Restaurant Service Basics

The essential guide to great service skills and techniques–nowin  a second edition.

No matter how excellent the food, guests will not return to arestaurant with poor service. On the other hand, great serviceleads to both a pleasurable dining experience and a successfulrestaurant. Whether as a server or restaurant executive, anyoneentering today′s foodservice industry cannot afford to ignore thesignificance of excellent service.

Restaurant Service basics, Second Edition offers apractical and up–to–date guide to professional table service.Authors Sondra Dahmer and Kurt Kahl provide extensive, step–by–stepinstructions on everything a truly excellent service must do, fromproper attire to order taking methods to dealing with difficultguests.

This revised and updated Second Edition features:

New coverage of technology use in restaurants, including POSsystems Plentiful photos and diagrams that illustrate table settings,service styles, and much more Updated information on upselling from the menu, foodallergies, food trends, safety and sanitation guidelines, andalcohol service New teaching and learning features including learningobjectives, key terms called out in the text, mini–cases, aresource of menu and service terms, and an expanded glossary End–of–chapter review questions and projects that incorporatereal–life situations

A comprehensive and concise resources for building a top–notchwaitstaff, Restaurant Service Basics, Second Edition is anessential manual for servers–no training, those who train them,restaurant managers, and hospitality students.

Preface.

Chapter 1: The Server.

Objectives.

Service and Hospitality.

Advantages of Being a Server.

Qualifications for the Job.

Personal Appearance on the Job.

Your Role in the Restaurant Organization.

Teamwork with Coworkers and Supervisors.

Issues Regarding Restaurant Employment.

Key Terms.

Review.

Projects.

Case Problem.

Chapter 2: Types of Establishments, Types of Service, andTable Settings.

Objectives.

Types of Establishments.

Types of Table Service.

Key Terms.

Review.

Projects.

Case Problem.

Chapter 3: Before the Guests Arrive.

Objectives.

Station Assignments.

Reservations.

Dining Room Preparation.

Studying the Menu.

Closing the Dining Room.

Key Terms.

Review.

Projects.

Case Problem.

Chapter 4: Initiating the Service.

Objectives.

Seating Guests.

Approaching the Guests.

Taking Orders.

Appropriate Topics of Conversation.

Answering Questions.

Making Suggestions and Increasing Sales.

Timing the Meal.

Placing Orders in the Kitchen.

Picking up Orders from the Kitchen.

Key Terms.

Review.

Projects.

Case Problem.

Chapter 5: Serving theMeal.

Objectives.

Serving Tables and Booths.

Efficiency When Serving.

Handling Unusual Circumstances.

The Guest Check and Payment.

Receiving the Tip.

Key Terms.

Review.

Projects.

Case Problem.

Chapter 6: Safety, Sanitation, and EmergencyProcedures.

Objectives.

Safety: Preventing Accidents.

Food Safety and Sanitation Responsibilities.

Emergency Procedures.

Key Terms.

Review.

Projects.

Case Problem.

Chapter 7: Handling Service Using Technology.

Objectives.

Computers in Restaurants.

Components of a POS System.

Taking Orders Using a POS System.

Getting Orders to and from the Bar and Kitchen.

Completing Each Transaction.

Closing at the End of the Day.

Advantages of a POS System.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Handheld Order Terminals.

Restaurant Reservations and Table Management.

Advantages of Restaurant Reservation and Table ManagementSoftware.

Guest Paging.

Advantages of Guest Paging.

Key Terms.

Review.

Projects.

Case Problem.

Chapter 8: Wine and Bar Service.

Objectives.

Significance of Serving Wine, Beer, and Liquor.

The Concern about Serving Alcohol in Restaurants.

Wine Service.

Beer Service.

Liquor Service.

Nonalcoholic Drinks.

Key Terms.

Review.

Projects.

Case Problem.

Resource A: Definitions of Key Terms from the Text.

Resource B: Definitions ofMenu and Service Terms.

Resource C: Recommended Resources for FurtherInformation.

Index.

Sondra J. Dahmer has taught at numerous hospitality andfoodservice programs.

Kurt W. Kahl,MS, RD, CD, LD, is a Registered ConsultantDietitian and trainer in the areas of foodservice and nutrition.Together, Dahmer and Kahl have trained waitstaff on service skillsand have helped experienced servers polish their skills.