FOOD & BEVERAGE SERVICE OPERATION

Food and
Beverage
Service
Operation

SITI FATIMAH ABDUL AZIZ
PUTERI NURHAFIZAH SULAIMAN

BUDIAH KARMILIE CHE KADIR



Publisher

POLITEKNIK
SULTAN IDRIS

SHAH
KEMENTERIAN

PENGA
JIAN
TINGGI

SECOND EDITION 2021



All rights reserved. No part of this
publication may be reproduced,

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or by any means, including

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without the prior written permission of
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and certain other non-commercial uses

permitted by copyright law.





e-ISBN : 978-967-2860-17-4

Published by:
Politeknik Sultan Idris Shah
Sungai Lang, 45100
Sungai Air Tawar

Phone Number : 03 3280 6200
Fax Number : 03 3280 6400
Web : https://psis.mypolycc.edu.my

PREFACE

Throughout the teaching experience of
more than 10 years in food and beverage
service course, we take the opportunity to
prepare the content of this book, to expose
students as well as the readers with the


basic knowledge of food and beverage

service operation. It is a compilation of
notes from us which is being organized
accordingly as for the students’ reference
in class.

As educators, we believe that the
writing of this book will assist the students
in gaining the essential knowledge in
enhancing oneself to be a good service
personnel in restaurant operation with the
required skills, knowledge and attitude in
the industry. Each chapters of the book are
specifically prepared and written in an
easy way for the readers to grasp the
knowledge from the book.

This book is made possible through the
support of many individuals and we are
truly grateful for their input. Thanking our
superior, colleagues and students whom
encouraged us, taught us, provided us with
the experience, supported us, and made us
stronger each day. Finally, we would also
like to thank our families who inspired us
towards the journey of completing the
book.

SITI FATIMAH ABDUL AZIZ
PUTERI NURHAFIZAH SULAIMAN
BUDIAH KARMILIE CHE KADIR

Table of Contents

FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICE
OPERATION

Preface

Chapter 1 Chapter 5

INTRODUCTION SERVING TECHNIQUE

Food and Beverage Service Industry – Serving techniques as in American
Industrial sector, objectives of the Service, French Service, Russian
industry and customer request. Service and self-service.

Chapter 2 Chapter 6

MISE EN PLACE BEVERAGE SERVING

Mise-en-Place refers to prepare the Equipments for beverage service -
restaurant or F&B department properly types, usage and Maintenance. Types
to serve the guest and clients. of beverage –main ingredients,
preparation techniques and serving.
Chapter 3
References
GUEST HANDLING
PROCEDURES Glossary

Sequence in handling and entertaining
guest in a restaurant

Chapter 4

SEQUENCE OF COURSES

Identify each category of dish, menu
and order. Appetizer, soup, bread and
butter, salad, main course and side
order, dessert and drink.

CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION

1

FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICE INDUSTRY

Food service is the one of the fast growing
industries. It offers job opportunities in hotel and
restaurant, catering organizations, hospital catering,
welfare catering, clubs, industrial catering, transport
catering, and outdoor catering. It also indicates that some
operations are primarily concerned with the provision of
food and drink to boost their establishment.

INDUSTRY’S OBJECTIVES AND GUEST
EXPECTATIONS

The main aim of food and beverage industry
operations is to achieve customer satisfaction. In other
words, to meet the customer’s needs. The needs that the
customer might be seeking to satisfy are:

2

Physiological •The need for special foods (diabetic,
vegetarian)

Economical •The need for good value; fast service;
convenient location

Social •Going out with friends or business
colleagues; attending functions to meet
others

Psychological •The need for enhancement of self-
Convenience esteem; fulfilling lifestyle needs; the
need for variety; resulted from
advertising and promotion
•Being unable to get home ( workers,
shoppers) or having to attend some
other events (cinema, theatre); the
desire for someone to do the work; the
physical impossibility of catering at
home (weddings and other special
function)

