ROOM SERVICE

STANDARDS MANUAL
 General
 Pleaseremember that we are in the
hospitality business. Our business is
to ensure satisfaction and a great
dining experience at this hotel. We
serve breakfast, lunch and dinner
and room service must be available
during the restaurant’s hours of
operation.
 Taking the Order
 Servers should greet the guest by
identifying themselves by name and
informing the guest that he/she will be
waiting on them this (morning,
afternoon or evening) and inform the
guest of the soup of the day and any
specials that are available when they
are seated. Proceed to take a drink
order and inquire about taking a food
order upon delivery of the drink order.
If guest are not ready to place and
order yet suggest an appetizer or more
time to decide.
 Taking the Order
 Room service calls must be answered
within five rings. Calls to Room Service
should not be put on hold for more
than thirty (30) seconds. The person
taking Room Service orders must ask
the Guest’s name and room number,
ask the appropriate food preparation
questions, repeat the order back to the
Guest to confirm accuracy, quote an
estimated time of arrival, and thank the
Guest while using their name for the
order.
 Delivering the Order
 Food delivered to guest should be at
proper temperature and should have
everything needed for the meal on the
plate or already at the table by the time it
comes out.
 Example: Steak knife should be set at the
table after the order is taken and before
the food comes out. Food should be
served from the left and retrieved from
the right side of the guest when possible
(booths). If a guest orders two items off
the menu, they should never come out at
the same time unless specified by the
guest.
 Delivering the Order
 Food delivered to Guest rooms must be
delivered at an appropriate
temperature. Room service meals must
be served with appropriate plate
covers.
 Delivering the Order
 When delivering the order, the server
must knock on the door and identify
him/herself as “Room Service”, greet
the Guest when the door is opened and
ask for permission to enter the room.
(If the Guest does not give the server
permission to enter the room, the
Guest must be provided with a clean
tray and a clean tray liner.
 Delivering the Order
 Upon receiving permission from the
Guest to enter the room, the server
must bring the order into the Guest
room and place the tray on an
appropriate surface as specified by the
Guest. The server must then review with
the Guest: each item of the order and
the Guest check total; and the
automatic gratuity added to the Guest
check, the server must disclose this
when reviewing the check total.
 Delivering the Order
 If Room Service is ordered, and a “Do
Not Disturb” sign is in place, the Room
Service attendant should follow standard
delivery procedures. When the Guest
answers the door, the Room Service
attendant should acknowledge that the
Room Service request is being honored
over the “Do Not Disturb” signage in the
event that the Guest forgot to remove
the “Do Not Disturb” sign.
 Dish and Tray Removal
 Trays will be dropped off in
housekeeping closets on each floor
to be picked up by the restaurant
servers. There will be a tray run
performed by servers before and
after each shift. (Breakfast, Lunch
and Dinner)
 Section I – Getting Ready
 The secret to great Room Service is
setting up right! There are two keys
to getting ready. It’s simple, really:
1. Have your “tools” ready
2. Get the Room Service station
ready
 To help you, we’ve created a Setup
list. Review the setup list at the
beginning of each shift.
 Section I – Getting Ready
1. Have your “tools” ready
Personal Tools
 Check Presenters
 Cork Screws, Disposable
 Small Bottle Openers
 Pens
 Door wedge
 Side Towels
 Order Pads
 Section I – Getting Ready
1. Have your “tools” ready
Check Presenters
 When you present the guest check to the Guest,
you should use a check presenter because the
Guest is often standing when they sign the check,
and have nothing to rest the check against for
signing.
Corkscrew
 Disposable corkscrews should be left with the
guest if they prefer to open the wine themselves.
Bottle Opener
 You’ll need bottle openers for bottles of beer,
water and soda. Even if the cap is twist-off, always
offer to open the bottle for the Guest, and use the
bottle opener – it’s more sanitary.
Pens
 Well, this might seem obvious. But the Guest can’t
sign the check without it. Be sure to have some
spares handy.
 Section I – Getting Ready
1. Have your “tools” ready
Door Wedges
 This is a safety item. The primary reason to have a
door pried open while you enter and review the order
with the Guest is your personal safety.
 Another reason is convenience, guest room doors are
designed to close automatically when opened and
then “let go”. This means it may be difficult to get
through the Guest room door without getting
yourself banged up. The “Door Wedge” is the
preferred product. The door wedge allows the server
place a plastic ‘wedge’ in between the door and the
door jam. The door wedge is much easier to use than
a door stopper. The door wedge allows the server to
hold a tray and insert the wedge into the door jam.
Order Pad with Pre-Delivery Checklist
 Order pads should be available by the phones and
the server should carry one at all times as part of
their uniforms.
 Section I – Getting Ready
2. Station Readiness
 Setting up your station makes your
job easier. Make sure you complete
the side work sheets and you are
ready for the day ahead. (It will only
make your day easier)
Station Readiness - General
 Let’s begin with the end – what your
station will look like when it’s entirely
ready.
 Section I – Getting Ready
2. Station Readiness
 Pre-set Room Service Trays

