Do's and Dont's of Equipment Handling

Do's and Dot's of Equipment Handling 

1. Dump ice out of the glass; preheat the glass before pouring hot water.  Don't pour hot drinks in chilled or cold glasses.

 

2. Stack dishes according to size and kind.  Never stack too high. 

3. Handle stemmed glasses by the stem and tumblers by the base.  Never handle glasses in bouquet. 

4. Remove glass / china from buspan one at a time.  Don't unload china, glasses at random.

 

5. Use ice scooper for scooping ice.  Never use the glass for scooping ice. 

6. Never put cutlery into glasses, put them in appropriate containers. 

7. Make sure of an adequate back-up supply of glassware for rush periods. 

8. Always be on the lookout for cracked or chipped glassware and remove them. 

9. Never allow glass-to-glass contact on overhead racks, keep distant from each other. 

10. Never overload the tray / buspan. Load only what it can conveniently accommodate. 

11. Never buss glasses in the sink. Buss them directly onto divider racks. 

12. Never stack glasses.  Use trays and avoid over crowding them to prevent breakage.

HANDLING OF TABLEWARE

HANDLING OF TABLEWARE

i) Storage of cutlery and flatware is very important.  Each item has to be stored in the boxes or drawers lined with baize to prevent the items being scratched  

ii) They should be stored in cupboard or room which can be locked. 

iii) Cutlery and flatware may be stored in cutlery trollies.  

HANDLING OF CHINAWARE

HANDLING OF CHINAWARE

                Whatever quality of china or crockery is used, the most important thing to ensure is that it is washed, rinsed and dried correctly to ensure that no dirt, stains or streaks appear. 

1) Chinaware has a high breakage rate and, therefore, needs careful handling. 

2) They should be stored on shelves in piles or stakes of approximately two dozen each. Any higher may result in their toppling down.  

3) They should be stored at a convenient height for placing on, and removing from the shelves to avoid accidents. 

4) Chinaware should be kept covered to prevent dust and germs settling on it. 

5) Chipped and cracked items harbor germs and should, therefore, not be used and disposed off carefully. 

HANDLING OF GLASSWARE

HANDLING OF GLASSWARE 

1. Glassware is highly fragile and most delicate and expensive: hence at most care has to be taken while handling glass equipments. 

2. Glasses are normally stored in a glass pantry and should be placed upside down in single rows on paper-lined shelves, to prevent dust settling in them. 

3. Tumblers should not be stacked inside one another as this may result in heavy breakages and accidents. 

4. The appearance of the drink mainly depends on the glass and therefore, the glass should be sparkling clean and attractive in shape and style. 

5. When glassware is machine or hand washed, each individual item must be polished and dried with a glass cloth made of linen, as water leaves stains on the glasses.

 

6. Glasses whether clean or dirty have to be handled by the base or stem, since the finger prints left on the glass necessitates polishing. 

UNDESIRABLE QUALITIES OF A WAITER

UNDESIRABLE QUALITIES OF A WAITER 

i) Forgetting to great the arriving customer pleasantly. 

ii) Letting guests seat themselves, inspite of being present near the table and not otherwise engaged. 

iii) Refusing to assist a guest or seating a guest at a dirty table. 

iv) Serving from the wrong side, when it is possible to serve from the correct side  

v) Not setting tables properly and placing empty sugar bowls / cruet sets on the table. 

vi) Forgetting to say 'Pardon me', or 'Excuse me, sir / madam, if a mistake has been made. 

vii) Being too familiar with guests. This could lead to embarrassing situations. 

viii) Gathering in groups in operational areas and talking loudly and showing signs of irritability with other members of the staff. 

ix) Leaving fingerprints on crockery / glassware or making a noise by clattering the service equipment. 

x) Keeping the side station dirty or using torn or stained linen. 

xi) Forgetting a dish that has been ordered, or serving wrong accompaniments. 

xii) Overfilling water glasses or leaving them empty or leaving dirty ashtrays on an occupied table. 

xiii) Being inattentive to a guest's needs, for example, forgetting special instructions from the guest, such as less chillies or no onions in the food 

xiv) Using cold plates for hot food and hot plates for cold food. 

xv) Touching food with one's hands. 

xvi) Not following the rules of quality waiting at table. 

xvii) Soliciting tips or questioning the amount of tips.

