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Traditional vs. Modern Food ServiceVinti Davar
1. Introduction:
Food and Beverage Service is one of the most important department of any food service organisation, be it a hotel or a small dhaba. The main responsibility of such establishments is to serve prepared food to the guests.
2. Objectives:
The main objectives of this chapter are to have a good understanding of following topics:
· Traditional Food Service
· Modern Food Service
2.1 Traditional Food Service
These types of services include mainly Waiter Service
2.2 Modern Food Service
These types of services can be categorised into following:
1. Waiter Service
2. Self-Service
3. Assisted Service
2.2.1 Waiter service
This method includes service of food and beverages to guests by waiters at the table. Waiter service can be further categorised into following:
1. English service
2. American service
3. French service
4. Russian service
5. Gueridon service
6. Tray service
2.2.1.1 English service
This method is popularly known as silver service. It is one of the most formal kinds of service methods. The food is served from the left hand side of the guest whereas beverages are served from the right hand side with the help of service spoon and fork after presenting the dishes to guests. Lady guests are served first followed by male guests and hosts are served in the last in a clockwise fashion. Its main advantages and disadvantages are as follows:
Advantages
&#; Ensures maximum guest satisfaction.
&#; It is highly personalized kind of service.
&#; Very impressive and eye appealing.
&#; It generates minimum or no food waste. Disadvantages
&#; It requires very high level of skills.
&#; Labour costs are on higher side.
&#; The space needed is more.
&#; It is also very time consuming.
&#; Cost of equipment is on higher side.
2.2.1.2 American service
This is a simple and informal form of service. It is also termed as plated service. A waiter carrying minimum of three types of dishes approaches guests and place the dishes from the right hand side of a guest. Generally, one waiter is sufficient for three guests. Trays are generally avoided for service; however can be used for carrying out soiled dishes.
This type of service is preferred by busy restaurants like coffee shops, fast food outlets etc.
Few important considerations are as follows:
i.Food service is done from the right-hand side of the guest.
ii. All beverages are also served from the right-hand side of the guest.
iii. Soiled dishes are cleared from the right-hand side of the guest.
iv. Service trays can be used to carry items like cups, bowls, saucers etc.
v.In no case, full and half plates are carried in trays.
vi.Service sequence is clockwise from the right-hand side.
Advantages
· Highly skilled professionals are not required.
· Labour cost is low.
· Less staff is required.
· Equipment cost is less.
· Faster method of service.
Disadvantages
· Less guest friendly service.
· More plate waste is generated.
· More chances of food contamination.
· No scope for waiters to exhibit their skills.
· More of kitchen time and labour
2.2.1.3 French service
This is also known as family service. In France, this service is found in family pensions (pension de famille) 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. For larger parties of more than four guests, a side table or trolley can be used. The waiter keeps plates, service tools, and dishes on the trolley/sideboard. He/she places plates at guests&#; covers and then presents the dishes with service tools to each guest from the left-hand side to help themselves. Alternatively, all dishes may be placed on the table and the host may serve all his guests at the table first or assist them in service and serve himself finally. This method is widely practised in ethnic restaurants, especially in Chinese and Indian restaurants. Indian breads 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
Limitations
2.2.1.4 Russian service
This is a very elaborate service and may also be termed as sideboard service. In this style, 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 served to the guests with service spoon and fork. After service, dishes are kept on a hot plate in the sideboard to keep them warm. Each course is served from the sideboard. This service is not practised much in recent times.
Limitations
This is also termed as trolley service. In this style of service, dishes are prepared, carved, dressed, or flambéed on a trolley in front of the guests and served with service spoon and fork. It is a very effective tool for merchandising. Restaurant may have trolleys specially constructed for various jobs such as carving, flambéing, and presentation. The design of a trolley varies according to its purpose. Carving trolley, flambé trolley, hors d&#;oeuvre varies trolley, cheese trolley, and liqueur trolleys are some of the trolleys found in restaurants offering gueridon service. This type of service is practised in luxury, upmarket restaurants.
However, one should not confuse this service with the trolleys used for clearing dirty dishes and those facilitating service. For example, trolleys used in flight catering for carrying portioned food trays and trolleys used in casual dining restaurants for clearing soiled tableware do not constitute gueridon service.