 Condiments cleaned & refilled

 Extra silverware rolled

 Glasses polished

 Refer to your shifts side work

sheet for shift specific items
needed
 Section I – Getting Ready
2. Station Readiness
Pre-set Room Service trays
 Make sure your room service trays are
clean and stack them in a way that
provides easy access.
 Start with a clean tray

 Add a clean tray liner (required).

 Add silverware rollup

 S&P shakers
 Section I – Getting Ready
2. Station Readiness
Table Top Items
 Make sure you have a filled par level of the
following items to easy the preparation of your
room service tray for delivery.
 S&P Shakers
 Creamers
 Plate Covers (required for room service)
 Knives
 Forks
 Spoons
 Soup Spoons
 Steak Knives
 Cloth Napkins
 Ramekins for condiments and sauces
 Tray Liners
 Section I – Getting Ready
2. Station Readiness
Beverage Accessories
 Beverages include hot or chilled and
alcoholic or soft.
 Metal Buckets (usually designed for wine
service)
 Bev-Naps (square white paper beverage
or bar napkins)
 Stan Caps (round cardboard caps made
for glasses)
 Tea Pots
 Coffee Pots
 Section I – Getting Ready
2. Station Readiness
Condiments
 Butter
 Sugar Caddies (filled Equal, Sweet 'n Low,
sugar)
 Salt & Pepper
 Ketchup
 Mayo
 Mustard
 Tabasco, A1
 Jellies
 Maple Syrup
 Section I – Getting Ready
2. Station Readiness
Paper and To-Go
 Our guest may be in a hurry and request a
meal or portions of it served in disposable
dishware. Also, if you are asked to serve
anything by the swimming pool, you
should use only paper or plastic items.
 Paper/To Go
 To-go Cups & Lids
 Plastic bags
 Stir Sticks
 Disposable flatware packs
 To Go condiments
 Section II - Taking the Order
 The server should greet the guest by identifying
themselves by name. Inform the guest of the soup
of the day and any specials that are available.
 Few things in the Room Service process are as vital
as taking the order. Taking the Order is the Guest’s
first impression of Room Service.
 Nearly everything that follows in the Room Service
process depends on taking the order well. For
example, you set the Guest’s expectation for
timeliness when you tell the Guest how long the
order will take. Your order-taking ability also
determines the size of the tip, since this is when
the size of the order is determined. This is just
about the only opportunity to suggest items to the
Guest.
 Section II - Taking the Order
A successful room service delivery is
very simple get the order “right”, and get
it to the room “on time”.

