Food and beverage service
The type of service will be influenced by:
- The outlet
- The menu
- The occasion
- The cost of the food
- The time the customer has to eat
- The skill of waiting staff
A good meal may be spoiled if it is served carelessly or if customers are kept waiting.
- Plate service: The food is placed on plates by the kitchen staff and brought to the guest at a table by waiting staff. This type of service is used for ease of serving for large numbers and ensures everyone is served quickly and the food is hot. It is also used in fine dining restaurants where the presentation is a culinary work of art by a highly skilled chef. Plate service means the arrangement of food is not disturbed by waiting staff.
- Silver service: Waiting staff serve food from a flat serving dish to each customer’s plate using a fork and spoon. This is a highly skilled method of serving, so waiting staff require training. It requires a lot of staff to ensure customers are served as efficiently as possible. Silver service is common in high end restaurants and hotels where the cost reflects the level of service.
- Counter service: This type of service is common in modern cafes and coffee shops. Customers queue at the counter and select their choices from the menu. The food may already be prepared or it may be cooked to order. The customer places the food on a tray and pays for it at a pay point at the end of the counter. Cutlery, napkins and condiments are collected by the customer from a self-service unit before going to a table. When a dish requires cooking, a staff member will deliver it to the customer’s table.
- Self-service: Customers help themselves from the food on display either from a counter/buffet table or from chilled display units. Vending machines are also a form of self service. The machines will be stocked with a wide range of foods such as sweets, crisps or sandwiches and cold drinks.
- Buffet service: A wide range of hot and cold foods are served in specialised equipment on a buffet table or purpose built counter. The customer may help themselves or be served by members of staff standing behind the counter. Buffet style service allows a large number of customers to be served in a short time frame and is a popular way of serving breakfast in a hotel. It is used on cruise ships for breakfast and lunchtime when large numbers are served very quickly. It is important that the staff replenish the food regularly and ensure that the food is displayed and presented to a high standard.
