be a
licensed part of a hotel operation, whereby the sales of the restaurant contribute to the sales performance of the
hotel as a whole. Restaurants may also be independent business entities under individual ownership and
management.

There are different types of restaurants:

A concept borrowed from the United States, distinguished by its quick service. Food is
Coffee Shop pre-plate and the atmosphere informal. Table cover layouts are less elaborate and
have basic essentials only.

The atmosphere is more sophisticated and caters for people who can eat at leisure.
Continental Restaurant
The accent is on good continental food and elaborate service.

The entire atmosphere and décor are geared to a particular type of food or theme.
Thus restaurants, which offer Chinese, Japanese, Indian cuisine would be termed
Specialty Restaurant
“specialty restaurants”. The service is based more or less on the style of the country
from which the particular cuisine originates.

FOOD SERVICES

There are some basic principles in food and beverage service that a waiter must know:

• When food is served by the waiter at the table from a platter onto a guest plate, the service is done from the
left.
• When food is pre-plated the service to the guest is usually done from the right, though modern convention
permits service from the left also.
• All beverages are served from the right.
• Soups are served from the right unless it is poured by a waiter from a large tureen into a soup cup in which
case it is done from the left of the guest.
• Ladies are always served first and the remaining guests clockwise. Soiled plates should always be cleared
from the table from the right. Empty
crockery and fresh cutlery are always served from the right. Never reach across a Customer. Hence, when a
guest is present at the table, all items
and equipment on the right of guest must be placed from the right and that on the left from the left

TYPES OF SERVICE

English Service: Often referred to as the "Host Service" because the host plays an active role in the service. Food
is brought on platters by the waiter and is shown to the host for approval. The waiter then places the platters on the
tables. The host either portions the food into the guest plates directly or portions the food and allows the waiter to
serve. For replenishment of guest food the waiter may then take the dishes around for guests to help themselves
or be served by the waiter.

French Services: It is a very personalized service. Food is brought from the kitchen in dishes and salvers, which
are placed directly on the table. The plates are kept near the dish and the guests help themselves.

Silver Service: The table is set for hors d'oeuvres, soup, main courses and sweet dish in sterling silverware. The
food is portioned into silver platters at the kitchen itself which are placed at the sideboard with burners or hot plates
to keep the food warm in the restaurant. Plates are placed before the guest. The waiter then picks the platter from
the hot plate and presents the dish to the host for approval. He serves each guest using a service spoon and fork.
All food is presented in silver dishes with elaborate dressing.

American Service: The American service is a pre-plated service which means that the food is served into the
guest's plate in the kitchen itself and brought to the guest. The portion is predetermined by the kitchen and the
accompaniments served with the dish balance the entire presentation in terms of nutrition and color. This type of
service is commonly used in a coffee shop where service is required to be fast.
Cafeteria Service: This service exists normally in industrial canteens, colleges, hospitals or hotel cafeterias. To
facilitate quick service, the menu is fixed and is displayed on large boards. The guest may have to buy coupons in
advance, present them to the counter waiter who then serves the desired item. Sometimes food is displayed
behind the counter and the guests may indicate their choice to the counter attendant. The food is served pre-plated
and the cutlery is handed directly to the guest. Guests may then sit at tables and chairs provided by the
establishment. Sometimes high tables are provided where guests can stand and eat.

Counter Service: (Snack-bar Service) Tall stools are placed along a counter so that the guest may eat the food at
the counter itself. In better establishments, the covers are laid out on the counter itself. Food is either displayed
behind the counter for the guests to choose from, or is listed on a menu card or common black board.

Grill Room Service: In this form of service various meats are grilled in front of the guest. The meats may be
displayed behind a glass partition or well decorated counter so that the guest can select his exact cut of meat. The
food comes pre-plated.