Advantages
Limitations
2.2.1.6 Tray service
In this form of service, the dishes ordered by guests are neatly portioned and arranged on a tray with necessary cutlery and taken to their rooms/beds/seats by waiters. Special trays are available to retain temperature of dishes. This style is practised in room service, hospitals, flights, and institutional catering.
Guests in hotels at times call for service of dishes in their rooms. Their orders are taken by room service order takers; dishes are arranged on a tray and served quickly in their rooms. Orders can be collected either from the kitchen or floor pantry.
In hospitals, patients are given a diet recommended by dieticians. These dishes are arranged on trays and wheeled to their rooms on trolley. Passengers who are confined to their seats in flights are given their meals on trays. The menu is decided by the flight operator and catering contractor.
Advantages
Service skill is not required, hence low labour cost
Limitations
2.2.2 Self-Service
This is the simplest form of service methods where members of service staff do not serve guests. Customers help themselves with the dishes they would like to consume. Self-service is classified into:
1) Cafeteria
2) Counter service
3) Vending
2.2.2.1 Cafeteria service
There are two types of cafeteria service in practice. They are
2.2.2.1.1 Traditional cafeteria system
This form of service is widely followed in institutional and industrial catering establishments. It consists of a straight line of counters containing a variety of hot and cold dishes displayed in order. The customer starts from one end of the line, picks up a tray and moves along the length of the counter as he selects dishes he wants to have. A tray rail is attached to the full length of the counter to rest tray while selecting dish and passing along the line. The cashier who is seated at the end of the counter makes the bill and collects payment. This is not required if the meals are pre-paid. Normally, the service counter is separated from the dining area.
Traditional cafeteria system tends to build up long queues, due to some/all of the reasons outlined below:
You will get efficient and thoughtful service from Qingzhan.
The traditional &#;one line-cafeteria&#; system is modified to speed up service and make customers select dishes of their choice quickly without having to wait long in queues.
2.2.2.1.2 Free-Flow cafeteria
In modern &#;free-flow cafeteria&#; system, counters are segregated according to the type of dishes offered-hot or cold, appetizers, soups, breads, sandwiches, entrees, salads, pastas and so on. Customers can move at will to any service point to select dishes and exit through the payment point. Trays and other essential service equipment are kept on tables at convenient places. Guests pick up trays and go to Counters of their choice and select whatever dishes they want. The cashier collects payment for the dishes collected at the entrance of the dining hall.
In this system, Counters are not arranged in a straight line, but in shapes such as hollow-square, U, echelon or saw-tooth, and so on, depending on the number of dishes on offer and shape and size of area available. However there are two main types of layout-hollow Square and echelon.
In the hollow-square layout, counters are placed around three sides of service area forming a U-shape. Each side has counters of different dishes, with an open end for customers to enter and leave. This style is suitable for department stores, shopping malls, exhibition sites, and so on, for a steady flow of customers.
In echelon or saw-tooth layout, a series of counters are positioned at such angles that customers can flow within free flow area and also save space. A customer reaches the counter of his/her choice to help himself/herself. This method is suitable for serving large number of people arriving almost at the same time, as in the industrial catering.
While positioning counters of various categories of dishes in free-flow cafeteria system, adequate thought should be given on the traffic flow of guests, location of most preferred category of dishes, ease of replenishment especially to counters that are centrally located, cad so on. Arrangement of counters should not lead to too much cross-flow of customers, should be convenient for guests to help themselves and for service staff to refill the stations. These counters should have signs posted for quicker identification by customers. Beverage counters may be located either in service hall or dining area.
Free-flow cafeteria may extend call order service where guests place orders for grilled, roasted, and fried items, which are then cooked as per the order. Payment for dishes collected is made at any of the cash points located in many places in the hall which makes it convenient for customers to pay quickly and leave for dining. Flow of activities in free-flow cafeteria system:
In both traditional and free-flow cafeteria systems, the provision of cutlery, condiments, accompanying sauces, and water is made available after the cash point, to avoid delays. In some establishments these may be placed on the dining tables.
Clearing of tables may be done either by staff or by customers. Mostly it is done by a team of staff. Tables should be cleared and cleaned as quickly as possible and chairs should be positioned properly as guests always look for free tables.
