TYPES OF FOOD SERVICE

There are many types of food service styles in hotels to serve customers in the catering
industry.
This may range from full silver service in a fine dining restaurant, where the dishes are served at
the table by waiters with service spoons and forks, to a self-service cafeteria where guests collect
their own food from the counter.
Different Types of Food Service Styles
1. Silver Service Style
Silver service is a method of serving; dishes are presented and transferred to the guest’s plate
using a service spoon and fork from the left-hand side of the guest, while beverages are served
from the right-hand side. It is regarded as a formal service.
This food service method is also called English service. Here, the server moves counter-
clockwise while serving food. This kind of service is implemented in upscale restaurants.

Silver service is a food serving style. It is also known as the English service. In this form of
serving, dishes are presented and transferred from the left-hand side to the guest’s plate using
a service spoon and fork.
This Silver style of service is implemented in upscale restaurants. It is regarded as a formal
service.
In this Silver style service method, He/she presents the main dish to the host and serves each
guest, starting from the one seated to the right of the host.
The server moves counterclockwise while serving food. The waiter brings plates and dishes to
the sideboard, and places the plate before each guest from his/her right-hand side, moving
clockwise.

Some Ground Rules Of Silver Service

Silver service, while undoubtedly elegant, also comes with a set of ground rules that both staff
and guests should adhere to in order to ensure a seamless dining experience. Below are some key
guidelines:
Rule 1. Serving Order
Traditionally, the most senior or distinguished guest at the table is served first, followed by the
other guests in a clockwise direction. This demonstrates respect and ensures a smooth flow of
service.
Rule 2. Plate Positioning
Waitstaff should always serve food from the guest’s left side and remove empty plates from the
right side. This rule helps maintain consistency and prevents any unnecessary confusion during
the meal.
Rule 3. Glass Placement
Glasses should be placed on the right side of the guest’s plate in a specific order, depending on
the type of beverage being served. This arrangement facilitates ease of access and contributes to
the overall presentation of the table.
Rule 4. Adapt to Guests’ Needs
While silver service has its established protocols, it is crucial for waiter/ waitress to remain
attentive and adaptable to any special requests or dietary restrictions that guests may have.
By following these ground rules and maintaining a high level of professionalism, silver service
can offer a truly exceptional dining experience that leaves a lasting impression on guests.

Conclusion
Silver service, steeped in tradition and elegance, remains a cherished form of dining in high-end
establishments and formal events. Its variations, such as Russian, Butler, and French service,
offer diverse options for hosts and guests alike. While mastering silver service requires skill,
precision, and adherence to its ground rules, it creates an unparalleled dining experience that is
both luxurious and memorable. Ultimately, the art of silver service continues to hold a prominent
place in the world of fine dining and hospitality, offering a timeless touch of sophistication and
grace.

Advantages of Silver Service

These are the silver service advantages:
 Personalized service.
 Customer satisfaction.
 Waiters have the scope to exhibit their service skills.
 No plate wastage.
Disadvantages of Silver Service
These are the silver service disadvantages:
 Calls for a high level of service skills, hence more labor cost.
 More staff is required.
 Low seat turnover.
 Slow service.
Points to remember while Silver Service or English Service:
1. Serve food from the dish/platter onto the guest’s plate using a service spoon and fork from the
left-hand side.
2. Conduct clearance from the right-hand side.
3. Serve beverages from the right-hand side.

2. American Service Style

American Service is a simple and informal form of service. It is also termed plated service. In the
American style of food service, dishes are neatly plated in the kitchen by the kitchen staff and
placed on the guest’s cover from the right-hand side. The waiter should be able to carry at least
three full plates to speed up the service.
What is American Service?
American service is a simple and informal form of service. It is also known as a Plated service.
In this American service style, dishes are neatly plated in the kitchen by the kitchen staff and
placed on the guest’s cover from the right-hand side.
It is a very easy food service style. In this service, dishes are placed nicely in the kitchen. And
the server moves clockwise when the food plates are present.
 Here dishes are served like Prawn cocktails, Salads, Masala dosa, Vada sambar, Burgers, Ice
creams, etc. This service is followed in busy areas or when its service needs to be very fast.

