FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICES

Food and beverage service are the commercial aspect of the food industry, in which individuals are
provided with meals at a place of business in exchange for money or some other form of payment.
This can be either casual dining or fine dining establishments across the world. These
establishments, including bars and taverns, are major components of the tourism sector.

Food and beverage services or F&B service is a professional industry that includes restaurants, bars,
cafeterias, canteens, food courts and other food-based hospitality businesses which provide meals to
its customers for various purposes like meetings, gatherings, recreation etc.

Food and beverage service are a growing industry in the United States. Food and beverage service
workers provide services that enhance an individual’s dining experience including preparing drinks,
mixing ingredients to prepare food, serving customers at a table, delivering orders to the table, and
managing a section of the restaurant.

Food and beverage service workers are also labeled as servers, waiters/waitresses, bartenders,
bussers, runners, hosts, dishwashers, cooks (not including chefs), assistants (e.g., salad preparers).

To be successful in food service industry it is important to be able to do more than just take orders
and serve food. You must have knowledge of the different types of foods and beverages offered, how
to present them in an appealing manner, and most importantly you must be friendly.

Resource:
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Different Types of Food and Beverage Services

Food and beverage services can be classified into the following groups:

 Waiter Service- In this type of F&B service method, food and beverages are served to guests
by waiters at the guest’s place. It may be at a table in a restaurant, in a hotel room, on a flight,
in a hospital, and so on.
 Waiter service is further classified into the following service types:

1. English Service
It is also known as the Silver service. In the English service method, dishes are presented
and transferred to the guest’s plate using a service spoon and fork from the left-hand side of
the guest while beverages are served from the right-hand side.

It is regarded as a formal service. The waiter brings plates and dishes to the sideboard, and
places the plate before each guest from his/her right-hand side, moving clockwise.

Points to remember while English service:

 Serve food from the dish/platter onto the guest’s plate using a service spoon and fork from the
left-hand side.
 Conduct clearance from the right-hand side.
Advantages of English service

 Personalized service.
 Customer satisfaction.
 Waiters have the scope to exhibit their service skills.
 No plate wastage.
Limitations of English service

 Calls for a high level of service skills, hence more labor cost.
 More staff is required.
 Low sent turnover.
 Slow service.
2. American Service
In this service style, pre-plated foods are placed to customers from the right-hand side. Now it is
widely used for banqueting. This service style is also known as Plated service.

Advantages of American service

 Service skill is not required.

 Low labor cost.
 Needs fewer waiters.
 Quick service.
 High seat turnover as service is fast.
 The kitchen staff has scope for demonstrating their plating skills.
Disadvantages of American service

 No personalized service.
 Chances of plate wastage.
 Food may become cold.
 More kitchen time and labor.
3. French Service
French service, which is also called family service. In French, this service is found in family pensions
and banquets, where the dish is presented to each guest from the left-hand side to help
himself/herself.

For a small party of two to three guests, dishes ordered by them are placed on the table with service
implements and plates for the guests to help themselves.

This method is widely practiced in ethnic restaurants, especially in Chinese and Indian restaurants.
Indian bread and accompanying dishes are kept on the table for guests to help themselves. If
assistance is required, the waiter may help the guests in passing and serving the dish.

Advantages of French service

 Service skills are not required.

 Low labor cost.
 Quick service.
 No plate wastage.
Disadvantages of French service

 Service staff will not be able to demonstrate their service skills.

  Food may go cold.
 Guests may spill or burn themselves.
 Needs more area on the table.
 Guests may feel neglected.
4. Russian Service
This is a very elaborate service. In this Russian style of service, large joints, roast poultry, whole fish,
and so on, that have elaborate garnish, are neatly arranged on a platter, presented to the host, taken
back to the sideboard, carved, portioned, and so on, that have elaborate garnish, are neatly arranged
on a platter.

After serving, dishes are kept on a hot plate on the side plate to keep them warm. Each course is
served from the side plate. This service is not practiced much at this time.

5. Gueridon Service
Gueridon service is one of the methods of serving food. It is also known as the Trolley
service or Cart service. It refers to a mobile service table or trolley, from which a dish may be
dressed, prepared, carved, and flamed in the presence of guests near their table.

This type of foodservice operation is implemented in fine dining restaurants where the à la cart
menu is offered and the average spending power (ASAP) is higher.
Approches to Gueridon Service

For guéridon service, food orders are very similar, and all the dishes must be presented to the
customer’s table before the actual service of the food and especially before any portioning.

Procedure for Gueridon Service:

1. Guéridon service is essentially a chef and commis service. There must therefore be complete
liaison and teamwork between them and the other members of the team.
2. Always push the guéridon, never pull it. This helps to control and steer the guéridon in the right
direction and avoid accidents.
3. The trolley is kept in one position for the service of a complete course and is not moved from
customer to customer.
4. The commis must always keep the guéridon clear of dirties.
Advantages of Gueridon service

 Highly personalized service.

