Running a restaurant business is no child’s play. The competition in the F&B industry is intense and with 80% of restaurants closing within 5 years, getting the service right is important to stay in business. The secret behind a successful restaurant business lies in the balance of these 3 things:
Good food
Stellar service
Creating memorable experiences
Good service makes all the difference
Believe it or not, servers are the face of your restaurant. When it comes to deciding where to dine, customers today are spoilt for choices. But don’t forget great food, location, and ambiance, can be ruined in minutes because of terrible service. Good service, however, can get your customers back even if other parameters are just about average. As a restaurant owner/manager, encourage your servers to:
Engage in meaningful conversation with guests.
Understand their underlying needs and make a personal connection.
Speak intelligently about various dishes on the menu
Give personal recommendations on what to try
Suggest which starter will pair well with a particular drink.
These are a few soft aspects to ensure a good restaurant table service. Now let’s delve into a step-by-step process of serving drinks and food the right way!
Table setting
Table setting at a restaurant can broadly be divided into three styles:
Formal
Casual
Basic table
Let’s walk you through each of the styles one by one
Formal table setting
A formal table setting is used in fine-dine full-service restaurants and formal events such as state dinners, black-tie weddings, etc. The setting uses a lot of glassware, silverware, and flatware as these are meant for a six-course meal, including an appetizer, soup, salad, bread, main course (meat or veg), and dessert.
Steps to set up a formal table setting:
Place a clean, ironed, crisp tablecloth.
Place a serving plate in the center of the place setting.
Place the bread plate to the top left of the serving plate, followed by a butter knife on top of the bread plate with the blade facing down and the handle towards the right.
Place the dinner and salad folk on the left side of the serving plate, the salad fork on the outside, and the dinner fork on the inside.
Place the dinner knife, salad knife, soup spoon, and teaspoon on the right side of the serving plate from the inside out.
Make sure that all flatware is evenly placed.
Next, place the dessert spoon above the serving plate horizontally with the handle towards the right.
The water glass goes above the dinner knife.
Next goes the white wine glass below the water glass, slightly to the right.
The red wine glass is slight to the right above the white wine glass.
A cup and saucer are placed above the soup spoon to the right.
Casual table setting
More popularly known as an informal table setting, this kind of setting is popular in contemporary casual restaurants. The setting is designed for three-course meals.
Steps to set up a casual table setting:
Place a serving plate in the middle of the table setting.
Place the bread plate to the top left of the serving plate.
The butter knife goes on top of the bread plate with the blade facing down and the handle towards the right.
On the left side of the serving plate, place a salad fork outside and a dinner fork inside.
On the right side of the serving plate, place the dinner knife, soup spoon, and teaspoon inside out.
The water glass has to be placed above the dinner knife.
The wine glass should be placed to the right of the water glass.
Basic table setting
A basic table setting is suitable for any restaurant or cafe. This is the table setting used in diners, cafes, breakfast places, family restaurants, and a placemat or a coffee cup.
Steps to set up a basic table setting:
Lay a placemat.
Place the serving plate in the middle of the placemat.
Place a napkin to the left of the plate.
Place the fork on top of the napkin.
Place a knife to the right of the plate.
Place a water glass above the knife and slightly to the right.
Other aspects that require attention
Presenting the menu
Always present the menu from the left-hand side of the guests.
Stand to the left side of the guests to take orders.
Handling the glassware, silverware, and flatware
Use a service tray when setting or clearing the table.
Place and pick stem glasses by the stem or base of the bowl.
Pick the plates by the rim or edge of the plate.
Pick the silverware by the neck and not the handle.
Always place all the cutlery and crockery 2 inches away from the table’s edge.
Cup and saucer always go on the right when served with the meal.
Bread and butter plate on the left side.
Knife and cutlery on the right side.
Serving water and drinks
Pick the water glass by the stem from the table and bring it to you before pouring the water.
The wine glass stays on the table, and the label of the wine bottle should face the guest.
Slightly twist the wrist when pouring to avoid any drips or spills.
Food service rules
Bread and butter are served from the left side.
Beverages (alcohol/mocktails) should always be served from the right-hand side.
Serving the food from the platter onto a guest’s plate should be done from the left side.
Pre-plated food should be served from the right side.
Clearing the table
Pick the table from the right and then stack the silverware onto the plate
Never stack anything on the plate when it is on the table
Clear the dinner and bread plate before serving dessert
Pull the dessert cutlery down
Post-meal coffee service
Coffee service is always done with a service tray
Place the coffee service items (cup, saucer, and spoon) on the table
Other finer aspects
Ladies should always be served first; the oldest lady on the table to be served first
If someone is hosting a dinner, their glasses will be filled after their guest
Hold the serving bowl or plate with your left hand and always serve food with the right hand
By following these step-by-step guidelines for restaurant table service, you can ace the art of table service and ensure customers always keep coming back to you.
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