Advantages of American Service

These are the advantages of American service:
 Service skill is not required.
 Low labor cost.
 Needs fewer waiters.
 Quick service.
 High seat turnover as service is fast.
 The kitchen staff has the scope to demonstrate their plating skills.
Disadvantages of American Service
These are the disadvantages of American service:
 No personalized service.
 Chances of plate wastage.
 Skilled waiters do not have the scope to show their service skills.
 Food may become cold.
 More kitchen time and labor.
American Service Table Setup
1. The waiter should be able to carry at least three dishes out of full plates to speed up
the service. For a group of more than three guests, the waiter and the assistant waiter work as a
team to place the plates. Using trays for transporting plates is not recommended.
2. Trays are used to carry dished-out cups and bowls. Cups are placed on the saucers and bowls
on quarter plates with the appropriate spoons.
3. On reaching the table, standing to the right of the guest, the waiter needs to place the bowls of
minestrone soup on a tray.
4. On reaching the table, standing to the right of the guest, the waiter places the bowl on a quarter
plate, positions the soup spoon on the plate, and keeps it at the guest’s cover from the right-hand
side in such a way that the spoon is to the right of the guest. He/she moves to the next guest and
repeats the same.
 5. The server moves clockwise while placing plated food. Dishes such as prawn cocktails, salads,
soups, masala dosa, vada sambar, sandwiches, burgers, ice creams, and so on, are served in this
way.
6. This American service style is followed in restaurants located in busy areas where service
needs to be very quick. Like, Coffee shops, fast food outlets, casual dining restaurants, and
restaurants located in busy areas follow this style of service.
Points to remember while Table Setup for American Service
1. All plated food is served from the right-hand side to the guest.
2. Beverages are served from the right.
3. Clearance is done from the right-hand side.
4. The tray is used to carry cups, bowls, saucers, and underplates.
5. The tray should not be used to carry full and half plates.
6. Move clockwise when you work from the right-hand side and counter-clockwise when you work
from the left hand.