Figure 1.1 industry’s objectives and guest
expectations

3

FOOD SERVICE INDUSTRY SECTOR

SECTOR HISTORICAL SUMMARY

HOTELS

♣ Tourist accommodation ♣ Developed from inns. Supported

by developments in transport and

Purpose of Sector increases in business and leisure

Provision of food and drink related tourism

together with accommodation

RESTAURANTS

♣ Including conventional ♣ Developed from ABC and Lyons

specialist ‘Carveries’ concepts. Gone through various

phases and influenced by

Purpose of Sector American

Provision of food and drink are

generally at high price with

high level of service

FAST FOOD

♣ McDonalds, Burger King ♣ A combination of popular catering

and KFCs and take-away, heavily influenced

by Americans companies:

Purpose of Sector sophisticated meal packaging and

Provision of food and drinks marketing

are generally at low/medium

price with limited levels of

service

4

TAKE-AWAY

♣ Including: ‘KFC’, snacks, ♣ Developed from original fish and

fish and chips, sandwich chip concept. Influenced by all

bars, kiosks American companies:

sophisticated meal packaging and

Purpose of Sector marketing

Quick provision of food and

drinks

BANQUETING/

CONFERENCES/ ♣ Originally associated with hotels

EXHIBITION but has now become major sector

in its own right

Purpose of Sector

Provision of food and drinks on

large scale usually pre-booked

LEISURE ATTRACTION

♣ Theme parks, galleries, ♣ Increases in leisure have made

theaters, airline terminals profit from food and drink,

attractive to leisure amenity

Purpose of Sector providers

Provision of food and drinks

for people engaged in another

leisure pursuit

Table 1.1 sectors of the food and beverage service
industry

5

ORGANIZATION CHART AND JOB SPECIFICATION
OF FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICE INDUSTRY

Traditionally, food and beverage staff
organization is structured based upon European system-
French system. In this system, the ‘maitre d’hôtel’ is in
charge of the dining rooms, all food and beverage outlets
or function. Traditional organization chart are more
complicated compared to the modern organization chart.
More staff is involved in traditional system whilst it is
simplified in the modern system.

In the traditional hierarchy of the French dining
room, each position is a training ground for the next
higher level. This procedure assures a supply of labor that
is well trained in all aspects of good service. It also
develops a high level of professionalism in restaurant
service and a pride in the profession among restaurant
personnel.

6

TR A D I TI ON A L

Figure 1.2 Organization of traditional system
7

MODERN

Figure 1.3 Organization of the modern system
8

JOB SPECIFICATION FOR FOOD AND BEVERAGE
PERSONNEL

Restaurant Manager

♣ Overall responsible for the organization and
administration of particular food and beverage
service area

♣ Set standards for service in dining room
♣ Responsible for any staffs training that may have

to be carried out on or off the job
♣ Prepared duty rosters, holiday lists, and hours on

and off duty

Assistant Restaurant Manager

♣ Assists Restaurant Managers I carrying out their
task and responsibility

♣ Make out duty rosters, holiday lists, and hours on
and off duty

Head Waiter/ Maitre D’hôtel/ Supervisor

♣ Overall charge of the staff team
♣ Responsible for seeing all the duties for the pre-

preparation of service are efficiently carried out

9

♣ Aid the reception headwaiter during the service
♣ Relieve the restaurant manager or reception head

waiter on their day off

Station Head Waiter/ Section Supervisor/ Captain

♣ Overall responsible for a team of staff serving a
set of tables

♣ Must have good knowledge of food and wine
♣ Be able to instruct other staff in doing the correct

and appropriate service
♣ Carry out all the service at the table with the help

of the chef de rang

Station Waiter/ Chef De Rang

♣ Must carry out the same work as the station head
waiter

♣ Has had less experience than the station head
waiter

♣ Chef de rang and the station head waiter must
work together as a team to provide efficient
service

10

Assistant Station Waiter/ Demi Chef De Rang

♣ Can be found only on the continent
♣ Relieve station head waiter on their day off

