Food and Beverage Service - IV

Diyan Putranto . SE. MM

 Attributes of food and beverage service
personnel
• Carrying glasses
There are two basic methods of carrying glasses in the food and beverage
service areas: by hand
or on a service salver.
1. Carrying by hand
Wine goblets should be positioned between alternate fingers as far as is
possible. The wine goblets should only be carried in one hand, allowing the
other hand to remain free to steady oneself in case of emergencies.
Figure 2.3 provides a close up of the wine goblets held in one hand and
shows how the base of each glass overlaps the next, allowing the maximum
number of glasses to be held in one hand.
This method allows wine goblets that are already polished to be handled.
They can be carried about the room and set in their correct position on the
table without the bowl of the glass being touched. Clean glassware is
always handled by the stem and for non-stemmed glassware by
Attributes of food and beverage service
personnel
Attributes of food and beverage service
personnel
2. Carrying glasses on a service salver
The method of carrying clean wine goblets about the restaurant using the
service salver is illustrated in Figure 2.4.
You can also use a service cloth on the palm of the hand, with the
service salver placed upon it. This allows the service salver to be rotated
more easily in order to remove each wine goblet in turn by the base and
to set it on the table. Figure 2.5 indicates the use of the service salver for
clearing dirty wine goblets from the table. The first dirty wine goblet
cleared should be placed on the service salver nearest to the server.
As the dirty glasses are cleared, they should be placed on the service
salver to ensure a better
and more even distribution of weight, to lessen the likelihood of accidents
occurring. Again, dirty glassware is always handled by the stem and for
non-stemmed glassware by the base. This is more hygienic as it avoids
touching where the customer has been drinking from the glass.
Attributes of food and beverage service
personnel
Attributes of food and beverage service
personnel
3. Carrying glasses using glass racks
Glass racks are usually made of plastic and are often used to carry
glasses during the setting up of the restaurant and for functions. These
racks enable the transportation of glasses in bulk once they have been
washed and polished at a central point. Glass racks are also used for
dirty glasses and many can be put through a glass wash machine.
Attributes of food and beverage service
personnel
4. Carrying and using large trays
Trays are used for:
- carrying food from the kitchen to the restaurant
- service in rooms and lounges
- clearing from sideboards/workstations
- clearing from tables (when the customer is not seated at the table)
- carrying equipment.
- The correct method of holding and carrying an oblong tray is to
position
the tray lengthways onto the forearm and to support it by holding the
tray with the other hand.
Attributes of food and beverage service
personnel
Communication
There are three main types of commutation:
1.Face-to-face: the skills used here are maintaining eye contact and active listening.
Eye contact may differ across cultures; active listening is about head nodding,
gestures and repeating back phrases to ensure confirmation of understanding.
2. Telephone communication: members of staff must be able to use the telephone
equipment efficiently and effectively. The communication skills for telephone
conversations differ because the member of staff is not face-to-face with the
customer. When dealing with a customer on the phone it is import to make sure
they are informed when the member of staff is accessing information and if they are
to be placed on hold. It is also important to speak clearly and slowly to allow for the
possibility that reception on the phone line maynot be perfect and in order to adapt
your speech to meet the needs of the customer.
3. Written communication: for example by letter, email, memo and report. Written
communication is necessary when a formal response is required. The organisation
will provide guidelines to staff on when and how to use written communication.
Attributes of food and beverage service
personnel
Dealing with customers

The starting point for all good interpersonal skills is good manners:
saying ‘please’, ‘thank you’ and ‘I beg your pardon’; being pleasant to
people; showing that you care about what they want and apologising for
anything that has been unsatisfactory, such as having to wait.
When addressing customers, ‘Sir’ or ‘Madam’ should be used when the
customer’s name is not known. If the name is known, then the customer
should be referred to as ‘Mr Smith’ or ‘Miss Jones’, etc. First names
should only be used in less formal operations and where the customer
has explicitly indicated that this is acceptable. If the customer has a title,
then appropriate use should be made of the correct form of address
Attributes of food and beverage service
personnel
Dealing with customers during service
Greetings such as ‘Good morning’ and ‘Good evening’ should be used upon
receiving customers or when the member of staff first comes into contact with the
customer, for example when lounge service staff attend people already seated in
the lounge. The list below identifies examples of interpersonal skills needed at
particular points during the service.
1Showing customers to their table: always lead and walk with them at their
pace.
2. Seating customers: ladies first, descending in age unless the host is a
lady.
3.Handling coats/wraps: handle with obvious care.
4. Handing menus/wine lists to customers: offer the list the right way round,
open for the customer and wait for the customer to take it.
5.Opening and placing a napkin: open carefully, do not shake it like a
duster, place it on the customer’s lap after saying ‘excuse me’ to the customer.
6. Talking to customers: only talk when standing next to them and looking at
them.
7. Offering water or rolls: say, for example, ‘Excuse me Sir/Madam, may I offer
you a bread roll?’
Attributes of food and beverage service
personnel
Dealing with customers during service

