THE Foodservice Industry

1. Introduction
2. Types of Foodservice Operations
3. Sectors of the Foodservice Industry
4. Variables in Foodservice Operations
5. The Meal Experience
6. Food and Beverage Service Methods
7. Food and Beverage Service Personnel
8. Attributes of Food and Beverage Service Personnel
 Introduction
 More people are eating outside the home
and meet his demand there is widening
diversity in the nature and type of food
and beverages on offer
 Expansion of the industry and increasing
pressures for improved professionalism in
food and beverage service staff.
 Food and beverage service is the essential link
between the customers and the menu,
beverages and other services on offer in an
establishment.
 The server is the main point of contact between
the customers and the establishment and plays
an important role in a profession with increasing
national and international status.
To be successful in food and beverage
service requires:
 Sound product knowledge

 Well developed interpersonal skills

 A range of technical skills and

 The ability to work as part of a team

Working in the food and beverage service
offers a wealth of opportunity for
professional development and
advancement- for those committed to the
hospitality industry and to working in food
and beverage service, a fulfilling, exciting
and enjoyable career
awaits…………………………………………………
………..
1. TYPES of Foodservice Operations

 Food can include a wide range of styles

and cuisine types. These can be classified
by country, for example, traditional British
or Italian; by type of cuisine, for example,
oriental; or a particular specialty such as
fish, vegetarian or health food.
Beverages
 All alcoholic and non- alcoholic drinks

Alcoholic beverages:
wines and all other types of alcoholic drinks-----
cocktails, beers and cider, spirits and liqueurs.
Non- alcoholic beverages:
bar beverages such as mineral waters, juices,
squashes and aerated waters, tea, coffee,
chocolate, milk and milk drinks.
 Types of Foodservice
Operations
1. BISTRO
 Often a smaller establishment, with
check tablecloths, bentwood chairs,
cluttered décor and friendly informal staff.
 Tends to offer honest, basic and robust
cooking.
2. BRASSERIE
 Largish, styled room, with a long bar

 Normally serving one-plate items

 Service by waiters, often in traditional

style of long aprons and black waistcoats.

3. NEW WAVE BRASSERIE
 Gastrodome

 Slick modern interior design, coupled with

similar approaches to contemporary

cuisine and service
 Busy and bustling and often large and

multileveled.
4. COFFEE SHOP
 Similar to brasserie- style operation, often

themed.
 May be open all day and serve all meal

types from breakfast through to supper.

5. FIRST CLASS RESTAURANT
 Tend to be formal fine dining restaurants

with classical preparation and presentation

of food and offering a high level of table
(silver, gueridon and/or plated.
 Often associated with classic/haute

cuisine.
6. RESTAURANT
 Term used to cover a wide variety of operations.

 Price, level and type of service, décor, style,

cuisine and degree of choice varies enormously

across the range of operation.
 Service ranges from full table service to assisted

service such as in carvery- style operations.

7. ETHNIC RESTAURANT
 Indian, Oriental, Asian, Spanish, Greek, Italian,

Creole and Cajun

 Tends to reflect ethnic origin

8. THEMED RESTAURANT
 Often international in orientation

 Themes such as jungle, rainforest or

music/opera, where waiting staff perform as well

as serve
9. INTERNATIONAL DESTINATION RESTAURANT
 Often Michelin- starred fine dining restaurants,

offering a distinctive personality, cuisine,

ambiance, beverages and service.
 Usually table service at various levels but mostly

personal and attentive.

 Expensive but value laden.
10. HEALTH FOOD AND VEGETARIAN
RESTAURANTS
 Increasing specialization of operations into

vegetarianism and/or health foods

( though vegetarian food is not necessarily
healthy), to meet lifestyle needs as well as
dietary requirements.
12. CAFETERIA
 Primarily self- service with customer

choosing selection from a counter or

counters in varying designs and layouts.
 Originally developed for the industrial

feeding market but now seen in a variety

of sectors
13. POPULAR CATERING AND FAST-FOOD
OUTLETS
 Developed from table service teashops and cafes

through to steakhouses, and now incorporating

snack bars, kiosks, diners, takeaways and
cafeterias, with modern-day burger, chicken and
fish concepts, and with ethnic foods also being
incorporated.
 Meeting the needs of all-day meal taking and