Waiter/ Waitress

♣ Acts by instruction from the chef de rang
♣ Mainly fetches and carries, may do a little service
♣ Help to clear tables after each course
♣ Carried out some of the cleaning and preparatory

tasks during the pre-preparation period

Apprentice/ Commis Debarrasseur

♣ Known as learner
♣ Keep the sideboard well filled with equipment
♣ Help to fetch and carry items
♣ Carry out certain of the cleaning tasks during the

pre-preparation periods

Carver/ Trancheur

♣ Responsible of the carving trolley and the carving
of joints at the table as required

♣ Will plate up each portion with the appropriate
accompaniments
11

Wine Butler/ Wine Waiter/ Sommelier
♣ Responsible of the service of all alcoholic drinks
during the service meals
♣ Must also be the sale person
♣ Should have a thorough knowledge of all drinks to
be served

Cocktail Bar Staff
♣ Well versed in the skills of shaking and stirring
cocktails and should have a thorough knowledge
of all alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks
♣ Responsible in making cocktails

Busboys/ Busgirls
♣ Assist the servers during busy/peak periods
♣ Responsible to do the clearing after service

♣ In the small restaurants, several of these positions
may be assumed by the same person

12

ATTRIBUTES OF FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICE
PERSONNEL

As we know, the product of food and beverage
operation is not just the food and drinks itself. Any
member of staff coming into contact with the customer is
also part of the product. Even though an organization
may have a good quality food, beverage, décor and
equipment, a poorly trained or unhelpful staff can destroy
the customer’s potential satisfaction with the product.

Below are the principle attributions necessary for the food
and beverage service personnel:

1. Personal Hygiene
This is the most importance factors as the staff
constantly handling food and working near
customers. The uniforms should always be clean
and well pressed, and shoes polished. Being clean
and smart in appearance gives one the confidence
to work well.

2. Knowledge of Food and Drink
The staff must have sufficient knowledge of all the
items on the menu and wine list in order to advise
13

and offer suggestions to customers. They also
must know how to serve correctly for each dish
on the menu.

3. Punctuality
Punctuality is vital. If the staff are continually late
for duty it might shows lack of interest in work
and lack of respect for management.

4. Personality
The staff must be tactful, courteous and good
humored. They must be able to converse with the
customer in a pleasing and well-spoken manner
and have the ability to smile at all the time. With
these attributions the staff will help the
management in becoming good sales person.

5. Honesty
There should be trust and respect in the triangle
of staff, customers and management
relationships. This will create a atmosphere of
work which encourages efficiency and a good

14

team among the food and beverage service
operators.
6. Loyalty
It is priority for staffs to oblige and be loyal to the
establishment and it management.
7. Customer Satisfaction
The food and beverage staff must see that the
guests have all that they require and are
completely satisfied. It is of great importance to
anticipate a customer’s needs.

15

GUEST SERVICE SKILLS

The waiter and waitresses should have the guest
service skills to meet the customer satisfaction. The guest
service skills are:

1. Reliable
Management must be able to depend on the
server to fulfill the responsibilities for which they
were hired. You must report to work on time,
serve the customer properly, and complete all
tasks assigned to you.

2. Cooperative
A waiter or waitresses must have a good attitude.
You must be willing to work hard with co-workers
in a common effort towards completing work
assigned. Being cooperative also means adapting
to the policies of management.

3. Personable
A waiter or waitresses is chosen for his or her
pleasant personality. Take the initiative to be

16

friendly, patient, and courteous to guest, co-
workers, and management, and never be rude.

4. Healthy
A serving job requires the servers to be in close
contact with guests, co-workers, and foods. This
means that a waiter must be healthy because a
healthy server looks good, performs well on the
job, and is able to lift and carry heavy tray.

5. Clean and Neat
A server may be one of the only restaurant
employees that the guests see and he must
present a tidy appearance that reflects the image
of a clean and net restaurant. Particular attention
should be paid to hair, nails and uniforms.

