Types of Table Services

By: Honey Turqueza

Seated Service French service American Service English Service Russian Service

Self-Service Buffet Service

2 Types of Table Services

“ No one style of service is better than any other. Each form of

service meets the specific need and demands of individual

circumstances.”

Seated Service/ sit-down meals The manner in which the diner receives the food.

The number of courses offeredThe servants required to wait on the table

What is Table Service?

Table setting (preparing) When seating, the server should assist the

guests When taking the order, the server should

also assist the guests The server should deliver the food to the

guests And serve them Toward the end of the main

course.

Scope of Service

French serviceAmerican ServiceEnglish ServiceRussian Service

Types of Table Service

Service à la française, Portions of foods are brought to the dining room on serving , platters are placed on a small heater called Rechaud that is on a small portable table called guéridon,

Much of the food was cooked or finished tableside from a voiture, or cart, or guéridon, or side table, in the dining room.

French service

guéridon

rechaud

Chef de Rang

Commis de Rang 

Table is wheeled up beside the guests table and here the Chief Waiter or Chef de Rang, completes preparation.

An assistant waiter or Commis de Rang carries the plate and serves each guest. It is his job to bring the food and clear the dirty dishes from the guest’ table.

guéridon

rechaud

Chef de Rang

Commis de Rang 

 Very stylish and formal Guest can enjoy food prepared at side table

 required a highly skilled staff Expensive on   labor and equipment needs necessitates wide aisles

Advantages and Disadvantages

The food is prepared and plated in kitchen.The food brought to the dining room and served by the server.

Each serving dish is passed from one hand to another in one direction – until all in the table have served themselves.

Someone at the table removes the main course and serves the desert.

American Service

 In this service, the dishes are prepared and decorated or garnished in the kitchen. Unlike English service here the service will done from the right side of the customer..

American service or pre-plated service or plate service

known as platter service similar to French service It employs the use of heavy silver

serviceware, and the table setting is identical to the French setup.

The two major differences one server is needed and that food is fully prepared and attractively arranged on silver platters in the kitchen

Russian Service

• Standing to the left of each guest and holding the platter of food in the left hand, the server show each guest the food and then, using a large spoon and fork in the right hand, dishes up the desired portion on the guest’s plate 

only one server is need and this service is as elegant as French service, yet faster and less expensive. No extra space is needed for special equipment

the large investment is silver service ware and the number of platters needed.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Russian Service

 Often referred to as the "Host Service" Food is brought on platters by the waiter

and is shown to the host for approval. The waiter then places the platters on the tables.

All food fully cooked in the kitchen All sauces and side dishes are on the table to be passed by the guests

English Service

The advantage of English service is that it the Service is quicker and easier each guest are allowed to choose the portion they wants

The disadvantages are that the host may be required to do a lot of the work by dishing up some of the food, and with only one person serving the entrée, the service can be very time-consuming.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Buffet or Self-Service

1. Buffet 2. Staffed buffet

2 Types of buffet

A buffet is a dining table or other suitable surface, that will accommodate a stack of plates and serving dishes of foods. Guests are invited to serve themselves at the buffet

With buffet service, guests select their meals from an attractive arrangement of food on long serving tables

What is Buffet

 diners may bring their own plate along the buffet line and are given a portion by a server at each station

The guests either help themselves or are served by server standing behind the buffet tables

 STAFFED BUFFET

Meal period buffet Brunch buffet Fork buffet Display buffet Occasion buffet Regional and ethnic buffet Event oriented buffet Seasonal buffet International buffet

Types of buffet

Served during particular time of day Includes in between (happy hour) Service of late night buffet snack

Meal period buffet

Made of breakfast & lunch foods Offers a full array of hot and cold food Includes (egg dish, fruits …….)

Brunch buffet

Bite-sized food Easily handled with the fingers Flatware consists of fork & small plate

Fork buffet

Presents a particular or group of item Most appropriate for particular holiday or

theme

Display buffet

Everything focus on specific occasion Offers challenge to menu planner

Occasion buffet

Dominated by particular area or nationality Customs , methods of food should be

studied carefully

Regional and ethnic buffet

Celebrates an occasion wanted by the restaurant or client.

Slightly different from occasion buffet

Event oriented buffet

Mark all the four seasons Food offered-plentiful,readily available

Seasonal buffet

Thank you!God bless!