TLE

• booking sheet is a form that has the record of the reservations
• cover is the number of guests an establishment will seat or the number of guests attending the function
• reservation is the agreement between two parties that something such as room, table, or seat will be held for use at a later time
• 1. receive the reservation - one of the skills needed in taking reservation is telephone call handling skills
  2. take the reservation details
  3. check the reservation book - to prevent double booking
  4. accept or deny reservation
  5. document the details of the reservation
  6. give reminders
  7. say good-bye
• the number of guests will tell you whether to add or remove covers from their table
• service time, the guest may have requested to finish dining at a specific time to attend to their next appointment
• requests for surprises such as cakes and the like, this must be discreet and verified with the host
• the back-of-the-house is the area in the restaurant or hotel where guests do not have access
• the house is the entire dining area
• the maitre d' is the headwaiter or the master of the hotel
• the proprietor is the person who owns the business
• the welcome gesture is the act of welcoming a person in the establishment
• 1. check the restaurant layout for the reserved seats
  2. if the guest does not have a reservation, begin by asking how many they are in the party
  3. walk ahead the guest when ushering them to their table
  4. if the maitre d' is not available, the manager may assist the guests
• tips when seating guests:

  1. try not to offer the four-seats table to a party of one or two
  2. place loud and noisy parties in private rooms or the back of the dining room
  3. young couples prefer quiet corners or a spot in the dining area with a nice view
  4. well-dressed parties may be an asset to your establishment
  5. try to accommodate guests requesting for a specific table
  6. seat the ladies with the best view
  7. help the guests with pulling in and out their chairs as they seat
• the best selling item is the most frequently ordered or the most saleable items
• the menu is the list of dishes available in a restaurant
• the sommelier is the wine steward
• the specials are the dishes considered as the specialty of the chef
• procedure in handling the menu:

  1. ensure that all of the menus are facing the right way
  2. provide enough menus for everyone at the table
  3. present the menu
  4. mention the today's specials and promotions
  5. inform the guests if there are any items that are not available
• overselling occurs when a salesperson becomes too pushy in offering products or services
• recommending is to give an opinion
• suggest is to provide an objective answer
• suggestive selling is recommending products to the guest with the aim to improve their dining experience
• common concerns of guests:

  vegetarian food

  budget-wise selection

  ingredients that may cause allergic reactions

  healthful choices

  food they may dislike
• the checklist system is a method of taking order wherein the server selects the guest's choice by placing a mark on a preprinted list of menu
• point-of-service (POS) system is the combination of computer hardware and software
• guest check order systems is a method wherein the server directly writes the guest's order on the guest check form
• the method notepad order system is best used for restaurants with multiunit kitchen with separate chefs for every unit
• handheld computer order system is a paperless method
• guide in taking and recording orders:

  1. as soon as you see the signs that the guest is ready to order, stand near the table
  2. offer chef's specialty and the menu
  3. be honest when answering the guests' question about the menu
  4. take the orders of the ladies first before the gentlemen
  5. use your left hand to hold the order-taking pad
  6. stand to the right of the guest whose giving his or her orders
  7. be quick in taking orders but remain courteous all the time
  8. repeat the order for verification
  9. smile and be attentive at all times
• four-top is the table for four
• the pivot system is taking order beginning from a set starting point and working clockwise from it
• the standardized abbreviation is a set of abbreviation of the food dishes
• rules when taking and recording orders:

  1. be attentive
  2. be sensitive in approaching the table and the guests
  3. make recommendations or suggestions
  4. take the guest order from the right
  5. note the number of guests
  6. abbreviate
• vwd is very well done
• wd is well done
• mw is medium well
• m is medium
• mr is medium rare
• r is rare