3. Buffet Service Style

The buffet is self-service, where food is displayed on tables. The guests take plates stacked at the
beginning of the table and proceed along, requesting the buffet’s attention to serve them or help
themselves. At stand-up buffets, guests are forced to stand and eat.
What is Buffet Service?
A buffet is a process of serving meals, in which food is placed in a public area where the food
serves itself. Buffets are offered at various places including hotels, restaurants, and many social
events.
The buffet comes under self-service which normally offers you food for a set price, but some
measure prices by weight or by the number of dishes.
Rather than the three main meals – Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner, there are other types of
buffet services like brunch, full afternoon tea, and high tea are served in the foodservice areas
of the hotels, institutional catering units, and other restaurants to meet the requirements of the
guests.
 What are the Types of Buffet Services?
Here are different kinds of buffets:
1. Brunch
Brunch is a portmanteau of breakfast and lunch. It is a combination of breakfast and lunch
served between 10 and 3 p.m., which is normally set up after the morning event. It is offered
during weekends and holidays.
It is the most popular meal amongst people who start their day late. It is a heavy meal combining
the qualities of breakfast and lunch. Alcoholic drinks are optional with brunch.
Brunch in a hotel may be simple or heavy depending on the occasion and the price. Most hotels
serve brunch from a buffet having good spread juices, fruits, bread, toasts, salads, assorted
pastries, grills, eggs, stews, casseroles, fish, cold meats, pancakes, waffles, pies, flans, ice
creams, etc. at a set price, called table d’hôte menu.
Some hotels offer an à la carte brunch menu in the coffee shop, near the swimming pool, in the
lawns, in the lounge, or in the rooms of a hotel, from which the guests can choose the dishes
according to their choice.
Indian brunch menu may have samosas, kachoris, dhoklas, idlis, Mirchi vadas, Mysore Bonda,
salads, fruits, bread, kebabs, tikkas, stuffed parathas, poori bhaji, Rotis, pulao, etc. Any items
that guests usually take during breakfast and lunch may be included in the brunch menu.
2. Afternoon Tea
Afternoon tea is served in many establishments between 4 to 6 p.m. And this foodservice buffet
arrangement is followed in 3 different buffet services:
 Full afternoon tea is served in a rated/luxury hotel.
 High tea is served in a popular restaurant or cafe.
 Reception or buffet tea is served during the function.
a) Full Afternoon Tea
This menu usually consists of some or all of the items, depending on the price fixed and the
promotional policy. The full afternoon tea menu is usually a table d’hôte menu. Dishes are
served in the order listed, except for beverages, which are served first.
 Cover for Full Afternoon Tea
The following cover should be laid for full afternoon tea:
 A side plate with a paper napkin and a side knife is placed in the center of the cover.
 Pastry fork.
 Cup and saucer with a teaspoon.
 Preserve on an underplate with a preserves spoon.
Service Sequence for Full Afternoon Tea
The following is the service sequence for full afternoon tea:
 Serve beverages.
 Serve toast, tea cakes, and crumpets.
 Offer sandwiches.
 Serve buttered scones.
 Serve bread and butter.
 Offer cake and pastries.
b) High Tea
The high tea menu includes the items offered in the full afternoon tea menu with other dishes,
such as grills, snacks, fish and meat dishes, salads, cold sweats, and ice creams.
The meat dishes normally come in the form of pies and pastries, whereas the fish dishes are
grilled or fried. The menu may be either in the form of a table d’hôte or a la carte.
Following are the accompaniments offered with high tea:
 Proprietary sauces, tomato ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, HP sauce.
 Vinegar.
 Mustard.
Cover for High Tea
The following cover should be laid for high tea-
 Joint knife and fork.
 Cup and saucer with a teaspoon to the right-hand side.
 Cruet Set.
 Preserve the dish on the underplate.
 Side plate with side knife.
 Napkin.
 Sugar bowl with tongs/teaspoon/sachets.
Service Sequence for High Tea
The following is the service sequence for high tea:
1. Serve beverages.
2. Serve hot snacks, such as fish/meat, etc.
3. Clear the plate and cutlery.
4. Serve toast, tea cakes, and crumpets.
5. Offer sandwiches.
6. Serve buttered scones.
7. Serve bread and butter.
8. Offer cakes and pastries.
9. Serve ice creams last, if ordered.
In Indian restaurants, the guests place the order from the menu card and the customers prefer
items, such as samosa, kachori, aloo Tikki, vada, pav bhaji, bhelpuri, sweets, etc. during tea time.
c) Reception Tea or Buffet Tea
Buffet tea or reception tea is arranged during special functions and private parties where more
people are to be served.
In this method, food and beverages are served to the guests from a buffet table. The points
concerning buffet set up, the arrangement of food and beverages on the buffet, and assignments
of duties to the staff should be taken into account while extending service from the buffet.
Conclusion
The occupations and socializing activities of people have influenced changes in eating habits
significantly which has demanded the introduction of brunches and high teas.
Brunch is a meal that combines breakfast and lunch often offered during holidays, on Sundays,
after an event, etc, and is frequently taken by aircrews who arrive at the hotel late at night.
Evening tea, full afternoon tea, and high tea are organized during the party, conferences,
seminars, workshops, etc, and also offered in restaurants for guests who feel hungry in the
evening or who would like to spend time with friends and family.
 4. French Service Style
French Service is also known as family service. In French, this service is found in family
pensions and banquets, Where the dish is presented to each guest from the left-hand side to help
himself or herself. For a small party of two to three guests.
Dishes ordered by them are placed on the table with service implements and plates for the guests
to help themselves.
In this food serving style, large joints, roast poultry, whole fish, and so on, that have elaborate
garnish, are neatly arranged on a platter, presented to the host, taken back to the sideboard,
carved, portioned, and served to the guests with service spoon and fork.
After service, dishes are kept on a hot plate on the sideboard to keep them warm. Each course is
served from the sideboard.