Taking the Order

 Estimating Time of Delivery (room service)
 Telephone Suggestions (room service)
 Suggesting
 Menu knowledge
 Ask the right questions
 Substitutions & special requests
 Standard Abbreviations
 Section II - Taking the Order
How to take an Order: Six Steps

Step 1: Record Guest Information:

 Ask for the Guest’s name and write it on
the order pad
 Ask for the Guest’s room number and
write on the order pad
 Ask how many Guests the order is for
 Ask method of payment (if charge, check
pre-pay list)
 Section II - Taking the Order
How to take an Order: Six Steps

Step 2: Take Order Information

 Record the order information – for example:
 Size of order (Cup or Bowl/Appetizer or
Entrée)
 Would they like to add protein to the dish
(add chicken, shrimp or calamari)
 What condiments are required (mustard,
steak sauce, dressing)?
 Choice of bread or side
 How should the food (steak, eggs) be cooked?
 Section II - Taking the Order
How to take an Order: Six Steps

Step 3: Suggestive Sell

 Suggest side orders, larger portions,
desserts, and beverages. Suggestive selling
is an opportunity to increase revenues and
TIPS! When using suggestive selling in room
service, you must be able to paint a picture
in the guests mind about the product. Sell
them value, sell them convenience.
 Section II - Taking the Order
How to take an Order: Six Steps

Step 4: Repeat Order

 Repeat the order and the key information. (Name, room
number and any special request they may have made)

Step 5: Estimate Time of Delivery

(Room Service)
 Tell the Guest the estimated time of delivery, and write it on
the order pad.

Step 6: Thank You

 Thank the Guest (use their name!) for their order.(Room
Service)
 Estimating Time of Delivery
 Few things are more important than
estimating time of the delivery to the
Guest. Why?
 Your estimate will affect…

 Guest satisfaction

 YOUR tips

 Hotel profits
What is a good time estimate?
A good time estimate is “time of
delivery +5” – the exact time of
delivery plus five minutes. For
example, you estimate delivery in 35
minutes, actual delivery occurs in 30
minutes.
 Why “+5”?
 It allows you to exceed the Guest’s expectations.
Five minutes early is probably not too early to
inconvenience the Guest
– an order that comes 15 minutes prior to the expected
time may find the Guest doing other things
 Partially dressed, or otherwise inconvenienced; and
if you exaggerate the time, you may lose the sale!
Plus, It gives you a “fudge factor” of 5 minutes to
allow for unexpected delays.