6. Knowledgeable
A good waiter or waitresses must learnt
appropriate serving methods and know how to
apply them in a smooth, efficient manner. He/she
must have an extensive knowledge of the food
items on the menu.

17

7. Persuasive
A waiter or waitresses must have the ability to sell
one, promote the restaurant, and menu items
during the course of service to the customer.
He/she must b able to communicate well to show
the persuasive talents to ensure that the
customer’s wants and needs are met, and
suggestive selling increases the size of the check
and restaurant profits.

8. Attentive
Guest may need their waiter or waitresses at any
time during the meal, so a good server always
concentrates on the job and never leaves a station
unattended. He/she must be aware of the
progress of the meal at each table and anticipate
needs as they arise.

18

CHAPTER 2
MISE EN PLACE

19

MISE EN PLACE

Mise en Place

Mise-en-Place direct translation is putting things in
place. In foodservice industry, it means preparing the
Restaurant prior to service. Basically, Mise-en-
Place refers to prepare the restaurant or F&B
department properly to serve the guest and clients. In
order to ensure service and is as smooth as possible.

During mise en place, the staff carries out the following
activities −

• Opening all windows and doors before working
hours to let fresh air and sunlight enter the
venue.

• Ensuring menu cards and promotional material
are presentable.

• Vacuuming carpets if any / sweeping and
mopping the floor if required.

• Switching on all lamps to check the fused ones.

• Preparing linen to be used during the service:
table cloth and napkin in place.

• Ensuring that the side board is well-equipped.
20

• Replenishing condiment containers, shakers, and
water jugs.

• Polishing cutlery and glassware.
• Replacing pale flowers with the fresh ones.
• Prepare the dining table and arrange appropriate

flatware as needed in the selected service style.

Perform table setting for Food and Beverage
service

SIDEBOARD PREPARATION

 Sideboard is a storage for holding dining room
equipments such as plate, cutleries, glassware or
linens which is placed in a corner in a restaurant. The
purpose of sideboard is to eliminate the need for
waiters and waitresess to make frequent trip to the
kitchen for supplies.

 Station mise-en-place is a place for waiters’
workstation in the preparation of a food service area
and it houses and keeps all the equipment required
for service.

21

 Preparations are done mainly on the upper shelf of
the sideboard, where it should be clean and have a
good space. An electric or spirit hot plate may be
placed on top of the sideboard surface.

 Underneath are drawers or compartments, open or
partially open at the front with the available table
silver (cutlery) arranged inside.

 Below the cutlery compartments is usually another
shelf for plates, consomme and coffee saucers.

 On the bottom shelf, spare linen, tablecloths, service
cloths and napkins, are kept. In the back or side of a
station sideboard may be a cupboard with a slot or
flap for temporary storage of used linen.

 Sideboard shelves are usually covered with white
cloths made from old tablecloths. Napkins or
tablecloths should not be used to cover the service
table.

 Clean side tables for use during service in the same
way as other tables.

22

Items stored in a side board

A waiters’ station, whether it is simply a clothed table or
a special sideboard equipped with shelves and drawers
should consist the following:

 All the necessary cutlery, for example, side knives,
soup spoons, main table knives and forks, tea and
coffee spoons

 Service utensils (tables poons and table forks)
 Crumbing down equipment
 Service plates
 Tea/coffee service equipment (milk jugs, sugar

bowls, cups and saucers, teaspoons, etc.)
 Glassware (tumblers, goblet, etc)
 Underliners (an underplate lined with a doily or

napkin)
 Napkins
 Service trays
 Toothpicks
 Menu

23

 Condiments (sauces, pepper-mill, etc.)
 Clean table linen

If the sideboard is equipped with a plate/food warmer, it
must be turned on approximately 15 minutes before
service begins. Items from the service station used during
service should be replaced or replenished during or at the
end of the waiters’ shift, or at the beginning of the next
shift, as decided by the supervisor.