 Good merchandising device.
 Wait staff can exhibit their culinary, carving, and service skills.
 High average spending power (high revenue/cover).
Disadvantages of Gueridon service

 Slow service.
 Low seat turnover.
 The chances of accidents are more.
 More investment in in-service equipment.
 Cooking in the service area may leave an odor.
6. Tray Service
In this form of f&b service in the hotel, dishes ordered by guests are neatly portioned and arranged on
a tray with necessary culinary and taken to their rooms/beds/seats by waiters. Special trays are
available to retain the temperature of dishes.
This style is practiced in-room service, hospitals, flights, and institutional catering. Customers’ orders
are taken by room service order takers, and dishes are arranged on a tray and served quickly in their
rooms. Orders can be collected either from the kitchen or floor pantry.

Advantages of Tray service

 Service skills are not required, hence low labor cost.

Disadvantages of Tray service

 The tray area may not be adequate to accommodate more dishes unless the number of dishes
and portion size is predetermined, as in the case of flight catering.
 Waiters will not be able to exhibit their service skills.
 No personalized service.
 Food may go cold unless insulted trays are used.
Advantages of Counter service

 Quick service.
 Service skills are not required.
 Less staff is required.
 Low labor cost.
 High seat turnover.
Disadvantages of Counter service

 No personalized service.
 No scope for talented wait staff to show their skill.

Self-Service- This type of services requires the guest to assist their own needs; getting his/her
food at the counter, spoon and fork, tissue and beverages.
The main form of Self-service is found in Cafeterias. In this form of service, customers collect a
tray from the beginning of the service counter, move along the counter to select their meal,
pay, and then collect the required cutlery for their meal, together with ancillary items.
Menus should be prominently displayed at the entrance to the cafeteria or food service area so
that customers may decide as far as possible what meal they purchase before arriving at the
service points. This saves time and ensures that customer turnover is as quick as possible.
The menu offered may show a wide range of dishes from simply hot and cold snacks and
beverages to full meals.
Cafeterias often have a straight-line counter where customers queue in line formation past a
service counter and choose their menu requirements in stages before loading them onto a tray
and then proceeding to a payment point at the end of the counter. Where customer turnover is
particularly high within a very narrow period of time, and when space is limited, then variations
on the cafeteria straight line counter type service may operate.

For example-

 Free Flow: Selection as in the straight-line counter type service, but the customer may move
at will to random service points. These customers will then exit the service area via a payment
point.
  Echelon: Series of service counters at angles to the customer flow within a free flow area,
thus saving space and time. The advantage of this system is that selecting a full meal does not
hold up customers who require just a sandwich and a hot drink.
 Supermarket/Shopping Mall: Island service points within a free-flow area.

 Assisted Service
The main form of assisted service is found in carvery-type operations. The customer is served
part of the meal at a table and is required to obtain part through self-service from some form of
display or buffet.

Customers are able to obtain part through self-service from some form of display or buffet.
Customers are able to help themselves with carved joints and other dishes, usually with the
assistance of a carver or server at the buffet. This form of service is also used for breakfast
service.

Assisted service is further classified into the following types:

1. Single Point Service

The main forms of single-point service are found in the following-

 Takeaways: The customer orders and is served from a single point at a counter, hatch, or
snack stand, the customers consume off the premises although some takeaway
establishments provide dining areas.
 Vending: Provision of food and beverage service by means of automatic retailing.
 Bars: Order, service and payment point, and consumption area in licensed premises.
2. Cafeteria Service / Counter Service
Within the seating area, an allowance of about 0.5 to 1 m per person is sufficient to take into account
table space, gangways, and access to counters.

A tray stand is placed at the beginning of the service counter or at the entrance to the service area so
that each customer can collect a tray before proceeding along the counter.

The length of the counter will generally be determined by the size of the menu offered, but should not
be too long as this will restrict the speed of service.

Payment points are sited at the end of the counter or at the service area exit so that customers may
pay for their meal before they pass to the seating area.

Cutlery stands should be placed after the cashier, together with any ancillary items that may be
required, such as napkins and accompaniments. This helps to ensure that the throughput of
customers along the service counter remains continuous.

Another advantage of placing the cutlery stands and ancillary items here is that the customer can
return to collect these items, should they initially forget to do so, without interrupting the main queue
of customers.

3. Room Service
Room service types vary from basic tea and coffee-making facilities in the room and possibly a
minibar, to vending machines on floors or the service of a variety of meals in rooms. The extent of
service in hotel guest rooms will depend on the nature of the establishment.
4. Lounge Service
Lounge service may include service of continental breakfast, morning coffee, luncheon snacks,
afternoon tea, dinner or late evening snacks, as well as alcoholic beverages.

