To serve or not to serve – that is the question!
To serve or not to serve – that is the question!
On gastronomic restaurants from fine dining to fast food, there are a variety of serving styles,
each with their own unique charm and style. From elegant gourmet restaurants to cozy cafes,
each type has its own twist on how guests are served.
Staff or waiter service
In gourmet restaurants, the focus is on a high standard of service and the serving staff have a detailed knowledge
of the menu and wine pairings. The atmosphere is elegant and the waiters often wear formal uniforms.
On the other hand, casual cafes and casual dining places offer a more relaxed approach to service,
where waiters kindly take orders and make recommendations without the formal rituals found in the gourmet segment.
In cafes, staff typically take orders at the counter with a focus on coffee and light meals.
Advantage:
- Service is more personal when served directly at the table
- Up-selling is easier when you have continuous contact with the guest
Disadvantages:
- In many cases, the staff must be trained as a waiter, and must follow the level of service that suits the restaurant.
- Error possibilities for communication between kitchen and waiter.
Buffet service
In buffets, the serving staff primarily assists with maintaining food stations,
clearing tables and assisting guests as needed, rather than taking orders or serving food directly at the table.
Advantage:
- Buffet is easy to set up
- Waiters can focus on serving drinks or other accessories
- You can work with runners instead of waiters
Disadvantages:
- The buffet must always be filled with fresh items that are missing
- Waiters only have to remove service from the table, and do not have much opportunity to up-sell
Self-service
Self-service is often in fast food restaurants or e.g. in food trucks.
In these segments, staff manage often from a compact space to take orders, prepare food and serve customers directly. There is an emphasis on fast service and mobility.
Advantage:
- The service staff only have to be at the counter or till.
- Customers collect their food themselves when it is finished, so you don’t have to run out with it.
Disadvantages:
- Self-service customers often expect fast service.
- Rush hour can often be stressful and queues can occur.
Semi-self-service
Semi-self-service is often where the guest orders at the counter or till, and the food is brought to the table by the serving staff when it is ready
Advantage:
- The waiter or service staff can remain behind the cash register when ordering
- Delivery of the food can be easy enough if you have a localization system
Disadvantages:
- As with self-service, guests expect the food to arrive quickly
- Here too, rush hour can be stressful and create queues.
- There may be problems knowing where the guest is sitting.
In addition to the previously mentioned types, there are also other types of restaurants, such as pop-up restaurants, which can be a mixture of different types. There are also places that focus exclusively on take-away, which can have both advantages and disadvantages depending on the place’s facilities and options for waiting customers.
Regardless of the type of restaurant you run, it is important to find the right balance between service and efficiency. At Discover Systems, we have over 23 years of experience in helping restaurants to optimize their serving, so that guests and staff get the best possible experience. Contact us for advice on how we can help your restaurant deliver an exceptional service experience to your guests.
