Chapter Four

Restaurant Operations
This Chapter Should Help You...
Identify the three main divisions of activity
found in restaurant operations, and
summarize their respective roles.
Explain the best way to become familiar
with operations in a restaurant or other food
service organizations.
This Chapter Should Help You...
Describe the main responsibilities and jobs
associated with each of the following:
front of the house
Back of the house
Office
Identify the two basic approaches to
increasing profits and the primary tools
used to measure financial results in food
service operations.
Three Main Areas of Food
Service Operations:
Front of the House
Back of the House
Office
Front of the House:
The key responsibility of the front of the
house is GUEST SATISFACTION!
It is extremely important to remember
that as a front of the house employee, the
key to providing excellent guest
satisfaction is fulfilling the guests wants
and expectations depending upon what
type of Food Service Operation is
employing you

Front of the House Tasks
Include:
Some tasks include:
Greeting the guest
Taking the order
Serving the food
Removing used tableware
Accepting payment and accounting for cash and
charge sales
Thanking the guest and inviting them for future
business

Back of the House
The principal responsibility of the back of
the house is the quality of the food the guest
is served
Sanitation is an extremely important
responsibility of employees in the back of
the house
Finally, cost control - food, labor, and
supplies - is a make or break
responsibility of the back of the house
Back of the House Tasks
Some Tasks Performed include:
Food production
Food quality and cost control
Dish washing and pot washing
Labor cost control
Back-of-the-house cleaning
Pest control
Office
The first responsibility of employees in the
office is providing administrative assistance
to the general manager and his or her staff
The office staff is responsible for all of the
daily correspondence, phone calls, and
office procedures to help free the managers
from these time-consuming duties
Lastly, the office staff is responsible for
keeping the books
Office Staff Tasks
Correspondence
Phone calls
Bookkeeping, (i.e., preliminary processing
of cashier deposits, payroll preparation, and
bill approval)
Cost control report preparation
Division of a Restaurants Day
Opening
Before and after the rush
Meal periods
Closing
Controllable Expenses
Payroll costs
Employee benefits
Utilities
Advertising and promotion
Administrative costs
Repairs and maintenance