Understanding your role – the basis of doing any Toilets – must be kept clean at all times and well

job properly knows what is required of you, stocked with necessary items.
regardless of industry or position.
Smoking areas – checking the area regularly,
Understanding the upcoming service session – where required, placing ashtrays in the area – on
before we start to prepare our session, we must table, on the floor
understand what is likely to take place in the
upcoming session. External areas – areas are areas outside the
premises and can include pathways, gardens and
Checking reservations – the first task is normally car parks
to check the reservations to gain an
understanding of how busy the outlet will be. Set up Furniture – major task in preparing a food
and beverage service area for services is to set
Consider anticipated trade – when checking up the furniture in the room
reservations, it is also important to take into
consideration the anticipated level of: ”walk in Update floor plan – is a mop of how the tables
customers” . are to be positioned in a dining area or restaurant

Check menu for the session – the menu can Shape and design of the room – involves taking
change daily, depending on the availability of into account the structure of the room in relation
the menu items and chef’s choices. to issues

Check internal requirements – there are usually a Immovable objects – within most room there
number of internal requirements that need to be will be various objects that cannot be moved and
considered including: there is a need a plan around them.

 Special service protocols – service Customer and service personnel access – one
styles, menus or promotions may change important point that needs to be considered in
to cater to a dedicated theme or group. ensuring adequate access for both customers and
 Arrival and treatment of VIPs service staff.
 Priorities – which they want to achieve Allocating waiting stations to staff – once the
in relation to operational activities, sale tables have been set up, it is quite common for
or profitability. the manager to assign sections and tables to
 Limitations for service specific staff members.
Cleaning and checking the restaurant area – all Prepare and adjust the environment – the
areas need to be checked for cleanliness prior to ambience and comfort level of a restaurant must
service be taken into consideration when preparing for
Checking and cleaning customer facilities – service.
facilities can say a lot about the hygiene levels Comfort and ambience – some of the factors in
and standards of an establishment. achieving a high level of customer comfort and
Waiting area – used to seat customers who may creating the requires ambience
be waiting for a table, or waiting for other guest Counting a cash float/petty cash – individual
to arrive. staff members may need to sign for their float to
prove they have taken possession of it.
Prepare register station – a cash register is a Importance of professional table settings – the
machine that is used to accurately record presentation of table says a lot to customers
transactions about the level of service they can expect to
receive in an establishment
Cover – a place setting for one guest is
commonly known in the industry as a ‘cover’. Prepare napkins – linen napkins or paper
“cover” can also be used to indicate the number serviettes are commonly used in food outlets
of guests.
Giving information on food –it is vital you know
A la carte setting – the term used for a menu that everything about ll the dishes you have for sale-
a dish is individually priced. These dishes are ingredients, cooking process, time to prepare.
divided into entrees, salads, mains, and desserts.
Also means ‘from the card/menu’. Giving information on beverages – given when
customers are unsure about what they would like
Table d’hote setting – is a menu that has a set for
number of courses. Also mean as ‘table of the Describe specials - your next task is to inform
host. the customers f the ‘special of the day’ and any
alternations or deletion to the menu
Service style – commonly used in food and
beverage outlet. They are often associated with Making recommendation – many guest will be
functions and banquets able to work out what they want to eat, but there
are usually some who have difficulty deciding
Plated service – is the most common service and ask the predictable question ‘ what do you
style where the kitchen plates all the food and recommend?’
the waiting staffs carry the plated food to the
table Taking orders options – method of taking orders
may vary from establishment to establishment,
Silver service – where food items are prepare and can vary within the one business
and carved or separated into individual portions
and placed on platters by kitchen staff Check customer preference – as part of the
ordering process, customers will identify which
Semi-silver service – where the meals are plated item they desire and a preferred preparation
and the sauces are ‘silver served’ or where the dtyle.
meat component of the dish is plated and served

Gueridon service – where food is prepared or

cooked at the table and serve using full silver
service techniques.

Buffet service – where food is prepared in

kitchens in large quantities and then placed on a
buffet of display table.

Cocktail service – this style is very popular,

either as an introduction to a dinner or as a
standalone function in its own right