also the need for “grab and go” service,

especially for the leisure, industrial and traveling
markets.
14. PUBLIC HOUSES
 Licensed environment primarily for drinking
alcoholic beverages.
 May be simply a serving bar with standing room
for customers or may have more plush
surroundings incorporating the offer of a variety
of foods.
 These can range from simple plated dishes
through to establishments offering full
restaurant service ( SOMETIMES CALLED
GASTROPUBS)
15. WINE BARS
 Often a mixture of bar and brasserie- style

operation, commonly wine themed,

serving a variety of foods.
SECTORS OF THE
FOODSERVICE
INDUSTRY
Sectors of the Foodservice Industry
INDUSTRY Purpose of the Historical Industry sector-
sector foodservice Summary international
UK terminology operation terminology

Hotels and other Provision of Developed from HOTEL, MOTEL,

tourist food and drinks inns. Supported and other
Accommodation together with by tourist
accommodation developments in accommodation
services transport and often referred to
increases in as the LODGING
business and INDUSTRY
leisure- related
tourism
INDUSTRY Purpose of Historical Industry sector-
sector the Summary international
UK terminology foodservice terminology
operation
Restaurants Provision of Grew out of Separate eating and
including food and hotel drinking places
conventional drink, restaurants Categories usually
and specialist generally at (which were defined by reference to
operations a high price originally three criteria:
with high highly formal) Level of service, e.g.
levels f through chefs quick service to full
service wishing to service or fine dining
start their
Extend of menu, e.g.
own business
limited to full
Price range, e.g. low to

high
INDUSTRY Purpose of Historical Industry sector-
sector the Summary international
UK terminology foodservice terminology
operation
Popular Provision of Developed Separate eating and
Catering food and from ABC and drinking places
including café, drink, Lyons Categories usually
pizza, grills, generally at Concept. Has defined by reference to
specialist coffee low/mediu gone through three criteria:
shops, roadside m price various Level of service, e.g.
restaurants and with limited phases. More quick service to full
steak houses levels of recently service or fine dining
service and highly
Extend of menu, e.g.
often high influenced by
customer USA limited to full
Price range, e.g. low to
throughput
high
INDUSTRY Purpose of Historical Industry sector-
sector the Summary international
UK foodservice terminology
terminology operation
FAST FOOD Provision of Grew from Separate eating and
including food and combination drinking places
McDonalds drink in of popular Categories usually
and Burger highly catering and defined by reference to
King specialized take away, three criteria:
environment, heavily Level of service, e.g.
characterized influenced by quick service to full
by high USA service or fine dining
investment, concepts;
Extend of menu, e.g.
high labour highly
costs and sophisticated limited to full
Price range, e.g. low to
vast meal
customer packaging high
throughput and
marketing
INDUSTRY Purpose of Historical Industry sector-
sector the Summary international
UK foodservice terminology
terminology operation
TAKE AWAY Fast Developed in Separate eating and
including provision of UK from drinking places
ethnic, spuds, food and original fish Categories usually
KFC, snacks, drink and chip defined by reference to
fish and chips, concepts. three criteria:
sandwich Influenced by Level of service, e.g.
bars, kiosks USA and quick service to full
trends in food service or fine dining
taste
Extend of menu, e.g.

