5 Types of Food Service

What is Food Service?

Food service is a process or system where food is served to a guest or customer in an establishment. It concerns taking food and beverages from their source to its consumer and identifying any manpower required to bridge those two points.  

Types of Food and Beverage Service

Understanding these 5 different types of food and beverage services and their benefits and challenges will help you decide which one to use for your restaurant.

1. Waiter service

More commonly known as sit-down service, this type of service requires a waiter to take care of everything from taking orders to serving food and payment.

Benefits

• Service is more personalized as you serve diners directly.
• You can accommodate special requests more easily compared to other services.

Challenges

• It requires skilled service staff because the waiter must remember orders and service protocols, as well as serve promptly.
• More prone to mistakes as miscommunication with the kitchen can lead to wrong orders being served to guests.

2. Chinese banquet service

This is another form of waiter service where each waiter takes care of a table or group of tables with 10-12 guests. Dishes are usually communal and shared.

Benefits

• Guests feel more relaxed because of the communal sharing dishes.
• Food served is usually pre-ordered so the waiters don’t have to worry about taking orders.

Challenges

• It requires several skilled staff because different tables you must be able to serve simultaneously.
• Coordination with the kitchen is crucial since servers must present the food all at once.

3. Buffet service

In a buffet service, guests can choose their food from a wider selection made available on the buffet line. There are 4 common types of buffet service:

• Simple Buffet – Guests get food from a buffet line and waiters move around to clear tables and help guests with minor requests.
• Station-type buffet – Waiters serve the beverages while guests get the other dishes from the buffet line.
• Modified deluxe buffet – Tables are set with cutlery; waiters serve the beverages, coffee, and dessert while guests get the other dishes from the buffet line.
• Deluxe buffet – Waiters serve appetizers, soup and/or salads, and beverages. Guests take the other dishes from the buffet line.
  

Benefits

• Buffet tables are easy to prepare.
• Waiters focus only on serving a few dishes and clearing tables.

Challenges

• Last-minute special requests can be challenging because of time and resource constraints.
• This service can make diners feel alienated as waiters only clear plates and have little interaction with them.

4. Self-service

In this type of food service, diners place, pay, and pick up their orders at a counter similar to fast casual and fast-food establishments. 

Benefits

• Waiters only need to stay behind the station counter to take orders.
• Waiters do not have to go around the restaurant as the food is self-serviced.

Challenges

• Diners expect quick service, so you must prepare or pre-prepare promptly.
• Rush hours can be tiring and stressful because there may be queues. 

5. Semi-self service

Similar to self-service, this type of service requires diners to order and pay for their orders at the counter but waiters serve the food when ready.

Benefits

• Waiters only need to stay at the counter to take orders and receive payment.
• Services have an easier time delivering orders because a number system identifies diners.

Challenges

• You must prepare food promptly since customers expect quick service.
• Rush hours can be tiring and even more challenging when a long line forms and guests expect speedy service.

Different types of service for your restaurant

With all the different types of service available, finding the right one for your restaurant can create a more enjoyable experience for your diners. Here are 4 common types of restaurants and the types of matching services:

1. High-end restaurant – Waiter service
2. Casual dining restaurant – Waiter service/semi-self-service/self-service
3. Fast food – Self-service/semi-self service
4. Café – Self-service

Some establishments also combine two types of service in their restaurant. Some businesses have a buffet service, but also offer a waiter service for guests who opt to choose from an a la carte menu. Have you decided on how you will establish your food service already? Choosing among the types of service is all up to you but make sure it fits the needs of your target market as well.