Room Service: It implies serving of food and beverage in guest rooms of hotels. Small orders are served in trays.
Major means are taken to the room on trolleys. The guest places his order with the room service order taker. The
waiter receives the order and transmits the same to the kitchen. In the meanwhile he prepares his tray or trolley.
He then goes to the cashier to have a cheque prepared to take along with the food order for the guests’ signature
or payment. Usually clearance of soiled dishes from the room is done after half an hour or an hour. However, the
guest can telephone Room Service for the clearance as and when he has finished with the meal.

There are two types of Room Service:

• Centralized: Here al the food orders are processed from the main kitchen and sent to the rooms by a
common team of waiters.

• Decentralized: Each floor or a set of floor may have separate pantries to service them. Orders are taken at a
central point by order-takers who in turn
convey the order to the respective pantry.

Mobile Pantries: Some hotels have pantries installed in service elevators. Orders are received by a central point
that convey it to the mobile pantry. The pantry has to just switch on the floor and give instant service. For the sake
of information, in countries, which have a shortage of manpower, large hotels install mechanized dispensing units
in rooms. The guest inserts the necessary value of coins into the machine, which will eject pre-prepared food and
beverages for guest consumption.

Buffet Service: A self-service where food is displayed on tables. The guest takes his plate from a stack at the end
of each table or requests the waiter behind the buffet table to serve him.

For sit-down buffet service, tables are laid with crockery and cutlery as in a restaurant. The guest may serve
himself at the buffet table and return to eat at the guest table laid out. The waiter may serve a few courses like the
appetizer and soup at the table.

Russian Service: An elaborate silver service much on the lines of French service except that the food is portioned
and carved by the waiter at the gueridon trolley in the restaurant in full view of the guests. Display and presentation
are a major part of this service. The principle involved is to have whole joints, poultry, game and fish elaborately
dressed and garnished, presented to guests and carved and portioned by the waiter.

Gueridon Service: This is a service where a dish comes partially prepared from the kitchen to be completed in the
restaurant by the waiter or, when a complete meal is cooked at the table-side in the restaurant. The cooking is
done on a gueridon trolley which is a mobile trolley with a gas cylinder and burners. The waiter plays a prominent
part, as he is required to fillet, carve, flambé and prepare the food with showmanship. The waiter has to have
considerable dexterity and skill.

Breakfast Services:
There are basically two types of breakfast offered in hotels and restaurants. The Continental Breakfast and the
English Breakfast. The Continental Breakfast originated in Europe. It is a light meal as the Europeans normally
have a heavy mid-day meal. The English breakfast is heavy and is a major meal of the day. A traditional English
breakfast runs into six or seven courses.

Continental Breakfast
Consists of bread rolls or toast with jam, honey, or marmalade and rounded off with tea or coffee. Better hotels
may serve brioches and croissants. The cover layout consists of

(a) A side plate and a side knife

(b) A butter dish and a butter knife on a quarter plate
(c) A tea cup and saucer with a teaspoon
(d) A sugar pot with tongs
(e) A bread boat or toast rack
(f) Serviette
(g) Jam, marmalade and honey pots

Note: There are variations to the Continental Breakfast. Cafe com- plate refers to Continental Breakfast with coffee
(or tea) while cafe simple refers to just coffee or tea with nothing to eat.

English Breakfast:

Is more elaborate and offers a choice of juices (or fresh or stewed fruits), cereals, fish course, choice of eggs, meat
course, toast with jam, marmalade or honey, and finally, tea or coffee. The cover consists of :

(a) A side plate and a side knife

(b) A butter dish and a butter knife on a quarter plate
(c) A tea cup and saucer with a teaspoon
(d) A sugar pot (a tongs, if there are sugar cubes)
(e) A cruet set
(/) A fish knife and fish fork
(g) Dinner knife and fork
(h) Jam, marmalade and honey
(i) Dessert spoon and fork
(j) Serviette

Typical English breakfast Menu:

• Chilled fruit juices : Orange, pineapple. tomato, grapefruit.

