CATEGORIES OF FOOD

SERVICE INDUSTRY

CHAPTER 1
 WHAT IS FOOD SERVICE INDUSTRY?

• The food service industry is a sector of the economy that

manufactures, prepares, and serves food outside of the home. It
comprises a wide range of companies, including restaurants,
cafeterias, catering operations, and food trucks. It also serves
customers at their places of work, study, or recreation,
sometimes at reduced costs or with special diets. Food service
wholesalers supply meals and utensils to the food service
sector.
Categories of Food Service
• 1. Waiter service- More commonly known as sit-down service, this type of service requires a
waiter to take care of everything from taking orders to serving food and payment.
Benefits
• Service is more personalized as you serve diners directly.
• You can accommodate special requests more easily compared to other services.
Challenges
• It requires skilled service staff because the waiter must remember orders and service protocols,
as well as serve promptly.
• More prone to mistakes as miscommunication with the kitchen can lead to wrong orders being
served to guests.
2. Chinese banquet service - This is another form of waiter service where each
waiter takes care of a table or group of tables with 10-12 guests. Dishes are usually
communal and shared.

Benefits
• Guests feel more relaxed because of the communal sharing dishes.
• Food served is usually pre-ordered so the waiters don’t have to worry about taking
orders.

Challenges
• It requires several skilled staff because different tables you must be able to serve
simultaneously.
• Coordination with the kitchen is crucial since servers must present the food all at
once.
3. Buffet service - In a buffet service, guests can choose their food from a wider
selection made available on the buffet line.

There are (4) common types of buffet service:

•Simple Buffet – Guests get food from a buffet line and waiters move around to
clear tables and help guests with minor requests.
•Station-type buffet – Waiters serve the beverages while guests get the other
dishes from the buffet line.
•Modified deluxe buffet – Tables are set with cutlery; waiters serve the beverages,
coffee, and dessert while guests get the other dishes from the buffet line.
•Deluxe buffet – Waiters serve appetizers, soup and/or salads, and beverages.
Guests take the other dishes from the buffet line.
Benefits
•Buffet tables are easy to prepare.
•Waiters focus only on serving a few dishes and clearing tables.

Challenges
•Last-minute special requests can be challenging because of time
and resource constraints.
•This service can make diners feel alienated as waiters only clear
plates and have little interaction with them.
4. Self-service - In this type of food service, diners place, pay, and pick up
their orders at a counter similar to fast casual and fast-food establishments. 

Benefits
•Waiters only need to stay behind the station counter to take orders.
•Waiters do not have to go around the restaurant as the food is self-serviced.

Challenges
•Diners expect quick service, so you must prepare or pre-prepare promptly.
•Rush hours can be tiring and stressful because there may be queues. 
5. Semi-self service - Similar to self-service, this type of service requires diners
to order and pay for their orders at the counter but waiters serve the food when
ready.

Benefits
•Waiters only need to stay at the counter to take orders and receive payment.
•Services have an easier time delivering orders because a number system
identifies diners.

Challenges
•You must prepare food promptly since customers expect quick service.
•Rush hours can be tiring and even more challenging when a long line forms and
guests expect speedy service.
Different Types Of Service For Your Restaurant

4 common types of restaurants and the types of matching

services:

• High-end restaurant – Waiter service

• Casual dining restaurant – Waiter service/semi-self-service/self-service
• Fast food – Self-service/semi-self service
• Café – Self-service