limited to full
Price range, e.g. low to

high
INDUSTRY Purpose of Historical Industry sector-
sector the Summary international
UK terminology foodservice terminology
operation
RETAIL provision of Developed RETAIL MARKET
STORES food and originally
drink as an from
adjunct to prestigious
retail stores
provision wishing to
provide food
and drinks as
part of the
retailing
experience.
INDUSTRY Purpose of the Historical Industry sector-
sector foodservice Summary international
UK terminology operation terminology
BANQUETING provision of Originally LEISURE AND
/ large scale associated SPECIAL EVENT
Conferencing/ food and drink with hotels MARKET
Exhibitions alongside but has now
services such become
as major sector
conferencing in its own
right
INDUSTRY Purpose of the Historical Industry sector-
sector foodservice Summary international
UK terminology operation terminology
LEISURE provision of Increases in LEISURE AND
ATTRACTIONS food and drink leisure have SPECIAL EVENT
Such as theme to people made profit MARKET
parks, engaged in from food
museums, another pursuit and drink
galleries, attractive to
cinemas and leisure and
theatres amenity
providers
INDUSTRY Purpose of Historical Summary Industry
sector the sector-
UK terminology foodservice international
operation terminology
MOTORWAY provision of Born in UK in 1960s HIGHWAY
SERVCE food and with the advent of (interstate)
STATIONS drink motorway building. market
together Influenced by USA
with petrol and became
and other specialized because
retail of government
services, regulations on
often in provision of
isolated foodservice
locations operations, retail and
fuel as well as
location
INDUSTRY Purpose of Historical Summary Industry
sector the sector-
UK terminology foodservice international
operation terminology
INDUSTRIAL provision of Born out of HIGHWAY
CATERING, food and recognition that (interstate)
Either in-house drink to better- fed workers market
operations or people at work better. Boosted
through work in UK by legislation
catering/ during First and
foodservice Second World Wars.
contractors Fuerther
INDUSTRY Purpose of Historical Summary Industry
sector the sector-
UK terminology foodservice international
operation terminology

WELFARE provision of Regulated and given SOCIAL

CATERING food and substantial boost in CATERER/
drink to the UK by the FOODSERVICE
people in creation of the (students,
colleges, Welfare State in healthcare,
universities 1948. Maintained now institutional
and the through public social and military
forces and conscience
to people
through
established
social need
INDUSTRY Purpose of Historical Summary Industry
sector the sector-
UK terminology foodservice international
operation terminology

LICENSED provision of Developed in UK from SEPARATE

TRADE food and inns; also origin of DRINKING
drink in an steakhouses, e.g. PLACES
environment 1960s Berni Inns But also some
Including
public houses, dominated units included
wine bars, by licensing in SEARATE
licensed clubs requirement EATING and
and members’ s DRINKING
clubs PLACES above
INDUSTRY Purpose of Historical Summary Industry
sector the sector-
UK terminology foodservice international
operation terminology

TRANSPORT provision of Grew out of the need TRANSPORTAT

CATERING food and to meet the demands ION market
drink to of traveling public.
people on Originally services
Including
the move were of high levels,
railways,
airlines and reflecting the type of
marine traveller. Eventually
changed to meet the
needs of a wide
range of travellers.
INDUSTRY Purpose of Historical Summary Industry
sector the sector-
UK terminology foodservice international
operation terminology

OUTDOOR provision of Developed through Catering

CATERING food and need to provide market
(ODC) drink away services at special
from home events. The term
base and ODC is misleading as
Or off-
premises suppliers little of this catering
catering or usually actually takes place
event catering associated outside
with a major
event
 VARIABLES IN FOODSERVICE
SECTORS
 Historical background
 Reasons for customer demand
 Size of sector:
in terms of outlets
in terms of turnover
 Policies
- financial
-marketing
- catering
 Interpretation of demand/ catering concept
 Technological development
 Influences
 State of sector development
 Primary/secondary activity
 Types of outlets
 Profit orientation/ cost provision
 Public/ private ownership
 Summary of Sectors in the Foodservice
PROFIT ORIENTATED Industry
(public or private ownership)
COST PROVISION
(catering, main or secondary
activity)

RESTRICTED MARKET
RESTRICTED GENERAL MARKET Institutional catering
MARKET
Hotel/ restaurants
Schools
Transport catering Popular catering
Universities/ colleges
CLUBS Fast food/take away
Retail stores
Hospitals
Industrial (contract)
Banqueting/conferences/exhibitions The Forces
Private welfare
Leisure attractions Prisons
Motorway service sttations
Industrial (own catering)
Pubs and wine bars
ODC
 Different Types of Market
 GENERAL Market
- Non- captive: customers have a full choice
 RESTRICTED Market
- Captive: costumers have no choice, e.g.
welfare
- Semi-captive: costumers have a choice befor
entering, e.g. marine, airline, trains, some hotels
and some leisure activities
 VARIABLES IN FOODSERVICE
OPERATIONS
1. Organizational variables
 Nature of market being met
 Legislative controls
 Scale of operation
 Marketing/ merchandising
 Style of menu and drink list
 Range of choice
 Opening time/ service period
 Production method
 Type and capability of equipment
 Service methods
 Dining arrangements
 Seating time
 Number of covers available
 Capacity
 Staff working hours
 Staff organization
 Staff capability
 Number of staff
 Specialized service requirements
 Provisioning and storage methods
 Billing methods
 checking (order taking) methods
 Clearing methods
 Dishwashing methods
 Control method costs/ revenue
2. Customer experience variables
 Food and drink available