2.2.2.1.2.1 The carousel
This system consists of a number of rotating shelves at different heights on which food and drinks are presented. Each shelf is approximately 6&#; in diameter and rotates at one revolution per minute. Food is loaded from the table at the server side as and when necessary.
In this style, customers do not move as in the case of free-flow cafeteria system. They stand and pick up the dishes of their choice from the revolving shelf and pay the cashier seated near carousel in the dining area. One half of the carousel is in the serving area for customers to pick the food and other half is in pantry for kitchen staff to load the shelf.
Dishes are arranged in the carousel as mentioned below:
Trays, cutlery, napkins, and beverages are kept separately to avoid overcrowding at the carousel.
This system is not in use widely.
Advantages
2.2.2.2 Counter service
Guests select the dishes they want to have from the menu displayed, buy tokens, and collect dishes over the counter against the tokens. They may consume the dishes either in the premises or get them packed as takeaway. Cafeteria, fast food outlets, canteens, food courts, kiosks, and so on, follow this style.
Advantages
No personalized service.
No scope for talented wait staff to show their skill.
2.2.2.3 Vending machine
In this style, guests get the dishes from machines. Customers buy tokens or coins and insert these into the vending machine and get whatever they wish to have by selecting appropriate option. A wide variety of hot and cold dishes are available in this system. The most important products dispensed are
1) Soups
2) Hot and cold meals
3) Sandwiches, biscuits, cookies, and snacks
4) Hot and cold beverages
5) Confectioneries
Vending machines are installed in busy areas such as railways and bus stations, airports, school, hospitals, and so on.
Limitations
2.2.3 Assisted Service
This is a combination of waiter and self-service. It is used extensively in hotels and restaurants Service staff assists customers in service of water, accompanying vegetables, sauces, sweets, and so on. The following are the examples for assisted service:
1. Buffet
2. Carvery
2.2.3.1 Buffet service
In buffet style of service, dishes are neatly displayed with garnish in the appropriate containers and arranged attractively on the buffet table in a proper order for guests to help themselves. Dishes at buffet are available at a set price and all dishes are kept ready for service at a set time. The display has wide choice of both hot and cold dishes. Hot dishes are kept in chafing dishes and the cold ones in glass/metal/wood containers. Pile of clean plates is kept at the head of each line and cutlery and napkins are kept at the end. Disposable napkins, if used, are placed between plates.
Buffet can be broken into many sections such as soup, non-vegetarian, vegetarian, salads and cold cuts, sweets, coffee/tea, and so on, depending on the menu to avoid congestion at the table. Each section has appropriate service equipment. Soup section has soup bowls, quarter plates, and soup spoons. At times, soup spoon may be laid at the table. Sweet counter will have adequate half plates and bowls. Cutlery for dessert is either laid at the table or kept in the buffet.
Carvings of ice, tallow, vegetable, fruits, and so on, may be used as the centre piece to depict the theme if any, and to enhance appearance of the buffet. Buffet should have dishes of different colours and should be presented in varying heights to make it eye-catching. Sauces and accompaniments must be placed next to the dishes which they are to complement. The dishes should be arranged in such a way that they are easy for guests to reach. All dishes must be kept covered till guests arrive.
During service, the hot dishes should be stirred regularly to ensure an even temperature throughout. As and when the dish&#;s quantity gets reduced in the food container, it should be replaced quickly. The operators should not allow food to remain in &#;danger zone&#; (between 5-65o C) for a long time during service as bacteria multiply rapidly at this temperature range.
Guests can have any dish they want in any quantity from the buffet, but are prohibited from sharing, packing, and carrying. In this form of service, a large number of people can be served within a short duration of time. Buffet service does not need too many service staff or much service skills. This type of service is suitable for function catering. A lot of restaurants today favour this style of service for all three meals.
There are three types of buffet-sit down buffet, fork buffet, and finger buffet.
In sit down buffet, tables are laid with necessary cover. Customers select the dishes they want to have from the buffet and eat at the table set with necessary cutlery and crockery. Wait staff may help in the service of water, soup, sweet, and coffee and clear the table. They may also extend any other assistance required by the guests.