French Service Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages of French Service
 Service skills are not required.
 Low labor cost.
 Seat turnover is more compared to silver service.
 Quick service.
 No plate wastage.
Disadvantages of French Service
 Service staff will not be able to demonstrate their service skills.
 Food may go cold.
 Guests may spill on the table.
 Guests may feel neglected.
How to Serve French Service
In France, this French service is found in family pensions and banquets, where the dish is
presented to each guest from the left-hand side to help himself /herself.
For a small party of two to three guests, dishes ordered by them are placed on the table with
service implements and plates for the guests to help themselves. For larger parties of more than
four guests, a side table or trolley can be used.
The waiter keeps plates, service tools, and dishes on the trolley /sideboard. He or she places
plates on guests’ covers and then presents the dishes may be placed on the table and the host may
serve all his guests at the table first or assist them in service and serve himself finally.
This French service table setup method is widely practiced in ethnic restaurants, especially in
Chinese and Indian restaurants.
Indian bread and accompanying dishes are kept on the table for guests to help themselves. If
assistance is required, the waiter may help the guests in passing and serving the dish.
This service is not practiced much in recent times. Guests in hotels at times call for the service of
dishes in their rooms.
Their orders are taken by room service order takers, and dishes are arranged on a tray and served
quickly. Orders can be collected either from the kitchen or floor pantry.
Conclusion
The styles of food service offered in catering establishments keep changing rapidly according to
the changing environment in which it operates.
The level of service extended to customers in the past may not be enjoyed by present-day
consumers. Nowadays, people need fast service as they are constantly on the move.
It is necessary for the operator to understand the environment in which he or she is operating in
order to decide the service style.
It should be remembered that a food service area or restaurant can’t afford to stick rigidly to any
one style of food service.
It may follow a combination of services. A number of hotels today prefer buffet service for all
three meals, as service is quick and does not need more trained manpower.
5. Russian Service Style
Russian Service is a very elaborate service and this Russian service is also known as
the Sideboard service. In this service style, large joints, roast poultry, whole fish, and so on, that
have elaborate garnish, are neatly arranged on a platter, presented to the host, taken back to the
sideboard, carved, portioned, and served to the guests with service spoon and fork.
 After service, dishes are kept on a hot plate on the sideboard to keep them warm. Each course is
served from the sideboard. Now Russian service is not practiced much in recent times. But this
service is widely followed in institutional and industrial catering establishments.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Russian Service

Russian Service Advantages
 High level of guest satisfaction.
 Personalized service.
 Waiters have the scope to exhibit carving, portioning, and service skills.
 Good presentation.
Russian Service Disadvantages
 Calls for highly skilled staff, hence higher labor cost.
 More waitron staff is required.
 Low seat turnover, like time taken for service, is more.
Russian Service Table Set Up
1. Russian service consists of a straight line of counters containing a variety of hot and cold
dishes displayed in order. The customer starts from one end of the line, picks up a tray, and
moves along the length of the counter to the rest tray while selecting the dish and passing along
the line.
2. The cashier is seated at the end of the counter to rest the tray while selecting a dish and
passing along the line. The cashier who is seated at the end of the counter makes the bill and
collects payment. This is not required if the meals are pre-paid.
3. Normally, the service counter is separated from the dining area. Dishes are neatly plated in
the kitchen by the kitchen staff and placed at the guest’s cover from the right-hand side.
4. The waiter should be able to carry at least three dished-out full plates to speed up the service.
For a group of more than three guests, the waiter and the assistant waiter work as a team to place
the plates. Using trays for transporting plates is not recommended.
5. Trays are used to carry dished-out cups and bowls. Cups are placed on the saucers and bowls
are on the quarter with the appropriate spoons.
6. Let us assume that a waiter is carrying four bowls of minestrone soup to a table. He/she carries
a pile of four quarter plates, a bunch of four soup spoons, and four bowls of minestrone soup on
a tray. On reaching the table, standing at the right of the guest, the waiter places the bowl on a
quarter plate, positions the soup spoon on the plate, and keeps it at the guest’s cover from the
right-hand side in such a way that the spoon is to the right of the guest. He/she moves to the next
guest and repeats the same.
7. Russian style of service is always followed in restaurants and hotels located in busy areas
where service needs to be very quick. Coffee shops, fast food outlets, casual dining restaurants,
and restaurants located in busy areas follow this service style.