 Level of service and other services

 Price range/ value for money

 Cleanliness and hygiene

 Atmosphere (including décor, lighting, air-

conditioning, acoustics, noise, size, and shape of

room, other customers, attitude of staff
3. Performance measure variables
 Seat turnover/ customer throughput
 Customer send/average check
 Revenue per member of staff
 Productivity index
 Ratio of food and beverage sales to total sales
 Sales/profit per sq m (or ft)/ per seat
 Sales analysis
 Departmental profit
 Stock turnover
 Stock holding
 Complaint levels
 Level of repeat business
 THE MEAL EXPERENCE

The main aim of food and beverage

operations is to ACHIVE CUSTOMER
SATISFACTION.
In the other words, to MEET THE
CUSTOMERS’ NEEDS.
The needs that customers might be seeking to satisfy
include:

 Physiological: the need to sate one’s appetite or quench one’the s

thirst, or the need for special foods such as diabetic or vegetarian.
 Economic: for example, the need for good value; rapid, fast
service; a convenient location
 Psychological: for example, the need for enhancement of self-
esteem; fulfilling life-style needs; the need for variety; as result of
advertising and promotion.
 Social: for example, going out with friends or business colleagues;
attending a function in order to meet others.
 Convenience: for example, as a result of being unable to get
home (shoppers, workers) or attending some other event (cinema,
theatre); the desire for someone else to do the work; the physical
impossibility of catering at home (weddings and other special
functions)
 MEAL EXPERIENCE FACTORS
THE FOOD AND BEVERAGES OFFER
Includes the range of foods and beverages, choice, availability,
flexibility for special orders and the quality of the food and
beverages.
LEVEL OF SERVICE
Depending on the needs people have at the time, the level of
service sought will be appropriate to these needs
LEVEL OF CLEANLINESS AND HYGIENE
This factor relates to the premises, equipment and staff.
ATMOSPHERE OF THE ESTABLISHMENT
This factor takes account of issues such as design, décor,
lighting, heating, furnishing, acoustics and noise levels, other
customers, the smartness of the staff and the attitude of the
staff
 Customer Service
Customer service in foodservice operations can be defined as being a
combination of five characteristics. These are:
 Service level: the intensity of or limitations in, the individual personal
attention given to customers.
 Service availability: for example, the opening times and variations
in the menu and beverage list on offer.
 Level of standards: for example, the food and beverage quality,
décor, standard of equipment being used, level of staffing
professionalism.
 Service reliability: the extent to which the product is intended to be
consistent and its consistency in practice/.
 Service flexibility: the extent to which alternatives are available, and
to which there can be variations in the standard products that are
offered.

Note: a foodservice operation will determine the customer service specification

of the operation by taking account of these five customer service factors.
 Use of resources
1. MATERIALS
- food, beverages and short use of equipment (such as
paper napkins)

