Methods of Service Assignment (Room Service)

Methods of Service Assignment

 
ROOM SERVICE

Room service or "in-room dining" is a hotel service enabling guests to choose menu items for delivery to their hotel room for consumption there. Room Service is organized as a subdivision within the Food & Beverage Department of high-end hotel and resort properties. Usually food items which require a lot of garnish are not served in rooms.

LOCATION AND EQUIPMENT REQUIRED FOR ROOM SERVICE

The room service department in a large hotel is located near the still room, main kitchen, and service elevator. The cabin is equipped with:

Room service menu cards

Room service kitchen order ticket

Status of guests staying

Telephone

Room List

POS (Point Of sale System)

 
 

 



Room service menu card: this card features the names of dishes that are available for room service. The room service order taker refers to this card if necessary when an order is received from room guests.

Telephone: Telephone calls are handled by the room service order taker when guests make calls for room service.

Room service KOT: the dishes ordered by room guests are transferred to kitchen order ticket by the room service order taker and sent to the hot plate for collection.

Status list: This gives information on VIP guests which help the room service department place complimentary cookies and fruit basket according to the policy of the hotel.

Integrated computer system: This displays room number, name of guest, number of persons staying, expected date and time of departure, status of the guest, etc.

ORDER TAKING FOR ROOM SERVICE

Normally in hotels where complimentary breakfast is offered to resident guests room service is not extended. However some guests due to some reasons may order for breakfast dishes in their rooms.

Methods of collecting breakfast order

Breakfast order is collected in any of the following ways:

Doorknob card

Telephone

Placing order through doorknob card: In this method the names of all breakfast dishes are printed on the card with one small box against each dish for the guest to write the quantity required.
 
Fill in the following Guests information:

• Name of the guest
• Room number
• Time at which breakfast is required
• Type Of Breakfast (English, American, Or Choice of Yours)
• Any Dietary Instruction
• Portion

Advantages

• It is entered by the guest themselves and hence, it is a written document of their order.
• Volume of business can be easily predicted.

Disadvantages
 

• Guests may ask for dishes which are not available which may result in dissatisfaction.
• Two-way communication is not possible, hence, no scope for suggestive selling

Order through telephone: Guests may directly place order to the room service department through telephone. The phone should be answered within three rings, saying
 
"Good morning Mr./Ms. (Name)
This is (Your Name),  How may I assist you?"
 
 
 
Then following information should be noted down:

Name of the guest

Room number

Time at which breakfast is required

Portion

Advantages

• Scope for suggestive selling
• Dishes can be explained if necessary

Disadvantages

• Room service telephone may be busy during peak hours.
• Order taker may not be able to understand the accent of the guest.
• Service in the room
• Knock at the door, announcing ‘room service’. Wait for a reply.
• Enter the room and wish the guest.
• Place the tray on the table and ask if you can help the guest in service.
• Present the bill and get the guest’s signature.
• Handover the signed bill to the room service captain who in turn sends it immediately to front office to charge to the guest’s account.

FOOD COURT

A food court is generally an indoor plaza or common area within a facility that is contiguous with the counters of multiple food vendors and provides a common area for self-serve dining. Food courts may be found in shopping malls, airports, and parks. In various regions, it may be a standalone development. In some places of learning such as high schools and universities, food courts have also come to replace or complement traditional cafeterias.

 
Although many shopping malls have full-service theme restaurants elsewhere, the food court offers customers the opportunity to sample many different styles of fast food. One spouse may want Chinese food, for example, while the other may have a preference for Italian food. Children often want different types of food than their parents, so this feature allows each family member to purchase different meals at different locations and still eat together in a communal dining area.


Description

Food courts consist of a number of vendors at food stalls or service counters. Meals are ordered at one of the vendors and then carried to a common dining area. The food may also be ordered as takeout for consumption at another location, such as home or work. In this case, it may be packaged in foam food containers. Food courts may also have shops which sell prepared meals for consumers to take home and reheat, making the food court a daily stop for some.

Food is usually eaten with plastic cutlery, to make it easy for clearance requiring less amount of labour. Some food courts have mostly fast food chains such as McDonald’s with perhaps a few smaller private vendors. Cuisines and choices are varied, with larger food courts offering more global choices. Asian and African food courts are mostly private vendors that offer local cuisine.

Service is generally easy at food courts as there are self takeaway counters hence the staff does not have to bother much about placing or serving the food.

Billing System

Generally in food courts we have separate cash counters which issue cards on payment of the desired amount which one wants to consume these cards have a balance of the amount paid. The customer goes to his/her favorite counter and orders for food and the cashier there swipes this card after placing the order and the stipulated amount gets deducted from the card. This card can be returned to get the balance back. In case the customer has finished the balance in the card he can refill it by paying the required amount.

Advantages
 

• Saves time
• Caters to huge mass of people at the same time
• Variety of food available
• Large area to accommodate many

 
Disadvantages
 

• Difficult to handle people during special events or festivals
• Peaceful atmosphere is not present
• Self service
• No personal attention

LOUNGE SERVICE

Lounge service may include the service of continental breakfast, morning coffee, luncheon, snacks, afternoon tea, dinner or late evening snacks as well as alcoholic beverages. Lounge is found in various areas, i.e., hotels, airports and stations but the degree of service varies.

Organization of lounge service

The lounge is very often the ‘front window’ of the hotel, so the standards of service should be high to reflect the overall standards. This responsibility rests with the lounge staff and they must therefore be of smart appearance, efficient and attentive to the hotel guests. They should have a good knowledge of food and beverage service.

In a first class establishment lounge service staff may possibly operate from their own service pantry. However, in most cases the lounge staff work with the stillroom, or one of the dispense bars, for the service of all types of beverages required, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. The lounge staff may have access to a dedicated storage area that holds a basic stock of items they may need in case of emergency.
 
These items may be as follows:

• Small stock of linen
• Salvers
• Ashtrays
• Assorted glasses
• Cups, saucers and teaspoons
• Dry goods
• Check pads
• Basic alcoholic drink stock
• Cocktail snacks
• Other beverages

The lounge staff must be prepared for the following types of service in the lounge:

• Various breakfast foods
• Morning coffee
• Afternoon tea
• Service of late night beverages
• Other snacks throughout the day

The triplicate checking method is normally used for lounge service with the top copy going to the supplying department- the stillroom or the dispense bar. The second copy should either stay with the lounge staff if they have to make out a bill for a chance customer or go to reception or control so the resident’s account can be charged accordingly. The third copy remains with the lounge staff as a means of reference.

Chance customers usually pay for the service at the time. Resident hotel guests may not wish to pay in the lounge and the staff must then ensure that the hotel guest signs the check to confirm the services received. The check must show the correct room number. The amount should then be charged to the guest’s hotel account.