8. Offering water or rolls: say, for example, ‘Excuse me Sir/Madam, may I offer
you a bread roll?’
9. Explaining food and beverage items: use terms the customer understands,
not technical terms such as turned vegetable or pane. Use terms that make the
item sound attractive such as casserole not stew, creamed or purée potatoes
not mashed.
10. Being culturally aware: meeting the needs of customers from other
cultures will affect the ways in which staff interact with them
11. Serving and clearing: always say ‘Excuse me’ before serving or clearing
and ‘Thank you’ after you have finished with each customer.
12. Offering accompaniments: only offer them if you have them at the table.
Offering them when they are not at the table usually means ‘I will get them if
you really want them!’
Attributes of food and beverage service
personnel
Dealing with customers during service

8. Offering water or rolls: say, for example, ‘Excuse me Sir/Madam, may I offer
you a bread roll?’
9. Explaining food and beverage items: use terms the customer understands,
not technical terms such as turned vegetable or pane. Use terms that make the
item sound attractive such as casserole not stew, creamed or purée potatoes
not mashed.
10. Being culturally aware: meeting the needs of customers from other
cultures will affect the ways in which staff interact with them
11. Serving and clearing: always say ‘Excuse me’ before serving or clearing
and ‘Thank you’ after you have finished with each customer.
12. Offering accompaniments: only offer them if you have them at the table.
Offering them when they are not at the table usually means ‘I will get them if
you really want them!’
Attributes of food and beverage service
personnel
Dealing with children
If children are among the customers arriving in the foodservice area then take the
lead in how to care for them from the parents, guardian or accompanying adults.
Where applicable, the following factors should be considered.
1. Are high chairs/seat cushions required?
2. Restrictions on the service of alcohol to minors.
3. Are children’s meal menus required?
4. The portion size required if items are ordered from the standard menu.
5. The provision of children’s ‘give aways’, such as crayons, colouring books, etc.
6. For the safety of both children and others, staff should be aware of children’s
movements.
7. Should the children be older, then they should be addressed as either ‘Sir’ or
‘Miss’.
8. Younger children should be served as promptly as possible as this will lessen
the stress on the parents/guardians.
Attributes of food and beverage service
personnel
Lost children
Should a child be reported lost, the steps listed below must be taken.
1 A complete description of the lost child should be obtained:
a. male/female
b. name
c. age
d. where last seen
e. clothing worn
f. any predominant features
g. colour of hair
Whether any accessories were being carried, e.g. a doll.
2 Immediately inform the supervisor/security.
3 Put a constant watch on all entrances/exits.
4 Check all cloakroom/rest areas, play areas and the immediate vicinity
where the child has been reported missing.
5 Should nothing result from taking the above actions, immediately inform
the police.
Attributes of food and beverage service
personnel
Customers with additional needs
Customer mobility
Extra awareness is needed to meet the requirements of customers who may have
additionalneeds, such as mobility difficulties. The following considerations should
be given on these occasions.
1.Offer wheelchair users places at tables where there is adequate space for
manoeuvrability.
2. Offer wheelchair users a place out of the main thoroughfare of customer/staff
movement.
3. Offer wheelchair users a place with easy access to cloakrooms, exits and fire
exits.
4. Always ensure that menus and wine lists are immediately available to any
wheelchair user.
5. Never move the wheelchair without asking the customer first.
6. Crutches/walking sticks should be placed in a safe but accessible and readily
available position.
7 Customers with dexterity difficulties may be assisted by first asking the
customer how best they can be helped. Assistance may include, for example,
ensuring that all items served or placed on to the table are near to the customer,
offering to fillet/bone fish and meat items and offering to cut up potato and
vegetable items.
Attributes of food and beverage service
personnel
Customers with additional needs
Blind and partially sighted customers
Awareness is also required to meet the needs of those customers who may be
blind or visually impaired. The following considerations should be taken into
account.
1.Talk to and treat the customer as you would any other customer.
2. Remember it is by touch that blind people ‘see’ and are made aware that they
are involved in what is happening around them.
3. If in doubt ask the person directly how they may best be helped.
4.Do not talk to their companions as if the person was not there.
5. Offer to read menus or wine and drink lists.
6. Immediately prior to taking the customer’s order, a gentle touch on the hand or
arm will attract their attention to you.
7. Offer to fillet/bone fish and meat items.
8. Offer to cut up potato and vegetable items should it be necessary.
9. Never overfill cups, glasses or soup bowls.
10. Should you feel it appropriate, use bowls instead of plates for specific food
items, but always ask the customer first.
l Ask if you should describe where the food items are on the plate. Use the clock
method to explain the location of food on a plate, for example, 6 o’clock for meat,
10 to 10 for vegetables and 10 past 2 for potatoes.
Attributes of food and beverage service
personnel

Handling complaints
At some point a customer will make a complaint, for
example:
1.service was slow
2.food when served was cold
3.wine served was at the incorrect temperature
4.reservation made was not recorded in the booking diary
5.server has been inattentive
6.wrong dish was brought to the table
7.explanation of the menu was inaccurate
8.poor attitude of staff.
Attributes of food and beverage service
personnel
Should a problem arise and a customer makes a complaint the
following steps should be taken.
1 Do not interrupt the customer – let them have their say and make
their point.
2 Apologise – but only for the specific problem or complaint.
3 Restate the details of the complaint briefly back to the customer
to show you have listened
and understood.
4 Agree by thanking the customer for bringing the matter to your
attention. This shows you
are looking at the problem from the customer’s perspective.
5 Act quickly, quietly and professionally and follow the
establishment’s procedures for
handling complaints.
Never:
l lose your temper
l take comments personally
l argue
l lie
l blame another member of staff or another department.