Food Service Industry

• Commercial Food Service


  Main goal is to provide food and beverage to customers for profit and create positive guest experiences
• Non-commercial or Institutional Food service


  A budget-oriented enterprise that prepares and serves meals as a secondary support service to educational institutions and other organizations
• Management Company or Food Service Contractors


  If institutions lack the expertise to operate F&B service operations efficiently, they could contract with a Food Service Contractor to run their business for them
• Restaurants


  Commercial facilities that provide food and beverages to customers for profit. Furnished with dining tables and chairs and equipped with cutlery, glassware, linen, etc. according to the standards of the establishment
• Fine Dining or Upscale Restaurants


  • Also called luxury, "gourmet" or "gastronomic" expensive restaurants which usually offer the highest quality food and beverage products and services. The main areas of focus are menu, service, and the ambiance
• Casual Dining (Mid-scale) Restaurants


  • Restaurants that serve moderately-priced food in a casual atmosphere. They offer a fuller but less formal menu and table service and they have a full bar, lager beer menu, and limited wine menu
• Bistro


  A small restaurant serving moderately priced simple meals in a modest setting with alcohol
• Brasserie


  A type of French restaurant with a relaxed setting, which serves single dishes and other meals. It is expected to have professional service, printed menus, and white linen and serves the same menu all day
• Family Restaurants


  • Appeal to families and others desiring comfort foods. They have a moderately-priced menu. Table service rather than counter service. Food is served on platters
• Quick Service Restaurants (QSR)


  Also known as Fast Food Restaurants. They provide "ready to eat" food in minutes after it is ordered. There is a cashier counter where food orders are placed, paid for, and received for consumption either on a tray or in a packed form to take away. It does not usually require traditional cutlery and flatware. The menu items are depicted through colorful transparencies behind the counter
• Ethnic Restaurants


  Specializes in foods associated with a particular culture, country, or region
• Specialty Restaurants


  Restaurants in which the concept of the cuisine or food is given priority. They feature specific kinds of food such as steaks, chicken, seafood, doughnuts, or sandwiches
• Themed Restaurants


  Characterized by a special theme that incorporates the design, menu, service, and overall "feel" of the restaurant. Creative, as well as culinary expertise, is needed for the successful functioning of such an establishment
• Coffee Shop / Coffee House


  Restaurants without table service that emphasize coffee and other beverages. Ensures quick service because the food items offered can be made in a hurry and pre-plated. The restaurant has a casual atmosphere. Customers can relax and socialize for long periods of time without pressure to leave promptly after eating
• Buffet Restaurant


  A type of restaurant concept that includes self-service and catering. It offers customers a selection of food at a fixed price. The food is served on trays around bars, from which customers with plates serve themselves
• Cafeteria / Canteen


  A self-service restaurant serving ready-cooked food arranged behind the food serving counter. Cafeterias are common in hospitals, corporations, and educational institutions. There is no table service
• Table-service


  Food and beverage are ordered and brought to the customer's table by the wait staff
• American Style


  Food is plated in the kitchen and brought out to the guests individually, which controls portion sizes and helps to ensure that each guest receives his food when it's still hot
• English Style


  An informal way of table setting wherein the foods are placed in the middle of the table. Each person will just get what he/she wants on a plate or the host/hostess serves the individual plates from the platters or bowls placed in front of him/her
• French Style (Gueridon)


  Food is served from the gueridon. A Gueridon is a rolling cart the same height as the guest's table. It is covered with a cloth and is placed side-by-side with the table. It is equipped with a small alcohol stove that is used to keep the food warm for the preparation of sauces and other special dishes. This service is very elaborate and elegant. The food is partially prepared in the kitchen and completed by the Chef or Headwaiter in full view of the customer
• Specialized Service


  The food and drink are taken to where the customer is. This includes tray service in hospitals or aircraft, trolley service, home delivery, lounge, and room service
• Self-service


  Customers select their food from the displayed items, they carry them with or without a tray
• Types of self-service


  • Buffet service
  • Cafeteria service
  • Counter service
• Single-point service


  The customer orders, pays, and receives the food and beverages, for instance at a counter, at a bar in licensed premises, in a fast-food operation, or at a vending machine. Menu items are consumed off-premise and are packaged accordingly