The Lounge is very often the front window of the establishment, so the standards of service should be
high. In a first-class establishment, lounge service staff may operate from their own service pantry.
Lounge staff may have access to a dedicated storage area that holds a basic stock of items they may
need in case of emergency.

History of the Food and Beverage Service Industry

During those days, people took shelter under trees when they were away from their homes and
depended on natural sources for their food. Their lives were endangered by wild animals and wayside
robbers, which forced them to look for a place that assured them safety, accommodation, and food.

Dahrmasalas and Chatrams came up to protect the lives of travelers from wild animals and robbers.
The travelers were also provided stables and a shed for horses and bullock carts, respectively, free of
charge. They were given food and accommodation at no cost during the rule of kings.
Traders used to share accommodation with the owner of the house and were given meals and drinks.
Mighty regional kings entertained common people and merchants with feasts consisting of a variety of
rich dishes, traditional dances, Bravery arts, etc. during festivals.

The trained and qualified manpower, professionalism, availability of a wide range of cooking and
service equipment manufacturers, food technology,
consumer demand, change in the lifestyle of our citizens, lack of time to cook, media influence,
increased influx of foreigners, and so on, have changed the face of the Indian f&b service industry.

The foodservice sector continually changes its style of operation to meet the changing needs of the
customers. Today, we have top-quality restaurants in India that are comparable to international
standards.

Introduction to Food and Beverage Service

The industry of food service engages itself in the provision of food and
beverages, mainly to people who are away from their homes for different reasons. Such people need
accommodation with food and beverages if they are away for more than a day and only food and
beverages if they are away for a short duration of time.

The basic needs of customers for food and beverages are met by the food service industry, which
has been associated with lodging ever since people started traveling.

People who move out of their houses for various reasons, such as job, education, business, leisure,
medical treatment, sports, religion,
and so on, depend completely on the foodservice industry for their meals.

The barter system of the transaction was slowly introduced and this system motivated people to travel
for trade, mainly of livestock, which later expanded to food grains, clothing, tools, and other goods.
Traders used to share accommodation with the owner of the house and were given meals and drinks.

Mighty regional kings entertained common people and merchants with feasts consisting of a variety of
rich dishes, traditional dances, Bravery arts, etc. during festivals.
The people of India, in general, did not prefer dining out till the early 1960s. Perhaps this could be
one of the reasons for dabbawalas, who are food vendors engaged in distributing meals in “Dabbas”
(boxes) to clients at their workplaces, doing so well in Mumbai.
The development of catering in India is mainly attributed to the British, who introduced hotels and
restaurants similar to the ones in Europe.

There are many types of food and beverage operations. They may vary in size, style, location, and
the market they are catering to. From a wayside tea stall to an exclusive fine dining restaurant of a
deluxe hotel, and from mid-day meal services for school children to meals for Industrial workers, all
come under the fold of the Food and Beverage sector.

It is necessary to classify all the food and beverage sectors for a better understanding of their
operations.

Areas of Food and Beverage Service

These are the different areas of f&b services:

1. Primary Catering Sectors

The establishments under this category are primarily concerned only with the provision of food and
beverages to customers. Examples are Foodservice outlets in accommodation sectors, Various types
of restaurants, and takeaways.

2. Secondary Catering Sectors

The establishments in which the provision of food and beverages is not the main activity but a
secondary or support activity are called secondary catering sectors.

Examples are Institutional catering, Transport catering, Catering services in theatres, Amusement
parks, Departmental stores, and industrial catering. The primary activity of these units is not the
provision of food and beverages to the clients but the activity for which it is set up.

Some trains have a pantry car while others do not. Short-duration flights may not provide in-flight
catering services. The food service industry can also be divided into the following two groups
according to the profit motive.

3. Commercial Sectors
Commercial sectors operate mainly to make a profit or to earn an adequate return on investment
through their products and services.

Food and beverage facilities of hotels, motels, clubs, stand-alone restaurants, popular restaurants,
takeaway outlets, coffee shops, fast food outlets, transport catering, contract catering of industries,
and so on, are examples of commercial catering.

It can be further classified into residential, for example, hotels, motels, resorts, inns, clubs, and so on,
and nonresidential.

For example, Restaurants, Fast food outlets, Pubs, Bars, and so on.

Hotels provide F&B services to customers in the following areas other than accommodation:
  Restaurants (from silver service restaurants to self-service restaurants, 24-hour operations to
restricted hours of operations, open to residential and non-residential guests).
 Bars
 Lounge area
 Banquets
 Rooms (restricted only to hotel guests).
Most guests staying in hotels are on business trips and stay for a very short duration and expect
quick service. They may also need banquet halls to hold functions, conferences, and business
meetings.

The restaurants of hotels may offer a buffet for all three meals to speed up service. Resorts provide
accommodation mainly to vacationers. The duration of their stay is longer compared to guests who
stay in hotels.

