CONTEMPORARY CLUB DINING ROOM GUIDE
AMERICAN SERVICE AND DINING ROOM APPEARANCE
Hit them with the specials before they look at the menu.
Five Cardinal Rules of AS:
1.
All food served from the left (of the guest) with the left hand.
2.
All beverages served from the right (of the guest) with the right hand.
Exception: For noticeably left handed guest.
Note: Pull the glass off of the table to fill it.
3.
All soiled plates are NEVER scraped in front of the guest. i.e., remove plates
by shingling them up your arm and walk away to clear them off.
4.
All soiled are cleared from the right with the right hand, except the B&B and
side dishes from the left with the left.
5.
Children, ladies, and elderly persons are served FIRST.
Characteristics of American Service:
1.
All food is cooked, plated, and garnished in the kitchen.
2.
All food is brought by the waiter from the kitchen and served from the left
with the left.
The Line of Authority:
1.
Food and beverage manager
2.
Dining room manager
3.
Head waiter
4.
Wine steward
5.
Captain
6.
Wait person
7.
Bus person
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CONTEMPORARY CLUB DINING ROOM GUIDE
AMERICAN SERVICE AND DINING ROOM APPEARANCE
Advantages of American Service:
1.
All food is portioned in the kitchen by the Chef.
2.
Two waiters take care of six tables at the most.
3.
Service is fast and economical.
4.
It can be learned within a short period of time.
Disadvantages of American Service:
1.
The guest could be left unattended.
2.
Personal service is lessened due to amount of people on the floor (harder to
give personal service).
3.
Service may be too fast for leisurely dining.
Dining Room Appearance:
1. Tables neatly arranged. Neat rows, perfect tablecloth arrangement, etc.
2. All chairs at the same distance from the tables.
3. Each table should be set exactly the same.
4. Same linens on each table; steam wrinkles away.
5. Silverware free of stains and water-spots.
6. Glassware steamed and gleaming. i.e., no lid chafing dish with wire-rack on top;
place glassware upside down to steam.
7. Clean equipment.
8. Side-stand correctly and neatly set.
9. Soft lighting, but enough to read the menu.
10. Room temperature at 68 degrees.
© 2004 All Rights Reserved
www.chefwhitney.com/ and www.clubculinary.com
CONTEMPORARY CLUB DINING ROOM GUIDE
AMERICAN SERVICE AND DINING ROOM APPEARANCE
Silence Cloth:
1. To cushion noise and breakage. (Use two tablecloth if n/a)
2. Soak up spills.
3. Protect tabletop.
4. Prevent the tablecloth from sliding.
Side Notes:
1. Ideally the tablecloth should not drape more than 7-8 inches from the tabletop.
2. Crumb the table AFTER savory/BEFORE sweet.
3. Glassware NEVER serve by the rim.
Ashtrays:
Cover a dirty ashtray with a clean, inverted ashtray (when back is turned from guests),
then replace with the clean one.
Set up of side stand:
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How To Set Up a Side Stand.
© 2004 All Rights Reserved
www.chefwhitney.com/ and www.clubculinary.com
CONTEMPORARY CLUB DINING ROOM GUIDE
AMERICAN SERVICE AND DINING ROOM APPEARANCE
Service Steps:
1. Greet the guests.
2. Seat the guests.
3. Take the beverage order.
4. Serve bread, butter, and water.
5. Present menus from the left, counter-clockwise as to walk forward in
presentation.
6. Assist in menu interpretation. (perhaps bring to the attention of the guests a
few specialty items or commonly misunderstood items).
7. Take the menu order.
8. Present the wine list.
9. Take wine order.
10. Present the wine for approval.
11. Serve the appetizer.
12. Serve the wine. Note: Generally do not serve wine with Salad.
13. Serve soup, salad, etc. Note: Always check the Flatware between courses and
place required plates before the next course is served.
14. Serve entrée. After entrée, sell cheese, fruits, and the like.
15. CRUMB the tables. (after savory, before sweet).
16. Present the dessert menu or dessert cart (tray).
17. Take dessert order.
18. Take the beverage order (coffee, tea, liquors, etc.).
19. Present beverage, then dessert.
20. Present check on request.
21. Departing greetings/salutations.
© 2004 All Rights Reserved
www.chefwhitney.com/ and www.clubculinary.com
CONTEMPORARY CLUB DINING ROOM GUIDE
AMERICAN SERVICE AND DINING ROOM APPEARANCE
How to Carry Plates
© 2004 All Rights Reserved
www.chefwhitney.com/ and www.clubculinary.com
© 2004 All Rights Reserved
www.chefwhitney.com/ and www.clubculinary.com
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© 2004 All Rights Reserved
www.chefwhitney.com/ and www.clubculinary.com