Экономические науки / 6. Маркетинг и менеджмент.

Topalova O.V.

East-European University of Economy and Management

THE TECHNOLOGY OF PROVIDING “ROOM SERVICE”

IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY

Food and beverage service is a major factor in hotel operation. Providing meals and drinks in the guests’ rooms is a service extended by most hotels. Floor or room service varies from basic ‘in room’ tea and coffee making facilities, as well as possibly mini-bars, to vending machines on floors, or to the service of a variety of meals in rooms. Depending on the nature of establishment, the extent of service in guest rooms will vary. In five star hotels 24-hours room service is expected, whereas two to three star hotels service may be limited to ‘in room’ tea and coffee making facilities with only continental breakfast available to be served in the room.

Different types of menu are provided in hotels. For example breakfast menu includes continental, light or traditional breakfast (served from 7.00 a.m.–10.00 p.m.). Light refreshments menu: pot of coffee, pot of tea, juices, hot chocolate, glass of chilled milk, the daily fresh soup, and sandwiches menu: sandwiches with chicken, fish, vegetables and cheese or served with a salad garnish on wholemeal or stoneground bread (available 24 hours). Main meals menu includes appetizers, main dishes and desserts (served between 12.00–2.00 p.m. and 7.00–10.00 p.m.). In this case full room service is offered and the room service staff are employed to provide service at the times indicated on the menus.

Service may be operated from a floor pantry: there may be one on each floor of an establishment or one sited to service two or three floors. An alternative system is where all food and beverages come from a central kitchen and are sent to the appropriate floor by lift and then taken to the rooms, possibly in a hot trolley.

Floor service staff must have considerable experience as they have to deal with the service of all types of meals. They also have to deal with the service of all alcoholic beverages and so must have a good knowledge of the licensing laws. The floor service staff work on a shift system as the service has to be provided 24 hours a day.

The guest may call for service by pressing a button which lights up a series of coloured lights in the corridor, or alternatively lights up a panel in the floor pantry which is divided into numbered sections denoting the rooms. The customers may telephone direct to the floor pantry, or telephone their request to reception or the restaurant or dining room.

It is essential that a strict control is kept for service given on all the floors. A food or wine check must be made out for all requests from the guests or, in the event of special luncheon or dinner parties, a bill made out and presented to the host who will sign it to show that the services listed have been received. It is most important that a signature is obtained in case of any query or complaint when the bill is presented to a guest on leaving an establishment. All checks once signed by the guest should be passed immediately to reception or control so that the services rendered may be changed to guest’s account. All orders are taken in triplicate, the top copy going to the department supplying the food or beverage required, a duplicate going to control or reception (after being signed by the guest) and the third copy kept by the floor service staff as a means of reference.

This suggested method of control varies slightly according to the establishment. In many establishments the guest is rarely asked to sign for service given in rooms or suites. Where this is the case and any queries arise on the presentation of the bill, then it could cause some difficulty and embarrassment to both the establishment and the guest.

The pantry from which the floor service staff operate may be likened to a mini stillroom and holds the equipment required for the preparation and service of any meal. This equipment should include:

- Sink unit

- Hotplate

- Refrigerator

- Lift to central kitchen

- Salamander

- Open gas rings

- Small still set or other coffee making machine

- Cutting boards

- Knives

- Storage space-shelves and cupboard for china

- China

- Silverplate, hollow-ware

- Cutlery, flatware

- Glasssware

- Cruets, Worcester sauce, sugars etc

- Linen

- Gueridon trolley

- Chaffing lamps and Suzette pans

- Wine service equipment, wine buckets, stands baskets etc

- Trays

Sufficient equipment must be available to enable efficient service to be given at all times and a high standard maintained.

The service staff carry out all their own pre-service preparation (mise-en-place) before the service of a meal. This includes the checking and refilling of cruets and other accompaniments, laying up of breakfast trays, changing of linen, laying up of tables, washing and polishing of glasses, clearing of trays and so on. A strict control of all equipment is essential and to this end it should be noted that some establishments provide a different style and design of china etc for the service of meals on the floors.

In some hotels only breakfast service is available, which is often provided by the housekeeping staff. Usually breakfast menu also acts as an order which, when completed, is hung on the outside of the guest’s bedroom. The bottom portion of the card where the guest fills in his name, date, room number and number of breakfast is detachable and sent to the billing office for charging to the guest’s account. In the remaining portion the guest completes his order for one or two persons separately placing a tick in the box next to the dish of guest’s choice, using column A for person 1 and column B for person 2. For more than two persons additional order forms are available from reception. Then remaining portion goes to the floor service pantry or to the central kitchen. Trays are made up and delivered to the room within the appropriate time range.

The laying-up of a breakfast tray involves the same procedure, with a few exceptions, as when laying up a table for a full English or continental breakfast in the restaurant, although as most orders for the service of breakfasts in the apartments are known in advance the tray may be laid according to the order. The main differences between laying a tray and a table for the service of breakfast are as follows:

- A tray cloth replaces the tablecloth

- Underplates are usually left out because of lack of space and to reduce weight

- There will be no ashtrays or table on the tray

With standing others for breakfast in the apartments, the trays should be laid up the night before, placed in the pantry and covered with a clean cloth. The beverage, toast and first course, together with the preserves and other accompaniments that may be required according to the order given will normally be prepared by the floor service staff in the service or floor pantry. The main course is sent up already plated from the kitchen, by the service lift. Before taking the tray to the apartment it is important to check that nothing is missing and that the hot food is hot. The beverage and toast should be the last items on the tray for this reason.

The positioning of the items on the tray is all important. The items should be placed so that everything may be easily reached and to hand for the guest, beverage and breakfast cup, saucer and teaspoon to the top centre-right of the tray. This helps balance the tray is in the correct position for pouring. Any bottled proprietary sauce required on the tray should be laid flat to avoid accidents when carrying the tray. On arriving at the apartment door, the member of staff should knock loudly, wait for a reply, and then enter, placing the tray on the bedside table.

If there are two or more people taking breakfast in the apartment, it may be necessary to lay up a table or trolley, and to serve the breakfast in the same way as in the restaurant. After approximately 45 minutes the floor service staff should return to the room, knock and wait for a reply, enter and ask if it is convenient to clear the breakfast tray away. It is important to note that all trays and trolleys should be cleared from the rooms and corridors as soon as possible, otherwise they may impede the housekeeping staff in their work, and may also inconvenience guests.

When breakfast service is finished all equipment must be washed up in the floor pantry and food-stuffs such as milk, cream, butter, rolls and preserves should be returned to the stillroom or placed in the refrigerator or store cupboard in the pantry for re-use. The pantry is then cleaned and the mise-en-place carried out for the day.

Finally it is sufficient to say that the floor service staff must co-operate with other staff within the establishment. The floor service staff should ensure that all rooms are cleared as soon as meals are finished so as not to be in the way when rooms are being cleaned.

REFERENCES

1. Dennis R. Lillicrap, and John A. Cousins (1992) Food and Beverage Service. Third Edition.

2. Peter Jones, and Abraham Pizam (1993) The International Hospitality Industry. Organizational and Operational Issues.

3. Susan A. Weston. (1996) Commercial Recreation and Tourism. An Introduction of Business. Oriented Recreation. Montclair State University.

4. Teare, R. (1991) ‘Developing hotels in Europe: some reflections on progress and prospects’, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 3, no. 4.