NAPKIN FOLDING

 Beautiful napkins presentation can help to create a
feeling of luxury in any restaurant. It adds the
impression of sophistication, attention and mood, and
enhances the pleasure of dining.

 A folded table – napkin is placed on the table for the
guests’ use and to contribute to the appearance of
the cover and the whole dining environment. The
way in which the napkin is presented depends on the
type of establishment and the type of service.

 It is an advantage if napkin folds are kept simple as
less handling is involved. Less handling makes for

24

more hygienic napkins. Basically, napkin presentation
must be practical, folding can be made in advance
and stack them for storage purposes.
 The following are 8 types of napkin folding
presentation widely use in dining room:

a) The candle 2

1

34

25

56

b) The pyramid 2

1

3

26

45

c) The cock’s comb 2

1

34

27

56

78

d) The royal crown

12

28

34
56

e) The standing fan 2

1

29

34
56

f) The banana 2

1

30

34
56
78

31

9 10
11

g) The bishop hat 2

1

32

34
56

78
9

33

CLOTHING PROCEDURE

There are many different sizes and shapes of tables and
tablecloths used in dining rooms or banquet halls, thus
there are many different ways of folding adopted by
different laundries company. Following are some basic
table clothing that commonly used for standard table.

Laying table cloth

 Check the table for the size, cleanliness and
steadiness. It must be cleaned or fixed if it is unstable.

 Stand centrally between the two legs of the table
 Open up the cloth to its length across the table with

the two double folds facing away.
 On the waiter’s side are the two woven edges with a

double folds inside.
 Take the top flap between the thumb and the first

finger with the thumb upper most and the center fold
between the first and second finger.
 Lean across the table and release the bottom layer to
hang over the far edge of the table.

34

 Adjust the position of the cloth by pulling untill the
centre fold match with center of the table.

 Check whether the drop is even at all edges so that
all the legs are covered

Changing table cloth during service.
Sometimes tablecloth has to be changed during service
due to heavy spillage or soiled.

 Remove any article remaining on the table.
 Do crumbing down if neccessary.
 Open out the clean table cloth by holding it

according to the method of laying table cloth
(above), at the same time pull out the soiled cloth
underneath the clean one to the end. The edge
of the new table cloth should replace the position
of the soiled table cloth.
 Fold the soiled cloth and removed it.

35

CONDUCTING A BRIEFING

Briefing is a meeting for the restaurant staff prior to the
opening of the restaurant, while de-briefing is done when
the restaurant closes. In these sessions the supervisor
gives his instructions, checks on certain aspects of service
and receives suggestions or problems of the staff. There
are certain points that each waiter should keep in mind
before presenting himself for briefing.

The waiter should:

 Acquaint himself with the non-available food and
beverage items listed on the menu by asking the Chef
of referring to the ‘non-available items’ board.

 Know the main dish in order to push it to the
customers.

 Be equipped with clean waiters’ clothes, bottle
openers, match box and pen.

 Be fully conversant with the menu card and the
beverage list of the day.

The supervisor would normally check whether the waiter
has understood the above points. The supervisor would

36

explain new house rules or policies to his staff and
encourage an upward communication from the staff in
terms of suggestions and problems. The waiter should
be prepared to clarify doubts or give suggestions and ask
questions. This is also an opportunity to give the staff
some training inputs.

Assignments of duties
Duties must be rotated every week. For example, the
assistant waiter should be assigned to various duties like
bussing, cleaning, wiping glasses, clearance, food pick up
and similar duties. The supervisor must assign the staff
on a rotation basis. The allocation of waiters, assistant
waiters, supervisors to a station must be based on the
number of covers.

37

Menu knowledge

The restaurant supervisor should be aware of certain
points regarding each dish on the menu:

i. Method of preparations and all the
ingredients used.

ii. Time taken for the preparation.
iii. Sauces used with the dish .
iv. Accompaniments and garnishes.
v. Method of service.
vi. Appropriate wine / spirit to be served with

each dish according to traditional practice.
vii. Price of the food.
viii. Place of preparations.
ix. Appropriate cutlery, crockery and silver

used with each dishes.
x. Portion sizes.
xi. Popular selling items.

