Menu presenting

Hostess / Maître ’d / Waiter / Waitress

Check and clean the menus (Cover and inserts) daily before the outlet opens. Destroy menus that are worn, crumpled or stained upon the Outlet Manager’s approval.

Carry the menu in the proper way and approach the guest from the right side.

Present the menu (ladies first).

Approach the guest from the right side, present the menu to ladies first, then gentlemen and the host last, by saying : "Here is the menu, Sir/Madam".

Recommend special dishes / drinks.

While presenting the menu, explain to the guest what today's specials are (name the food or beverage).

Step back.

After presenting the menu, step back, give the guests time to read the menu unless the guests wants to order straight away.

Sequence of service

* Welcome & greet the guest(s).

* Seat the guests. 

Pull off the chair and unfold napkin, place it on the guest’s lap.

Inform the guest(s) about the offered services. ( buffet, a la carte, set menu)

* Present the menu 

(when the menu choice has been selected.)

*Take the drink(s) order.

Approach the guest(s) and ask politely to ladies first : 

"Would you care for a drink?" or 

"What would you like to drink?".

* Serve the drinks 

according to the drink order promptly.

When serving, repeat the name of the item(s) being served.

* Take the food order. 

Asking “May I take your order?”

Listen carefully to the guest(s) when taking orders.

Repeat the order and always say thank you.

Take the menu back.

* Present the wine list (if needed).

* Take the wine order (if needed).

* Invite the guest(s) to enjoy the buffet (when the buffet choice has been selected).

Inform the guest(s) that the restaurant has a variety of selected food items and invite the guest(s) to the buffet table if there is one.

* Service of bread & butter. Offer fresh bread in a basket and butter in a butter

dish, and place them on the table.

* Cutlery set-up. 

Bring the required cutlery on a tray or cutlery service plate, and replace it according to the meal course ordered.

* Serve the wine (if ordered).

* Serve the food 

Pick up the food from the kitchen and serve. Check the food against the printed

out slip, giving priority to the ladies’ dishes first.

* Clear the table

After the main course, clear the table neatly. Remove the breadcrumb and make sure the table is clean.

* Service of dessert

Ask if any desserts are required.

Present the dessert menu (if the menu option is requested). 

* Take the dessert order.

* Serve the dessert 

Set the required cutleries and serve the dessert, and ask if the guest would like coffee or tea.

* Serve the coffee or tea 

Accompanied with sugar bowl, milk and/or lime.

Ask if anybody wishes any kind of digestif / liquor. (only for the dinner).

* Prepare the bill

Ask if the guest need anything else. If not, prepare the bill and stand by.

* Present the bill

Bring the bill promptly upon requested.

Return change.

* Farewell the guests

Pull off the chair when guests are leaving. Bid farewell and thank them.

Beverage order taking

Sommelier / Maître ’d / Waiter or Waitress 

* After the guest has been seated, approach the guest’s table with the beverage

menu.

* Approach the guest from the right side and ask if she/he would like to have a

drink or if she/he would like to see the beverage list.

* Recommend any special drinks or cocktails.

* If the guest requests to see the menu, hand the menu to the guest and step back

within attentive distance to wait until the guest has made her/his choice.

* Ask the guest for the order, ask politely : "Excuse me Madam/Sir, may I take your

order?".

* When the guest is ready to order, listen carefully and write down all the details.

Repeat the order, to make sure you get the order correctly, by saying:

"Madam/Sir, your order is (list name(s) of beverage item)”.

* Enter the order in the POS terminal (or remote device), where available, and the

order will thus be printed in the dispense bar.

(Where no ‘on-line’ system is available, pass one copy of the Captain Order to

the bar and one to the cashier.)

Beverage service

* Pick up the beverage item(s) from the bar. Before leaving the counter, double-

check the items with the Captain Order (or the printed order), giving priority to

ladies’ orders.

* Carry the drinks to the table concerned (always with a tray). Carry with the left

hand horizontally under the tray centre and if it is a large tray, use both hands.

Serve ladies first. Approach the table, serve ladies first from their right, serve the

gentlemen and the host last.

* Be sure that all the beverage items for the table concerned have arrived.

Double-check all the drinks with the Captain Order (or the printed order) one by

one.

Greeting guest.

Hostess / Maître D’

• Welcome the guest(s).
When guests arrive, welcome them with the local greeting.

• Appropriate greetings.
Address them with the appropriate greeting for the time of, as follows :
"Good morning" 00.00 - 11.59
"Good afternoon" 12.00 - 17.59
"Good evening" 18.00 - 23.59

• Use the guest’s name, when known.
Try to call the guest by her/his name : e.g., "Good morning Mr XXX, how are you?".

• Check for any reservation.
Politely ask if they have a reservation. If yes, ask for the guest’s name and guide her/him to the reserved table.

• If no, ask if the guest requires a non smoking table.

• Guide the guest to her/his table.
Do not walk too fast when showing the way to the guest. Say to the guest : “Would you please follow me, Madam/Sir”.

• Pull the chair out (ladies first).
Pull the chair out to ease access to the table and push the chair back when the guest is sitting.

• The hostess leaves the table by saying to the guest : “Enjoy your meal, Madam/Sir/Ladies and Gentlemen”.

Waitress / Waiter

• Welcome the guest(s) with a smile.

When the guest has been seated by the hostess, approach the table and welcome her/him with a smile.

Introduction

Greeting to all viewers,

My name is Khun Kai, from Thailand. I have the valued experience both of working and training in Food and Beverage department in various establishments for 20 years, hotels, restaurants and educational institute.

As we are now in the social of sharing, these contents in this blog would be helpful if you are interested or working on food and beverage department.

In addition of relevant skill and knowledge, service personnel has to feature service mind and positive attitude because most of the time we are dealing with people (guests) who expect to be given the friendly, accurately, promptly service.

Source: Accor Asia Pacific