• Stewed fruit : Prunes, pears, apples, figs.
• Cereals: Porridge, cornflakes.
• Fish: Grilled herring, fried sole.
• Eggs: Poached, boiled, scrambled, fried, omelets
• Meat: Sausages, bacon, salami, kidney, breakfast steak.
• Breads: Toast, rolls, brioche, croissant, bread sucks.
• Preserves: Jam, marmalade, honey.
• Beverage: Tea, coffee, hot chocolate.
• Eggs can be served with: grilled tomatoes, sautéed mushrooms, baked beans, fried potatoes.

COVERS
LAYING COVERS FOR TABLE SERVICE

One of the technical terms very often used in the hospitality industry is a "cover". What does this mean? There are
2 definitions according to the context

1) When discussing how many guests a restaurant or dining room will seat or how many guests will be attending a
certain cocktail party, we refer to the total number of guests concerned as so many "covers".

2) When laying a table in readiness for service there are a variety of place settings, which have to be laid
according to the type of meal and service being offered. This place setting is a type of cover being laid. In other
words a cover denotes all the necessary cutlery, flatware, crockery, glassware and linen necessary to a lay a
certain type of place setting for a specific meal.

A LA CARTE COVER

This cover follows the principle that the cutlery and flatware for each course will be laid just before each course is
served. The traditional cover given below represents the cover for hors d' oeuvres which is the first course in a
classic menu sequence.
• Fish plate
• Serviette
• Fish knife
• Fish fork
• Side plate
• Side knife
• Wine glass

When an a la carte cover is being laid, the cutlery and flatware required by the guest for the dishes ordered will be
placed course by course. In other words there should not be at any time during the meal, more cutlery and flatware
on the table than is required by the guest at that specific time.

TABLE D'HOTE COVER

This cover follows the principle that the cutlery and flatware for the entire meal will be laid before the first course is
served. The traditional cover is given below:

• Serviette
• Soup spoon
• Fish knife
• Fish fork
• Meat knife
• Meat fork
• Dessert spoon
• Dessert fork
• Side plate
• Side knife
• Wine glass

When a Table d’hote cover has been laid, the steward should remove, after the order has been taken, any
unnecessary cutlery and flatware and really any extra items that may be required.

After the above covers have been laid, the table-layout should be completed by the addition of the following items:

• Cruet set
• Ashtray
• Bud vase

All applicable cutlery and flatware should be laid 1.25 cm from the edge of the table. Water goblets after polishing
should be placed at the top right-hand of the cover.

DEFINITION: One cover denotes all the necessary cutlery, flatware, crockery, glassware and linen
necessary to lay a certain type of place setting for a specific meal, for a single person.

Size Of One Cover = 18x24 Inches.

Dimensions

Standard Table Setup

C. Central Appointments

· Ash Tray
· Flower Vase
· Cruet Set

D. For One Cover

· Cheese Plate
· Butter Knife/Side Knife
· All Purpose Fork
· All Purpose Spoon
· All Purpose Knife
· Dinner Napkin
· Water Goblet

Dimensions

· Round Table (4 Covers) 3 Feet In Diameter

· Round Table (8 Covers) 5 Feet In Diameter
· Rectangular Table (4 Covers) 4 Feet 6 Inches x 2 Feet 6 Inches.
· Square Table (2 Covers) 2 Feet 6 Inches Square
· Square Table (4 Covers) 3 Feet Square

Dimensions

Tablecloths

· Round Table (4 Covers) 54 Inches x 54 Inches

· Square Table (2 Covers) 54 Inches x 54 Inches
· Square Table (4 Covers) 72 Inches x 72 Inches
· Rectangular Table (4 Covers) 72 Inches x 54 Inches

Dimensions

· Dinner Napkin 18 Inches Square

· Cocktail Napkin 06 Inches Square

Dimensions

· Height Of Chair 18 Inches From The Ground to Base and 39 Inches

· Height Of Table 02 Feet 6 Inches From Ground To Top

Dimensions

· All Purpose Spoon 08 Inches

· All Purpose Knife 10 Inches
· All Purpose Fork 08 Inches

It is of paramount importance for any food and beverage professional to have a sound
knowledge of the types of service styles given above. And yes, remember practice makes a
man perfect !