ATTRIBUTES OF A WAITER

                          ATTRIBUTES OF A WAITER

                                     The quality of service staff in any establishment reflects the quality of the establishment itself. No matter how good the food and ambience are, poorly trained, untidy or rude staff can antagonize customers. On the other hand, if the staffs are well-trained and efficient, they can, to a certain extent, make up for other shortcomings in the services provided. 

1) Personal Hygiene and Appearance 

2) Good Conduct 

3) Good Memory  

4) Observation  

5) Concentration and Skill 

6) Salesmanship   

7) Ability to Assume Responsibility 

8) Maximise Revenue  

9) Punctuality 

10) Local Knowledge 

11) Personality 

12) Attitude to Customers 

13) Honesty 

1) Personal Hygiene and Appearance 

· All members of the staff should be well-groomed and clean at all times, as this gives them a sense of well-being and confidence to do their job efficiently.                                                     
· The hands of the waiting staff should be given special attention, as they are constantly under the scrutiny of the guests. Nails should be trimmed, and kept clean. Playing with one's hair and face should be avoided. 
· Chewing gum should be avoided in all public areas of the hotel. 
· Minimum jewellery should be worn by the service staff. A wrist watch,   finger ring and plain earrings (for girls only) should be permitted. 
· If an employee has a skin problem, a doctor should be consulted immediately  
· Uniform should be clean and well-pressed. Shoes should be properly polished and well-fitting. 

2) Good Conduct  

   All service staff should be well-mannered and respectful to guests, and to senior members of the staff. They should be calm and pleasant, even in the most tiring circumstances. They should be able to satisfactorily solve any problem that may arise. In case of difficulty, a senior and experienced member of the staff should be consulted. Tact, punctuality and honesty are admirable qualities among service personnel.  

3) Good Memory  

  A good memory helps to improve performance. It also helps the service personnel to attend to small but important details such as remembering a guest's name or his likes and dislikes regarding food and beverage. 

4) Observation  

   A keen sense of observation and an eye for detail will help a member of the staff to be more efficient at his job. An ability to correctly judge people is definitely an advantage. A sense of anticipation in the service industry is an invaluable quality. The ability to anticipate what a guest or the management needs, even before it is asked for creates a very good impression. 

5) Concentration and Skill 

  Waiting at a table requires concentration and skill. Service staff should develop a sense of urgency in the performance of their duties. Good service may not be commented upon, but bad service is surely noticed and talked about. Service should be prompt without the show of haste. 

6) Salesmanship   

  Food and beverage service personnel are technical salespersons; hence they should have a thorough knowledge of the proper presentation and service of all the food and beverages served in the establishment. Waiters should be kept informed by their superiors of deletions or additions to the menu. 

7) Ability to Assume Responsibility   

  All service staff should be able to cope up with the demands of the job and possess the ability to assume responsibility. They should be loyal to their employers, responsible to the guests and friendly towards their fellow workers. They should not consider any job as menial, and should be willing to perform all kinds of jobs efficiently. This will help the service staff to grow in their careers and at the same time enhance the image of the establishment in the eyes of the guests. 

8) Maximise Revenue  

   Cutting down on costs and maximising the revenue of the establishment should be of prime objective to all members of the staff, even to those in junior positions. 

9) Punctuality 

  Punctuality is all-important. If staff is continually late for duty, it shows a lack of interest in his work and a lack of respect for the management and customers. 

10) Local Knowledge 

  In the interest of customers, the staff should have a certain knowledge of the area in which they work so that they may be able to advise the guests on the various forms of entertainment offered, the best means of transport to places of interest and so on. 

11) Personality 

  Staff must be tactful, courteous, good humoured and of an even temper. They must converse with the customer in a pleasing and well-spoken manner and the ability to smile at the right time 

12) Attitude to Customers 

  The correct approach towards the customer is of the utmost importance. The staff must not be servile, but should anticipate the customer's needs and wishes. A careful watch should be kept on customers at all times during the service without staring. Care should always be taken when dealing with difficult customers. (There is really no such thing as a 'difficult' customer – they are normal people whom one is uncertain how to deal with.) Staff should never argue with customers as this will only aggravate the situation. All complaints should he referred to someone in authority in the food service area. 

13) Honesty 

  This is all-important for the staff in dealings with both the customer and the management. If there is trust and respect in the triangle of staff, customer and management relationships, then there will be pleasant work atmosphere which encourages efficiency and a good team spirit among the food and beverage service operators.