LESSON 3.2 Food and Beverage Service

• Punctuality


  _______ is all-important. If staff are continually late on duty it shows a lack of interest in their work and a lack of respect for the management and customers.

  
  

  • All-important
  • Shows lack of interest in work and lack of respect for management and customers if staff are continually late
• Local knowledge


  In the interest of customers the staff should have some knowledge of the area in which they work so they may be able to advise customers on the various forms of entertainment offered, the best means of transport to places of interest and so on.

  
  

  • Staff should have some knowledge of the area to advise customers on entertainment, transport, etc.
• Personality


  Staff must be tactful, courteous, good humoured and of an even temper. They must converse with the customer in a pleasing and well-spoken manner, and the ability to smile at the right time pays dividends.

  
  

  • Tactful, courteous, good humoured, even tempered
  • Converse with customers in a pleasing and well-spoken manner
  • Ability to smile at the right time
• Attitude to customers


  The correct approach to the customer is of the utmost importance. Staff must provide service but should not be servile and should be able to anticipate the customer’s needs and wishes. A careful watch should be kept on customers during the service(but without staring) to check the progress of the meal. Be attentive but not intrusive at all times during the service sequence.

  
  

  • Provide service but not be servile
  • Anticipate customer needs and wishes
  • Careful watch on customers during service (but without staring) to check progress of meal
  • Attentive but not intrusive
• Cultural awareness


  • The cultural diversity of customers is increasing and this is reflected in factors such as language, dress and traditions as well as dietary
  • Open-minded, non-judgemental, flexible
  • Able to appreciate and communicate respect for cultural diversity of customers
• Honesty


  Trust and respect in the triangle of staff, customer and management relationships lead to an atmosphere at work that encourages efficiency and a good team spirit among the food and beverage service operators.

  
  

  • Trust and respect in staff-customer-management relationships leads to efficient work and good team spirit
• Loyalty


  Staff obligations and _______ are first to the establishment in which they are employed and its management. Staffs therefore need to commit mentally to the ethos of the establishment and be fully aware of their department’s aims and objectives.

  
  

  • Staff obligations and loyalty are first to the establishment and its management
  • Commit mentally to the ethos of the establishment and be fully aware of department's aims and objectives
• Conduct


  Staff _______ should be impeccable at all times, especially in front of customers. The rules and regulations of an establishment must be followed and respect shown to all senior members of staff..

  
  

  • Impeccable at all times, especially in front of customers
  • Follow rules and regulations and show respect to senior staff
• Sales ability


  All members of staff reflect the image of the establishment. They are sales people and must therefore have a complete knowledge of all forms of food and drink and their correct service, and so be able to contribute to personal selling and merchandising.

  
  

  • Complete knowledge of all food and drink and their correct service
  • Contribute to personal selling and merchandising
• Sense of urgency


  In order for the establishment to generate the maximum amount of business over the service period, with as high a net profit as possible, staff must develop a ___ __ ___ in their work. This should be promoted by management by displaying a ‘do as I ]do’ attitude, leading by example.

  
  

  • Develop sense of urgency in work to generate maximum business and profit
  • Promoted by management leading by example
• Complaints


  Staff should have a pleasant manner and demonstrate courtesy and tact, an even temper and good humour. They should never show their displeasure even during a difficult situation. Staff should never argue with a customer and if they are unable to resolve a situation, it should be referred immediately to a senior member of the team who will be able to reassure the customer and put right any fault

  
  

  • Pleasant manner, courtesy, tact, even temper, good humour
  • Never show displeasure or argue with customer
  • Refer unresolvable situations to senior staff
• Contribution to the team


  • Above all, staff should be able to work as part of a team within and between departments. Being a team member means communicating, co-operating and being reliable so that as a team each member contributes to enable a successful service to be delivered every session.
  • Communicate, cooperate, be reliable to enable successful service delivery