In fork buffet, customers are expected to stand and eat the food using only one piece of cutlery, normally a fork. A few spoons may also be kept on the buffet. Dishes included in the menu should be such that it can be easily managed with one piece of cutlery. In standing buffet, it may be difficult for guests to hold the soup bowl and eat with a spoon. To make it convenient for guests, a soup mug may be used, which does not need a spoon. However, if soup mugs are to be used, the soup should not have heavy garnish as this requires a soup spoon. Meat, chicken, fish preparations for this type of buffet should be without bones and the pieces should be bite-size. Many establishments select fruit salad with ice cream, ice cream, soufflés, puddings, or Indian sweets such as gulab jamun, rasgullas, rabri, gajar halwa, beet root halwa, and so on, for sweet course which can be eaten with one piece of cutlery. A few chairs may be available for aged guests.
In finger buffet, dishes are collected from the buffet and eaten with fingers. Dishes as burgers, sandwiches, and so on, are ideal for finger buffet. A washing facility with hand drier and napkin dispenser is essential.
Buffet service is becoming increasingly popular in modern times in all hotels and restaurants advantages
No personalized service
2.2.3.2 Carvery
This style is practised in large chain of hotels & restaurants all over the world. The basic concept is that roast joints are carved by the trencher (carver) and served. Carvery is open for luncheon and dinner and it also serves alcohol. Table d&#;hôte menu is used in carvery which consists of three courses with selection starters, three or four roast meats, and a selection of sweet. Waiters serve first and third courses, while guests help themselves for roasts at the carvery counter.
Carvery may have three or four varieties of roast and poultry. Each variety of roasts will have separate carving tools for carving to ensure food hygiene. Accompanying sauces should be presented in sauceboats and placed near the appropriate roast with ladle. Accompanying vegetables and potatoes are kept in bain-marie. These vegetable may either be served at the table by waiters or collected by guests from the carvery. Roasts are kept under infra-red lamps throughout service to retain heat. The temperature of roasts being carved, should be 63°C or above. Bread and butter are placed at the table. If guests need assistance, waiters may serve them at the table.
Service sequence at carvery
Advantages
Limitations
3. FACTORS INFLUENCING THE STYLE OF SERVICE
The style of food service implemented by an establishment will depend on a number of interrelated factors. Some of them are as follows:
Type of establishment
3.1 Type of establishment
Standard of establishment and type of food and beverage served influences the style of service followed. The service style of a fine dining restaurant which offers expensive dishes and drinks to business class customers will be different from the style of service extended to school children or to clients at a fast food restaurant.
3.2 Service area available
The size of food service area also dictates service style. Gueridon service needs more area compared to any other form of table service. Carousel service needs less area compared to echelon service.
3.3 Location of establishment
The location of an establishment plays an important role in the selection of the style of service. For example, in a food and beverage facility located in a busy area where rate of customer flow is very high, quick service is expected. Here, the ideal style of service will be plated, cafeteria, or buffet style and definitely not silver style or gueridon which would take more time for service, and thus deprive the operator from serving more customers.
3.4 Type of dishes to be served
The menu items on offer should be taken into account while deciding on style of service. Certain dishes cannot be silver served, for example ice cream, sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs; and so on these dishes can be plated conveniently and served.
3.5 Time available for service
Time available to customers to have their meal should be carefully considered while deciding the style of service. For example, in industrial canteens, workers get a lunch break of one hour and within that time the operator may have to serve around 700 people or may have only 30 minutes to serve tea and snacks for a large gathering during a seminar tea break. In these situations such service should be organized which can handle large groups in short time.
3.6 Turnover expected
Any catering operator would like to have high turnover which is possible when service is quick. A seat occupied for a long time due to slow service will result in poor seat turnover. However, this depends on pricing policy of the establishment. Higher the price levied, better the service expected from the customers. At the same time, the service should not be too slow.
3.7 Type of customers
Age, sex, income level, status, family, friends, and occupation of the customers influence style service. Restaurants frequented by customers from low-income group cannot afford to implement full silver service which costs more. It can only implement a service style that will be inexpensive and which the guests can afford. The standard of service offered is directly related to the price of dishes.
3.5 Service skills available
Before deciding on a style of service for an operation, one must consider the level of service skills of the service staff and whether those skills are easily available in the job market. American service does not require much service skill when compared to gueridon service.
3.6 Service Equipment
Each style requires appropriate service equipment. However common equipment required for any food service outlet are as follows:
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Special Equipments:
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