TOPIC 12: ORGANIZING CUSTOMER SERVICES IN A RESTAURANT

Plan:

1. Reception and accommodation of customers in a restaurant

2. Acceptance and fulfillment of orders

3. Rules for dispensing food and beverages to customers

4. Settlements with clients

5. Collection and replacement of used dishes and utensils

​

​

​

THE FOLLOWING TRADITIONAL FORMS OF SERVICE ARE USED IN THE RESTAURANT:

WHEN THE FLOW OF CUSTOMERS TO THE RESTAURANT CONTINUES UNINTERRUPTED, DAILY CUSTOMER SERVICE INCREASES. THE RESTAURANT SERVICE CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING MAIN ELEMENTS:

The headwaiter or waiters have recommended to customers who should sit where, and can conduct the following etiquette actions with them:

• make the table more comfortable for the guest invited to sit down;
• First place the women, then the men, the men should sit in the right corner of the table or on the opposite side of the woman;
• If the client comes with a woman, the woman is seated before the man;
• If a female waiter is serving, then she can only help elderly people sit down;

​

​

​

• if clients choose their own seats, there's no need to disturb them and seat them at another table. Movement from one place to another can be carried out only at the request of clients;
• if regular customers come, they should be invited to a seat where they always sit;
• it is prohibited to invite clients to an unprepared table;
• if business guests come, it is advisable to accommodate them in a convenient place.

​

​

2. ACCEPTANCE AND FULFILLMENT OF ORDERS

• After the customers are seated, the head waiter or waiter recommends a menu for choosing food and drinks, accepts the order, and proceeds to fulfill it. In such cases, the head waiter can also assist the serving waiter.

​

• Usually, the waiter comes from the left side of the table and hands the menu to the customers. When serving the group, the menu is presented to the elderly person, and if there are women, the menu is given to the older one among them.

​

• If there are two customers - a man and a woman, the menu is given to a man, who, in turn, hands the menu to the woman, or the menu is brought separately for two people. After the woman selects the food, the man places an order with the waiter. If there are many people in the group, the menu is given to the person who contacted the waiter. If military personnel arrive at the restaurant, the menu is provided to a person of higher rank.

​

• Handing over the menu, the waiter goes into the kitchen. With this, the waiter gives guests the opportunity to choose food, and upon returning, the waiter receives the order from the right side. If customers have difficulty choosing food, the waiter will help. They recommend the names and quality of the dishes. If the waiter is knowledgeable and experienced, he can praise the dishes appropriately. Provides information about dishes, vegetables, and fruits depending on the season, i.e., information about first courses, second courses and drinks, fish, meat, and dough dishes. With the onset of cold weather, the need for high-calorie foods increases, which should also be taken into account.

​

TO HELP CUSTOMERS CHOOSE FOOD, A WAITER MUST KNOW:

• The waiter should be able to notice the most subtle gestures of clients, and if the clients are talking to each other, the waiter should warn that he is ready to accept orders. If customers say they are in a hurry, the waiter should recommend constantly available dishes and bring them immediately. When accepting an order, the waiter can stand upright or lean slightly towards the customer, but they cannot write on the table with a blank notebook. In the left hand is a numbered form notebook, and in the right hand a pencil. In the numbered form notebook, the name and price of the dish should be clearly written, and the record of each dish should be placed on the same line. The customer can express some opinions about the dish, and the waiter takes them into account and tries to satisfy them.

​

3. RULES FOR DISPENSING FOOD AND BEVERAGES TO CUSTOMERS

• Distributing and serving food to customers visiting restaurants is considered the most complex and important task of a waiter. In addition to the variety of types of catering establishments, the types of services and methods of serving are also diverse.

​

SEVERAL MAIN METHODS OF SERVING DISHES ARE USED IN THE RESTAURANT'S OPERATIONS:

The service technique according to the French method generally includes:

​

• Ingredients for serving dishes - table spoons, forks, paddles, and tongs - are contained in the brought dishes;
• Kitchen utensils are placed on the plate;
• The waiter holds a handkerchief in his left hand, which covers the edge of the sleeve. With his right hand, he takes a plate of food, places it on a towel, and hands it to the client, the handle of which is turned towards the client;

​

​

​

• all dishes are placed in dishes, held in the left hand, and food is served from the left side of the client;
• The waiter who holds the dish up to the elbow stops behind the customer, then, holding the dish in his left hand, takes a step forward with his left foot, bends slightly and brings the dish to the table, being behind the waiter's right hand out of politeness.
• If the food is heavy and abundant, it can also be touched with the right hand. If the right hand is not needed, the waiter should hold it behind their back;
• hold the dish in your left hand and place it on each customer's plate with a fork or spoon using your right hand;

​

​

• The main dish (meat, fish, poultry) is placed in the center of the plate, and the side dishes are placed on the left, and the vegetables are placed on the right from the top;
• The sauce can be placed on the right side of the plate;
• brings the dish to the customer's table, brings it close to their plate but doesn't touch it, the waiter aligns the edge of the dish with the customer's plate and floats the dish.