4. LABOUR
- staffing costs

7. FACILITIES
- premises and plant
 Level of Customer Service

1. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION:
refers to the food and beverage items on
offer, the portion size or measure, the cooking method,
the degree of cooking, the method of presentation, the
cover, accompaniments, the cleanliness of items etc.
2. SERVICE SPECIFICATION:
refers to two aspects: first the procedures for
service and second, the way in which the procedures are
carried out.
 Level of service and Standards of
service
LEVEL OF SERVICE
in foodservice operations can range from
being very limited to complex, with high
levels of personal attention.
STANDARDS OF SERVICE
are a measure of the ability of the
operation to deliver the service level it is
offering.
 FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICE
METHODS
The service of food and beverages may be carried
out in many ways depending on the following
factors:
 Type of establishment
 Time available for the meal
 Type of menu presented
 Site of the establishments
 Type of customer to be served
 Turnover of custom expected
 Cost of the meal served.
 A food service operation can be seen as a
simple model comprising three operating
systems:
1. FOOD PRODUCTION
2. BEVERAGE PROVISION
3. FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICE
 Food and Beverage service
sequence
1. Preparation for service
2. Taking bookings
3. Greeting and seating/ directing
4. Taking food and beverage orders
5. Serving of food
6. Serving beverages
7. Clearing during service
8. Billing
9. Dealing with payments
10. Dishwashing
11. Clearing following service
FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICE METHOD
GROUP A: TABLE SERVICE
Service to customer at a laid cover
3. WAITER
 Silver/ ENGLISH- presentation and service of food
by waiting staff, using a spoon and fork, onto a
customer’s plate, from food flats or dishes
 Family: Main courses plated (but may be silver
served) with vegetables placed in multi-portion dishes
on tables for customers to help themselves; sauces
offered separately.
 Plate/ AMERICAN- service of pre-plated foods to
customers. Now also widely used for banqueting.
d. Butler/FRENCH- Presentation of foods to customers
by foodservice staff for customers to serve
themselves.
e. RUSSIAN- Table laid with food for customers to help
themselves ( this is a modern interpretation and may
also sometimes be used to indicate GUERIDON or
BUTLER service.
f. GUERIDON- Food served onto customer’s plate at a
side table or trolley; may also include carving, jointing
and fish filleting , the preparation of foods such as
salads and dressings and flambage
2. Bar Counter-
service to customers seated at bar counter (often U
shaped) on stools.

GROUP B: ASSISTED SERVICE

Combination of table service and self- service

3. Assisted
a. Carvery- some parts of the meal are served to
seated customers. Also used for breakfast service and
for banqueting.
b. Buffets- customers select food and drink from
displays or passed trays; consumption is either at tables,
standing or in lounge area.
GROUP C: SELF-SERVICE
Self- service of customers
4. Cafeteria
a. Counter
b. Free- flow
c. Echelon
d. Supermarket
GROUP D: SINGLE POINT SERVICE
Service of customers at single point- consumed on
premises or taken away
5. Take away
a. Take away
b. Drive-thru
c. Fast food
6. Vending – provision of food service and beverage
service by means of automatic retailing.
7. Kiosks- Outstation used to provide service for peak
demand or in specific location; may be open for
customers to order and be served, or used for
dispensing to staff only.
8. Food court- series of autonomous counter where
customers may either order and eat (as in 2 Bar counter,
above) or buy from a number of counters and eat in
separate eating area or take away.
9. BAR- term used to describe order, service and payment
point and consumption area in licensed premises
GROUP E: SPECIALIZED (or in situ)
Service to customers in areas not primarily designed for
service.
10.TRAY
11. TROLLEY
12. Home Delivery
13. Lounge- service of variety of foods and beverages in
lounge area. E.g. hotel lounge
14. Room- in guest bedrooms or in meeting rooms
15. Drive- in- customers park motor vehicle and are served
at their vehicles
 FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICE PERSONNEL

FOOD & BEVERAGE MANAGER

 Depending on the size of the establishment, the food and beverage

manager is either responsible for the implementation of agreed
policies or for contributing to the setting of catering policies
 Ensuring that the required profit margins are achieved for each food
and beverage service area, in financial period
 Updating and compiling new wine lists according to availability of
stocks, current trends and customer needs.
 Compiling, in liaison with the kitchen, menus for the various food
service areas and for special occasions.
 The purchasing of all materials, both food and drinks
 Ensuring the quality in relation to the price paid is maintained
 Determining portion size in relation to selling price
 Departmental training and promotions, plus the maintenance of the
highest professional standards
 Employing and dismissing staff
 Holding regular meetings with section heads to ensure all areas are
working effectively, efficiently and well coordinated
 Restaurant manager/ supervisor