 A good time estimate should be expressed in

minutes rather than “time of day” because the
guest’s clock or watch may not show the same
time your clock or watch shows.
Importance of good estimates
 Guest satisfaction. Simply put, Guests are
“dissatisfied” when we fail to deliver what
or when they expect. Supposing it takes
30 minutes to deliver a Room Service
order, from the time of the call. If the
Guest gets the order in 45 minutes they
are likely to be unhappy. If they receive
that same order in 25 minutes they are
likely to be delighted. What changed? The
30 minute delivery time didn’t. Just the
Guest expectation. YOU set that
expectation when the Guest calls.
 Things to Know to Make a Good
Estimate
Some of the things you should know to make a good
estimate of delivery time:
 Food preparation times – there some items that take
an especially long time?
 Is the order “simple” and “cold”? For example, a
“continental breakfast” requires no cook time
 Distance to the rooms – sometimes the elevators are
busy (check in or out times)
 Business and staffing levels – is the department
“swamped” with orders, or is the staff available to
run the order immediately when it’s up
 Which meal period – breakfast or dinner? Breakfast
is usually quicker because its generally a shorter
cooking time and we are better staffed.
If you are new at taking Room Service orders, this may
be difficult at first. Seek guidance. Ask your
supervisor. Ask an experienced server.
 SERVING Tips
 You never get a second chance to make a
first impression. The way you approach
the table, speak to guest, answer and
conduct yourself on the phone when
taking the room service order will be the
only impression of OUR service operation
on our guest. We should strive to make
every guest feel important by being
friendly, polite, and professional in every
interaction. Use the following techniques
to leave a good impression with each
caller.
 SERVING Tips
 Smile when you talk. A smile helps you sound more
relaxed and pleasant.
 Stop all conversations before answering the phone.
 Answer all calls in less than 3 rings. If more rings occur,
thank the Guest for waiting.
 Speak clearly into the receiver. Avoid slang, technical
terms, or hospitality words that the caller may not
understand. Avoid yep, uh-huh, and ok. Instead, use yes
sir/ma’am, certainly, my pleasure or absolutely.
 Use our standard phrase when answering (i.e. good
morning, Avenue Grill, (first name) speaking how may I
help you?)
 Use the caller’s name whenever possible.
 Verify that the room number given by the guest is the
number displayed on the caller ID.
 Allow the caller to hang up first then gently replace the
receiver.
 If it’s necessary to interrupt a conversation, explain why.
 On-Hold Courtesy
Sometime, to take care of a request, you
will have to put callers on hold.
Providing professional Guest service
means:
 Always ask callers permission to put them
on hold. Never place them on hold until
they acknowledge.
 Take care of the request quickly. Show a
sense of urgency.
 Thank the caller for waiting when you
return to the line.
 Suggesting
Your income may be increased, along with
Guest satisfaction, by practicing the art of
suggestive selling! Simply put, the more
sales you have, the more tips you make.
But did you know that guests appreciate
appropriate suggestions, and may tip a
higher percentage when pleased by them?
For example:
 Beverages other than water
 Appetizers
 Sautéed mushrooms or onions on a
steak or burger
 Desserts
 Paint the Picture
Use words that enhance, that build a picture in the
guests mind. For example:
 Would you like to add some of our grilled shrimp to
your New York Strip Steak?
 How about our Prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, tomato
and basil aioli Panini?
Remember to suggest and not push! You’re not
actually “selling” the Guest – they’ve already
decided to buy, that’s why they are here !
 It is important to offer suggestions while the
Guest are ordering. Guests who order Room Service
are inclined to be more receptive to suggestions.
Verbal suggestions can make items sound more
appealing than the written listing, especially if you
are enthusiastic, courteous and sincerely interested.
Positive attitudes, good menu knowledge and
enthusiastic descriptions are all it takes to make a
successful suggestion.
There are certain general rules and helpful reminders which
make it easier to practice suggesting:

 Understand Your Menu - In order to successfully

suggest items (not to mention answering
questions), you need to know the product(s). Read
the menus. Ask questions.
 Be prepared to answer questions about item
preparation, ingredients used and what
accompanies each item. This is particularly
important for Guest selections and what items are
available for substitutions.
 Suggest Your Favorites - This technique is
successful because it is easier to be enthusiastic
about items of personal preference. The
enthusiasm will be reflected in the confident
manner in which you describe them.
 Find Positive Things to Say - It is important to keep
in mind that everyone has different tastes and what
you may not like-someone else may love.
You can use phrases like these to help you
describe items you may not like:
 “…it is a very popular item”

 “we sell a lot of it”

 “it looks very good today”