6. Gueridon Service Style

This Gueridon service is also named the Trolley Service. In this style of service, dishes are
prepared, carved, dressed, or flambéed on a trolley in front of the guests and served with a
service spoon and fork. It is a very effective tool for merchandising.
Gueridon Service Advantages
These are the advantages of Gueridon service:
1. Highly personalized service. The waitron staff prepares or carves the dish and serves the guest
personally.
2. High level of customer satisfaction. The dishes are prepared, carved, or flambéed in the
guest’s presence.
3. Good merchandising device. Guests will be tempted to order dishes that are served from the
trolley.
4. Waitron staff can exhibit their culinary, carving, and service skills. The waitron staff has an
opportunity to impress the guests by demonstrating its cooking, flambéing, carving, and skills to
them. It also gives them good job satisfaction.
5. High average spending power. The revenue generated will be more as the dishes served from
the Gueridon trolley are always expensive.
 Gueridon Service Disadvantages
These are the limitations or disadvantages of Gueridon service:
1. Slow service. The time taken to extend the service from the trolley is more.
2. Low seat turnover. The number of times a seat is sold during operation hours will be low as
the service takes more time.
3. Expensive style of service as it requires more service area and highly skilled staff for handling
the Gueridon cart.
4. Chances of accidents are more.
5. More investment in the service equipment.
6. Cooking in the service area may leave an odor.

7. Tray Service Style

Tray service is a type of food service operation where dishes are ordered by guests, neatly
portioned and arranged on a tray with necessary cutlery, and taken to their rooms, beds, or seats
by waiters.
Special trays are available to retain the temperature of the dishes. This style is practiced in in-
room service, hospitals, flights, and institutional catering.
8. Self-Service
This is the simplest form of service, where members of the service staff do not serve guests.
Customers help themselves to the dishes they would like to consume.
Self-service is further classified into the following types:
 Cafeteria service.
 Counter service.
 Vending service.
9. Cafeteria Service
There are two types of cafeteria services available:
a) Traditional Cafeteria Service
This form of service is widely followed in institutional and industrial catering establishments. It
consists of a straight line of counters containing a variety of hot and cold dishes displayed in
order.
The customer starts from one end of the line, picks up a tray, and moves along the length of the
counter as he selects the dishes he wants to have.
The cashier, who is seated at the end of the counter, makes the bill and collects payment. This is
not required if the meals are pre-paid. Normally, the service counter is separated from the dining
area.
b) Free Flow Cafeteria Service
In the modern free-flow cafeteria system, counters are segregated according to the type of
dishes offered: hot or cold, appetizers, soups, bread, sandwiches, entrées, salads, pasta, and so
on.
Customers can move at will to any service point to select dishes and exit through the payment
method. In this system, counters are not arranged in a straight line, but in shapes such as Hollow
squares, U-shaped, echelon, sawtooth, and so on, depending on the number of dishes on offer
and the shape and size of the area available.

The students to go through practical knowledge of cutlery, crockery, glassware and equipment
used on each type of service.