 Overall responsibility for the organization and

administration of particular food and beverage service
areas.
 This may include the lounges, room service (in hotels),
restaurants and possibly some of the private banqueting
suites.
 Sets the standards for service and is responsible for any
staff training that may required.
 He/she may make out duty rotas, holiday lists and hours
on and off duty and contribute to operational duties.
 RECEPTION HEADWAITER

 Responsible for accepting any bookings

and for keeping the booking diary up to
date.
 Reserve tables and allocate these
reservations to particular stations
 Greets the guest on arrival and tae them
to the table and seats them
 HEADWAITER/Maitre d hotel/supervisor

 Overall charge of the staff team and is responsible for

seeing that all the duties necessary for the pre-
preparation for service are efficiently carried out and
that nothing is forgotten.
 Aid the reception headwaiter during the service and will
possibly take some orders if the station waiter is busy.
 Helps with the compilation of duty rotas and holiday
lists, and may relieve the restaurant manager or
reception headwaiter on their days off
 Station headwaiter/ section supervisor

 Overall responsibility for a team of staff serving a

number of sets of tables (which may be anything from
four to eight in number), from one sideboard. Each set
of tables under the station headwaiter’s control is called
a station.
 Must have a good knowledge of food and wine and its
correct service, and be able to instruct other members of
the staff.
 He/she will take the order (usually from the host) and
carry out all the service at the table with the help of the
chef de rang, who is in command of one station.
 Station waiter
 Chef de rang
 Must be able to carry out the same work as the
station headwaiter and relieve him on days off.
 Less experience than the station headwaiter.
 Must work together as a team to provide an
efficient and speedy service with the station
headwaiter/
 Assistant station waiter
 Demi-chef de rang
 A person next in seniority to the chef de
rang and assists where necessary.
 Waiter
 Server/ commis de rang
 Acts by instruction from the chef de rang.
 Mainly fetches and carries, may do a little
service of either vegetables or sauces, offers
rolls, places plates upon the table and so on,
helps to clear the tables after each course.
 During the pre- preparation period some of the
cleaning and preparatory tasks will be carried
out.
 Trainee commis
 Debarrassuer/ apprentice
 Learner- having joined the foodservice staff, and
possibly wishing to take up food service as a career.
 During the service this person will keep the sideboard
well filled with equipment and may help to fetch and
carry items as required.
 Carry out certain of the cleaning tasks during the pre-
preparation periods.
 May be given the responsibility of looking after and
serving hors-d’oeuvre, cold sweets or assorted cheeses
from the appropriate trolleys.
 Carver
 Trancheur
 Responsible for the carving trolley and the
carving of joints at the table as required.
 Will plate up each portion with the
appropriate accompaniments.
 Floor service staff
 Chef d’etage/ floor waiter
 Responsible for complete floor in an
establishment or depending on the size of
the establishment, a number of rooms or
suites.
 Lounge staff
 Chef de sale
 Deal with lounge service as a specific duty
only in a first-class establishment.
 Responsible for setting up the lounge in
the morning and maintaining its
cleanliness and presentation throughout
the day.
 Wine butler
 Wine waiter/ sommelier
 Responsible of all alcoholic drinks during the
service of meals.
 Must also be a sales person
 Should have a thorough knowledge of all drink
to be served, of the best wines to go with
certain foods, and of the licensing laws in
respect of the particular establishment and area.
 Cocktail bar staff
 Works on the cocktail bar must be
responsible and well versed in the skills of
shaking and stirring cocktails.
 Should have a thorough knowledge of all
alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, the
ingredients necessary for making of
cocktails and of the licensing laws.
 Buffet assistant
 Buffet chef/ chef de buffet
 In charge of the buffet in the room, its
presentation, the carving and portioning of
food and its service.
 Member of the kitchen team.
 Cashier
 Responsible for billing and taking
payments, or making ledger account
entries for a food and beverage operation.
 Making up bills from food and drinks
checks or, alternatively, in a cafeteria, for
example, charging customers for their
selection of items on the tray.
 Counter assistants
 Are found in cafeterias where they would
stock the counter and sometimes serve or
portion food for customers.
 Duties may also include some cooking of
call order items
 Small hotel organization chart

GENERAL
manager

Food and Beverage Front of house

manager manager

Restaurant Head
Head chef Housekeeper
manager receptionist