 “The fish and chips are great, but my

personal favorite is the Crab cake.” In this
instance you have not lost a sale, but you
have reinforced your opinion on another
menu item. It is possible to be honest
without being negative. Guest will
appreciate the approach.
 Take Guest Cues
Knowing when and what to suggest is just
as important as the act of suggesting.
Although suggesting can be helpful, too
much of anything can be annoying. The
following are some cues to lookout for:
 For Guests who ask, “What’s good today”
or “what do you recommended?” It is
important to reply with definite answers
instead of saying “Everything”.
(Answering “everything” sends a negative
impression to the Guest, telling them
you’re just not interested – even though
it may actually be true!)
 Take Guest Cues
 A good technique is to pick one or two
items from every menu section that is
your favorite. For example, since the
menu is broken down into three categories
– Appetizers or Salads & Soups,
Sandwiches, and Entrees - pick an item or
two from each that you feel extremely
comfortable with in selling and serving. Do
not necessarily pick the most expensive or
least expensive items. Use the cues from
your guests to help determine this.
 Take Guest Cues
Other examples:
 When Guests are taking unusually long to order
or are having a hard time making choices,
specific suggestions are appreciated. In this case
it is important to pinpoint a category of taste
preference, such as meat or chicken, white or red
wine, sweet or tart cocktail, etc. Then a
recommendation of one or two items in that
category can be made.
 For Guests in a hurry, items taking the least
preparation time or fast pickup items should be
suggested.
 Be cautious of only suggesting higher-priced
items. Careful discretion should be used since
many Guest may feel pressured and feel you are
only pushing high-priced foods.
Paint a Mental Picture: The way suggestions
are phrased very often determines the
success of your pitch. When describing
items, use descriptive adjectives, such as
 crisp salad, chilled melon, and fresh
brewed coffee to add extra interest.
 For Example: “Our Sizzling Steak
Quesadilla is very popular but I really like
our cheese steak spring rolls.”
 Know Your Menu! Know Your
Menu! Know Your Menu!
You should be familiar with what is on your
menu. You should work on knowing your
menu until it becomes second nature.
Knowing your menu will only make it…
 Easier to answer Guest questions
 Easier to suggest items to the Guest
 Easier to deliver orders to the Guest room
without forgetting anything
 Easier to time your orders and deliveries
(Room Service)
Simply put, knowing your menu makes your job
Easier.
As a professional, you’ll want to know these things
to know about your menus…
 Accompaniments
 Portion sizes (10oz NY Strip, 8oz Chicken Breast,
6oz Ciabatta roll, 3pcs bacon, 2 4oz Crab cakes,
etc.) Why is portion size important to you?
– You want to know that the order is “right” when you
pick it up from the line
– A Guest might ask when placing, or even receiving the
order
 Condiments
 Preparation times (10min-MW Burger, 12 min-
Crab cake, 8min-panini)
 Beverage brands (miller light, corona, Chivas
Regal, JW Black, Sycamore Lane House Wine)
 Garnishes (diet coke-Lemon, Gin & Tonic-Lime,
Shirley Temple-Cherry)
 Accompaniments
An accompaniment is an item that comes
with an entrée. Example:
 French Fries with the “Fish and Chips”
 Broccoli and wild rice with the “Crab
cakes”
 Cup of soup with the “Grill cheese
Sandwich”
 Brioche Roll with the “Chicken Pram”,
“Burger” and “crab cake Sandwich
The easiest way to learn about
accompaniments is to read the menu!
 Condiments
 Certain foods are traditionally
accompanied by certain items. Like
fried foods and ketchup. It’s your job
to learn the right condiments for the
items on the menu.
Why do you need to know this?
 If you forget the condiment, you’ll have to go
back to the kitchen to get it. which will make it
seem like you don’t know what you are doing or
even worst during this time the Guest’s food may
get cold, so you’ll have to OFFER to re-cook the
food(Room service).
 If you put the wrong condiments on a tray, you’ll
waste money and make the Room Service order
less profitable. Some condiments such as mini-
jars of ketchup and mustard may cost as much as
the sandwich itself!

 Note: Since your aprons have pockets, place a

couple small single service jars of condiments in
the front pocket. It may save you a trip.
 Preparation Times
How long does it take to prepare a steak? A grilled
salmon? An omelet? A piece of prime rib? A
martini? Knowing your preparation times makes
your job easier whether taking or delivering the
order.

Why Are Preparation Times important?

 It helps you give an accurate time quote to the
Guest when they order room service.
 It enables you to get your beverages ready at the
right time. For example, if you order a steak well
done and then order a cocktail or get a soda
ready immediately, the ice in your cocktail or
soda will be melted, and the soda will be flat.
 “86” items
 “86” items – items that your kitchen is
temporarily out of. It’s important to know
any items that you are out of or running
out of, so you know how many you can
sell and avoid the embarrassment of
having to go back to the Guest and
explain.