Upselling techniques

 The restaurant staff should know the popular selling
items.

38

 The restaurant staff must also know the promotion
made by the restaurant.

 Suggest and propose the expensive food items on the
menu first. This is done by promoting the item.

 Whenever explaining a dish (in a menu), present it in
a delightful picture to the guest.

 The food and beverages displayed in the restaurant
will attract guest and motivate them to order.

 Food prepared in the restaurant (gueridon) produces
and enhances the aroma to the environments that will
stimulates appetite.

 Place card on the tables to promote another outlet in
the hotel or promote a speciality of a restaurant.

 Present roses to the lady guests who come in a group
as a compliment from the management. This will
make them want to come back again.

 Try remembering the favourite dishes of the regular
guests.

 Try remembering names of guests. A guests feels
special and may visit the restaurant just because he
is known to the management and feels wanted.

 When a guest leaves the restaurant it is important to
invite him to visit the restaurant again.

39

 Lastly, give clean and efficient service and the guest
demands this if he is to come back again.

CENTERPIECE AND OTHER DINING ROOM
DECORATIONS
Centerpiece is one of the most important elements which
should be included in enhancing the atmosphere of a
dining room. Basically, dining room decoration refers to
these three aspects:

i. Dining room theme
ii. Menu concepts
iii. Event

40

TYPES OF CENTERPIECE IN DINING ROOM
FOOD DECORATIONS

•Eg: Fruit carvings, cakes and chocolate

FLOWER ARRANGEMENTS
•Eg: Fresh flower, artificial and potted plant

BUTTER SCULPTURE

ICE CARVING

Figure 2.1 Types of centerpiece

Do’s and Dont’s in Decorating Dining Room and
Making Centerpiece

• Use long lasting fresh flower in preparing flower
decoration.

• Match the colour to the total dining room
environment, eg; wall, furniture and floor.

• Use the suitable lighting colour for the
centerpiece.
41

• Decorate as simple as possible. or
• Avoid overcrowding the centerpiece

decoration.
• Avoid blocking the main hallway.
• Avoid using strong scented flowers.

42

CHAPTER 3
GUESTS HANDLING

PROCEDURES

43

GUESTS SERVICE SEQUENCE

1. Welcome your guest.
2. Offer chair assistance.
3. Offer Napkin Assistance. – from the left
4. Introduce and Present the Menu (If the Maitre D’

has not already offered it)
5. Serve bread and butter (left) and Iced Water (right)
6. Take Guests Order –use A B C etc… (see separate

SOP)
a. Stand to the left
b. Answer any questions
c. Take to kitchen (or input in computer)
d. Remember Mineral Bar Order
e. Remove menus to side station (both
Beverage and Food)

7. Check all guests have the correct cutlery for their
meal and change where necessary.

8. Call Starters away from the kitchen.
9. Check if you can take any items to wash up

that are no longer required. (eg butter dish
and bread basket from side station)
10. Collect Starters from kitchen. Teamwork is key.

44

Ensure your assistant know what position is
getting what food. This will make service more
streamline in the restaurant.

a. Handle plates correctly – NO THUMBS.
b. Carry 3 plates where required.
c. Plates must be kept flat.
d. Remember underliners – All bowls have

underliners.
11. Synchronize your service with your fellow waiters.
12. Serve Starters.

a. You should not need to ask guests what
they have ordered.

b. Use your order docket as a guide
(before leaving the kitchen).

c. Serve to the left at all times.
13. Explain the starters to the guests. Do this once

all items have been served and speak clearly so
that all the guests can hear.
14. Serve Minerals from the mineral bar(Right).
15. Check for water.
16. Tidy Side Station – empty bread baskets back to
pantry etc.
17. Check tables for empty butter plates and remove.

45