The ambiance of the restaurant will be very informal and the service is either from a buffet or at the
table. Guests expect special dishes from the region as they want to experience new dishes and have
more time to spend in the restaurant.

So, the Food and Beverage sectors provide services to various markets. Some of these sectors
provide services to the general public while others only to the restricted groups. We can divide the
f&b sectors according to the market or the type of customers they cater to in the following manner.

4. Non-Captive Market
The customers have a choice of where to eat. The type of restaurant chosen may be a fine dining
restaurant of a deluxe hotel, stand-alone restaurant, coffee shop, fast food outlet, specialty
restaurant, or a popular restaurant depending on the following,

 Reason for dining: Birthday party, Valentine’s Day, Wedding anniversary, or Business

meeting.
 Time available to eat: Some customers have more time to spend in a restaurant while others
have very little time, which influences their decision on the selection of the type of eatery.
Executive class clients need executive lunch during lunch hours as they have less time to eat.
 Food preference of customers: The type of food they want to eat, for example, Chinese
dishes, South Indian dishes, Sandwiches, and so on.
 Money is available to spend on food.
 Time of the day.
 Distance.
 Ambiance desired.
 Personal experience.
5. Captive Market
The customers do not have a choice where to eat and have to avail of services provided by particular
catering outlets.

For example, Residential school children, College students staying in hotels, hospital patients,
people staying in old age homes, prisoners, and industrial workers.
6. SEMI Captive Market
The customers have a limited choice of where to eat. In such a market, the customers have a choice
before selecting the food and beverages. Once the choice is made, the customers have no choice but
to be content with what is on offer.

Food and Beverage Service Departments

Other than the secure and comfortable accommodation, guests staying in a hotel expect a wide range
of hygienically prepared wholesome food and beverages.

It is the responsibility of the Food and beverage department of the hotel to provide these services 24
hours to the guests. It is the second major revenue-producing department of the hotel, the first being
the front office.

Star category hotels have many food and beverage service outlets such as luxury restaurants,
specialty restaurants, coffee shops, cocktail bars, lounges, room services, and so on, to satisfy the
different palates and needs of the guests and banquet halls to organize functions and conferences.
All these outlets are managed by the food and beverage department.

These are some departments of the F&B services are the following:

1. Banquet Organization
Banquet department functions fall under the control of the banquet manager. It is responsible for
organizing various types of formal and informal functions within and off the premises.

Usually banquet business is a seasonal business, but the hotel must devise a plan to sell its banquet
facilities throughout the year.

A hotel may either have many banquet halls of different sizes or one large hall, the size of which can
be adjusted with temporary partitions to accommodate parties of various sizes.

The banquet department is managed with the help of a few permanent staff as more service staff can
be arranged from either local sources or other food and beverage service areas.

2. Room Service Organization

The room service department is responsible for serving food and beverages in the guest’s rooms
according to predetermined standards. All the activities of the room service department are controlled
by the room service manager. In a smaller hotel, the restaurant manager may be given the additional
responsibility of managing room service.

3. Lounge Organization
The lounge is a department located in the reception area where guests relax, meet other guests or
wait for rooms to be released. The guests at the lounge may require food and beverage services.

The lounge waiter should be prepared to serve coffee, tea, aperitifs, wines, spirits, and snacks. The
orders are collected against KOT/BOT on a tray and served at the lounge by lounge waiters, just like
room service. At the end of service, bills should be presented.

The entire food and beverage operation in the lounge is under the control of the lounge head waiter
and he gets the work executed through lounge waiters.

This service is not prevalent much in budget hotels or even in some of the deluxe hotels. However, on
request, beverages and snacks can be served at the lounge.

4. Bar Organization
The bar serves different types of alcoholic beverages to residential and non-residential guests in the
hotel. It may refuse to serve alcohol to guests who are underage or are already quite inebriated.
The minimum age of a person for alcohol consumption should be followed strictly to avoid any legal
or police action against the establishment.

The service of drinks is very profitable and at the same time, close monitoring is quintessential to
prevent any malpractice that may arise in any of the beverage outlets.

Conclusion

India, a populous country, has very good potential for the development of all sectors of the food
service industry in a major way. The prospects for catering look great because in the future also
people, whether at home or at their workplace, will be dining out.

The number of people availing of the services of the food industry is steadily increasing due to their
increased disposable income. Today in the retail market, readymade and semi-cooked food items are
available to cater to the needs of the target market.

The food service industry is different from other industries in satisfying the needs of customers. It
satisfies one of the most important physiological needs of the customers, which is hunger and thirst.

The need is satisfied for a very short period of time, after which that physiological need arises again
and has to be met. Foodservice professionals must understand the internal and external
environment and make use of the opportunity.

Resource:
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