 86 TIP: don’t say that you “ran out” of an

item, tell the Guest you “Sold Out” –
remember to talk in positive phrases.
Ask the “Right” Questions When
Taking the Order
Guest Order Information Needed
Breakfast
Steak & Eggs Steak – Rare, medium or well done
Breakfast Meat Bacon or sausage
Egg Order How would you like them cooked? Over-
easy, medium, hard. Scrambled
Fried Up or over easy, medium or hard
Scramble Soft or hard
Boiled How long
Poached In a cup or on toast
Bread type ( if not biscuit) What type of toast? White? Wheat?
Ask the “Right” Questions When
Taking the Order
Guest Order Information Needed
Lunch/Dinner
Salads Type of salad? Choice of dressing

Hamburger & Steaks Degree of doneness? R, MR, M, MW, W

and sides?

Sandwiches Choice of bread and Sides?

Cocktails
Martini Olives or twist? Gin or Vodka?

Scotch “Rocks or straight up?”

Section III –Setting Up the Order
Setting up the order: Tableside
 Setting up your condiments and
table top items is the key to quick
and easy service. Make sure you
have all of the additional items for
the order before it leaves the
kitchen.
Section III –Setting Up the Order
Setting up the order: Tray Service
 The secret of effective tray service is
simple: pre-set trays. Set your tray
as soon as you put the order in the
system or as soon as you get it in
the morning. This will allow you free
time to do other things and to run
the order up as soon as it’s ready.
Section III –Setting Up the Order
Pre-set Trays
 Pre-set trays must be clean and
must have a clean under-liner.
Section III –Setting Up the Order
Additional Items for Order

Before picking up the hot food, place the additional

items on the tray/plate needed for this specific
order – for example:
 Salad and Salad Dressings
 Half & Half/creamers, sugar caddy for coffee if
ordered
 Condiments such as ketchup for any fried foods, or
a hamburger
 Additional service-ware as needed – example soup
spoon (steak knife should be on table already)
 Rolls & Butter
 Sauces or any guest Special Requests
Section III –Setting Up the Order
Assemble the beverage order
 Bev-naps
 Accompaniments needed for soft
beverages (such as lemon & sugar caddy)
 Ice buckets if needed (for 2 or more
bottles of beer(room service) and/or
service of full bottles of white or blush
wine, Champagne)

NOTE: Always open wine or beer bottles in

the presence of the Guest, unless
otherwise requested by the Guest.
 Make sure you have your “beverage tools”
like bottle opener and cork screws.
Hot Items
 Make sure you have a clean rag or
napkin handy to handle the hot food
coming off the line.
 Pick-up the hot food from kitchen
service line and place matching plate
cover on top –place on tray.
Review the order
 Using the Order Pad with which you
took the order to ensure the Guest’s
order is complete and ready for
delivery.
 Importance of Timing
It is very important that the guest are ready
for the food you are about to deliver.
 Make sure they are finished with their
appetizer and it has been cleared from the
table before you come out with the entrée.

As you may have noticed in taking the

order, timing is critical.
 When the order was taken, the Guest’s
expectation for delivery was set. If the
order arrives later than that expectation,
the Guest will be disappointed. If the order
arrives earlier, the Guest will be pleased,
it is that simple.
 “In the Weeds”
OK, so it’s not your fault, or the Guest’s
fault, but you find yourself “in the weeds”,
with an onslaught of orders you can’t fill in
a reasonable time. What do you do? Here
are the steps that will get you – and the
Guest - through this experience.
 Call for Help!

