Journal of Hotel and Business Management
Open Access

Styles of Food and Beverage Service

Dipak Choudhury^{* *}Correspondence: Dipak Choudhury, Department of Hotel Management, IIAS School of Management, West Bengal, India, Tel: 7797743385, Email:

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Introduction

Different styles of services needed for catering industry

There are many ways in which food and beverage are serve to customer in the catering industry. The following are the most prominent styles.

There are five types of service using in catering industry:

• Table service.
• Assisted service.
• Self service.
• Single point service.
• Specialize service.

Description

Table service

It is service to a customer at a laid cover. The different types of table service are:

• Silver service/English service: In this method, dishes are presented and transferred to the guest's plate using service spoon and service fork from the left hand side of the guest while beverages are served from right hand side. The server moves anti-clockwise while serving food. This kind of service is implemented in upscale restaurant. It is regarded as a formal service.
• Pre-plated/American service: It is also termed as plated service. In this style, dishes are neatly plated in the kitchen by the kitchen staff and placed at the guest's cover from the right hand side. The server moves clockwise while placing plated food.
• Butler/French service: This is also known as family service. In France, this service is found in family function and banquets, where the dish is presented to each guest from the left-hand side to help them self/herself.
• Russian service: This is a very elaborate service. In this style, large joints, roast poultry, whole fish, and so on, which have elaborate garnish are neatly arranged on a platter, presented to the host, taken back to the side board, carved, portioned and served to the guests with service spoon and fork.
• Gueridon service: Gueridon service is a term used in the restaurant business to refer to “trolley service.” Food is cooked, finished front of the guest or presented to the guest at a table, from a moveable trolley.

Assisted service

It is combination of self service and table service.

Service staff assist customer in serves of water, vegetable, sausage, sweets and so on.

It is extensively used in hotel and restaurant. e.g.: Buffet service, carvery.

Self service

In this service customer will help themselves. e.g.: Cafeterias: The customers will queue in line, pass a service counter and will help themselves.

Single point service

The service is from single point and can be consumed on premises or taken away. e.g.: Takeaways, vending machines.

Specialize service

Service to customer in areas not prior in design for service. e.g.: Home delivery, lounge, room service etc.

Conclusion

There is an increasing demand for qualified service professionals in the food and beverage industry. The styles of food service offered in catering establishments keep changing rapidly according to the changing environment in which it operates. It is necessary for the operator to understand the environment in which he/she is operating in order to decide the service style. Customers basically demand good quality food that is hygienically prepared and served. It should be remembered that a food service area or restaurant cannot afford to stick rigidly to any one style of food service. It may follow a combination of services. For some dishes, plate service or silver service may be followed and others may be kept on the table for customers to help themselves.