​

​

• According to the English method (Guéridon - Service), the dish is placed in the customer's dish on an auxiliary table (English). First, the waiter shows the dishes brought from the food distribution department to the customers, then, with their permission, puts them on plates and brings them to the table.

​

IN SUCH CONDITIONS, THE MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING WORKS:

A small walking table is brought to the dining table so that customers can see the waiter's movements;

brought dishes and heated plates are placed on this table;

in front of the customers, the waiter, using kitchen utensils, places the dishes on their plates;

on the left side - dishes, on the right - garnishes;

​

​

​

• brings food and distributes it to customers with one step forward with the right foot from the right side with the right hand;
• for the waiter's convenience, the dishes are arranged in the same order as on the dining table. Usually, the dish with the main ingredients is placed on the left side of the table, and the side dish on the right. In the middle of the table are plates.

​

​

THE DIVISION OF DISHES INTO PORTIONS IS CARRIED OUT AS FOLLOWS:

When adding cutlets, langettes, steaks, potatoes, and vegetable garnishes, place a spoon underneath and lift slightly. It is slightly squeezed with a fork and placed on the client's plate;

When taking a piece of cooked meat, place the spoon and fork under the meat, lift it, and place it on the customer's plate. In this case, the spoon can be in the same direction or in opposite directions relative to the fork;

sweets, puddings, and casseroles should be placed on a plate by the waiter with a spoon in the right hand and a fork in the left, while the utensils are held parallel to each other;

When serving dishes, the waiter holds the spoon in their right hand and the fork in their left hand, meaning the spoon and fork should be parallel to each other.

​

​

• Some dishes are served with a side dish or sauce separately, in which case the waiter can call another waiter for help. The first waiter divides the dish into portions, the second waiter sets the garnish. If there isn't much food, you can bring both the dish and the side dish on a tray.
• When serving food, the waiter comes from the client's right side. You can come from the left side, but the waiter will have to work with his left hand.

​

• American method (Tellerservice - plate service). According to this method, all dishes are brought to the customer in plates and placed on the table. When serving dishes, the waiter goes to the right of the customers and places the dishes. Standing on the left, he takes the empty dishes.

​

Service techniques according to the Russian method generally include the following works:

the ordered dishes are brought to the table in dishes with utensils, the customers themselves serve the dishes, and the waiter assists them;

a waiter puts a napkin under a hot dish on the table. The lids and bowls are placed on special plates;

​

​

cold appetizers and dishes are served simultaneously, while hot dishes are served alternately. Before serving the dishes, the waiter removes the used dishes and places a new one;

this form of service also applies to beverages. Hot drinks, coffee and tea are served in a coffee pot and teapot, as well as in a samovar. Cold drinks and compotes are served in bottles, mugs, and jugs.

​

​

• Self-service (Self - Service). Self-service can also be included in the recipe. That is, the customer puts the food on the plate themselves. In such cases, the waiter holds the dish next to the customer's plate. Cannot place food on the table or hold it too high. The waiter holds the food down toward the customer's plate. When serving dishes, kitchen utensils should be in the waiter's hands, but held higher than the food; they should hold their elbows close to themselves and use kitchen utensils when serving.

​

Figure-6. Self service

4. SETTLEMENTS WITH CLIENTS

• Payment for food and beverages with clients is carried out according to bookkeeping. If the client orders food and drinks in the hotel room, an additional fee is charged in the established amount and recorded in a separate line. The waiter checks the correctness of the account entry, calculates the total amount, signs the receipt, and presents it to the customer on a tray or plate.
• After the waiter gives the bill, he walks away from customers until they prepare the money, then comes back and makes the bill. If the customer wants to pay immediately, the waiter takes the money and gives the change without leaving their office. When giving a refund, the money must be on the front side.

​

• After the service is completed, that is, at the end of the day, an account register is compiled, which, together with a copy of the account, is submitted to the treasury with the accumulated funds. If concerts are organized in a restaurant, an entrance ticket is issued and an additional fee is charged, that is, the funds paid for artists are received from customers. If a wedding, banquet, or event is held in a restaurant, the meals and all expenses are calculated, and tickets are sold in advance.

​

Collect used dishes and utensils. There are several ways to remove used dishes and utensils from the table.

• First method. The waiter approaches the table and with his right hand takes the dishes and utensils from the right side of the client sitting around the table. When taking the first plate with its contents, the bottom of the plate is placed on the palm, the edges are held with the thumb, the middle finger holds the edge of the plate so that the balance of the plate is maintained and it does not slip away.

​

• Second method. The first plate is taken with the left hand, when lifting with the palm upwards, it is placed between the thumb and index finger, maintaining balance, held from below with the index and middle fingers.

​