 Tell the Kitchen

 Set or Re-Set the Guest Expectations

 Call for Help!
 You can’t get help unless you ask.
Sure, other parts of the hotel are
likely to be busy. Your supervisor or
your MOD will know where to find
help. Call them, RIGHT AWAY!
 Tell the Kitchen
There are many reasons that the cooks need
to know that you’re backed up, not the
least of which is that they might be able to
help.
 If they can’t help, they must at least be
informed of the approximate length of the
delay, so they don’t prepare the food
orders too quickly, resulting in the food
sitting under a heat lamp too long before
delivery.
 Set or Re-set the Guest
Expectation
This is the most difficult – and probably the most
important - part. There are two different
circumstances in which you must inform the
Guest of delays:
 A Guest has already placed an order, you realize
that it has been a while:
– Check with the kitchen and get an ETA before you speak
to the guest so you can make an educated estimate of
when the food will be ready.
– EXPLAINTHE DELAY, APOLOGIZE, and let the guest
know approximately how long it is going to be.
 A Guest has called an order in, and you realize
the delivery will not be made on or before the
time promised.
– CALL THE GUEST, EXPLAINTHE DELAY, APOLOGIZE, and
STATE THE “NEW” TIME OF EXPECTED DELIVERY.
 Set or Re-set the Guest
Expectation
 Your manager may instruct you to take
additional steps, such as offer a
complimentary dessert, or tell the Guest
that there will be no charge for the meal.
 When taking the order it is important to
APOLOGIZE and tell the Guest you are
experiencing delays. As always, UNDER-
PROMISE AND OVER-DELIVER in your time
commitment, even when you’re
experiencing delays.
Section IV – Delivering the Order
The required Standards for Room
Service call for some very specific
delivery procedures, including:
 Asking the Guest for permission to
enter the room
 Reviewing the order with the Guest

 Propping the door open when you

enter the room for delivery
Greeting the Guest (Room Service)
1. Knock firmly on door and identify yourself as “Room
Service”. (Please knock with your fist)
2. Greet the Guest with the time of day, for example “Good
Morning”. Use the Guest’s name as it is written on the
check, to verify that you’re at the correct room.
3. Ask for permission to enter the room; upon entering, ask
where they would like their meal to be served.
4. If a "Do Not Disturb" (DND) sign is in place, you should
first double-check your order slip or guest check, making
sure you’re at the correct room. Assuming that you are at
the correct room, follow standard delivery procedures.
When the Guest answers the door, the Room Service
attendant should acknowledge that the Room Service
request is being honored over the "Do Not Disturb" signage
in the event that the Guest forgot to remove the "Do Not
Disturb" sign.
5. For safety reasons upon entering the room, use a door
wedge to hold the door open. Never allow the Guest room
door to close/lock once you have entered the room. If you
do not have a doorstop or wedge with you, turn the
deadbolt so as to prevent the door from closing and
locking.
“Delivering” and reviewing the order

6. Enter the room & simply place the tray

where directed.
7. Review the order with the Guest - read each
item on the guest check back to Guest while
pointing to or displaying (by removing lid)
each item, to confirm the order is complete.
8. Ask if there is anything else the Guest would
like.
9. The tip and delivery charge posted to the
guest check must be pointed out to the Guest
10. Present the guest check for settlement.
Ensure that the guest print and sign their
name.
 Leaving the Guest room
11. Thank the Guest by name and just
before leaving, see if any dishes or
trays are in the room from previous
orders – if so, offer to take them
back.
12. When leaving the Guest room,
remove the door wedge or release
the deadbolt and close the door
firmly.
Proper Handling of Service Pieces
 Cups and mugs are picked up by their
handles, glasses by their steam or base,
never with the palm of the hand over the
open mouth of the glass, silverware by the
handles and dishes by the rim. Special
care should be exercised to insure the
fingers are kept away from the food
contact area.

 Guest should always be warned when hot

plates or hot beverages are about to be
served. The server should use a clean, dry
napkin when handling hot items.
Proper Handling of Service Pieces
 When pouring additional coffee or wine, the cup
or glass should be filled on the tabletop, rather
than lifting them, which will decrease the risk of
spills. Water glasses may be lifted and filled away
from the table because of the risk of splashing.
Turning a water pitcher sideways is never
encouraged, but may be necessary, in order to
get ice into the glass.

 All items with under-liners, and cups with saucers

are to be served as a single unit. Liquids and
their under-liners should be carried separately on
the tray then assembled and served as a single
unit once the server reaches the table.
Proper Handling of Service Pieces
 All china, glass, and silver should be handled with
a minimum of noise.
 Chipped glasses or plates should be shown to the
manger and then discarded.
 Hot Soup should be delivered in a soup cup/bowl
as soon as it is poured at the line(it should not sit
under the heat lamp)
 The check back. Visit the table within 5 minutes
of serving a any item or call the guest within 30
minutes after room service has been delivered, to
verify satisfaction with the meal.
 Ask guest if it is acceptable to pick up the tray. If
so, have the guest place the tray in the corridor.
(Keep in mind that this is your last opportunity
for a sale, i.e. dessert, coffee.)
 Beverage Service
Two keys to great beverage service: “ice” and
“tools”.
 Beer (if more than one is ordered) should be
served in an ice bucket. White wine, pink (or
“rose” or “blush”) wine and sparkling wine (like
Champagne) should be served in a bucket of ice.
 You should have two types of corkscrews. One for
opening bottles yourself and a disposable one for
leaving with the Guest who wants to open their
own.
 Beer gets flat once it’s opened. So you should
always have a bottle opener you can leave with
the Guest, if two or more beers are ordered. And
you should open that first beer yourself, in front
of the Guest. Use the opener even if the bottle is
a “twist-off”.
 Cocktail Service
 Pickup all drinks and garnishes from
the bar. All drinks are served with a
paper beverage napkin. Napkins are
to be carried separately and then
placed under the cocktail in the
Guest room.
 Beer Service
 Bottle is served with beer glass and paper
beverage napkins. Open bottles upon
service. TWO beers or more are served in
an ice bucket filled with ice. When Guests
ask you the type of beers you carry, recite
the names of bottled beers only because
draft beer will probably be flat or warm by
the time it reaches the room. Paper
beverage napkins (“bev-naps”) should be
provided, as should a bottle opener
(regardless if the beer is twist off or not)
Wine Opening Service & Procedures
Never open a bottle of wine before
delivering. Wine must be opened in the
presence of the Guest.

The following is the proper way to open

a bottle of still wine:
 Present the bottle to the Guest, so they
can verify that it’s wine ordered
 Remove the capsule (enclosure) over the
cork. Put it in your pocket.
 Uncork the wine using your corkscrew.
Wine Opening Service & Procedures
The following is the proper way to open a
bottle of still wine:
 When the cork is removed, offer it to the host
– some Guests like to see this to ensure that
the wine is not spoiled (a bad wine will produce
a bad cork smell).
 Wipe mouth of bottle with cloth napkin to
remove cork residue.
 Pour from the right, approximately 1oz. for host
to taste. Twist the bottle as you lift it to avoid
dripping. Wait for approval.
 Fill Guest’s glass first and then finish the host’s
glass. Just about half way, never fill the glass
to the top.
 The remainder of the bottle is placed in the ice
bucket or left on the table.
Wine Opening Service & Procedures
The following is the proper way to open
a bottle of sparkling wine
(“champagne”):
 Present the bottle to the Guest, so they
can verify that it’s wine ordered
 Remove the top of the foil covering.
 Untwist and loosen the wire hood that
covers the cork.
 Hold the cork under a cloth napkin and the
bottom of the bottle in the other hand.
Holding the bottle at a 45-degree angle
will minimize the wine’s foaming out of the
top of the bottle.
Wine Opening Service & Procedures
The following is the proper way to open
a bottle of sparkling wine
(“champagne”):
 Twist the bottle and ease the cork out
slowly to subdue the popping. Hold cork
firmly to prevent it from flying.
 Wipe mouth of the bottle with cloth napkin
to remove cork residue.
 Pour from the right, approximately 1oz.
for host to taste. Pour champagne slowly
so not to cause excessive foaming. Twist
the bottle as you lift it to avoid dripping.
Wait for approval.
 The remainder of the bottle is placed in
the ice bucket.
 Red wine is served at room
temperature without a wine bottle
holder. Bottle opening procedures
are the same as for chilled wines,
with the option of letting the opened
red wine “breathe” (develop flavor)
before pouring. If Guest prefers to
let the bottle stand for awhile, they
will pour for themselves. They should
be asked their preference.
Thank you for your listening!