Chapter Seven



Chapter Eight

Restaurant Operations

Front of the House Page Object.

Operations are divided into two sections: the front of the house— 280 2, 5

anyone with guest contact (dining room manager/hostess/

bus persons/servers)—and the back of the house (kitchen manager/

cooks/prep cooks/expediter/receiving/dishwashing).

The hostess’ job is to greet the guests and to manage seating in 280 2

the dining room sections. Tools such as seating charts and

reservations books help the hostess to control the flow of seating.

The front of the house must create and maintain a curbside 280 2

appeal, meaning keep the restaurant looking attractive.

In addition to the 7 steps of the table service (see list on p. 281), 281- 2

servers are expected to be NCO—neat, clean, and organized— 282

and to help ensure that the food is served at the appropriate

temperature.

Restaurant Forecasting

|Most businesses, including restaurants, operate by forecasting a budget of estimated sales and costs for|282 |1, 4 |

|a year. These expenses are broken down in a weekly and monthly basis. Sales budgets are forecasts of | | |

|expected business. | | |

|The two components used in forecasting are guest counts (covers) and the average guest check. The guest|282 |1, 4 |

|count reveals the number of guests patronizing the restaurant over a period of time. The number of | | |

|guests will vary during the week. Mondays are usually the slowest. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday | | |

|usually provide up to 50% of the operation’s revenue. Day of the week, meal period, previous forecast | | |

|materializations, and special holidays are all factors of forecasting. | | |

|The average guest check is calculated by dividing the total sales by the number of guests. Multiplying |282 |1, 4 |

|the number of guests by the average guest check reveals the forecasted sales. | | |

|The year is divided into twelve 28-day and one 29-day accounting periods. Weekly forecasted sales are |282 |1, 4 |

|combined to form one accounting period. The 13 accounting periods, when totaled, become the annual | | |

|total. | | |

|Beyond using forecasts for estimating sales, managers also use them to predict staffing levels and labor|282 |1, 4 |

|cost percentages. | | |

|Once sales figures are determined, all expenditures, fixed and variable, must be deducted from sales. |282 |1, 4 |

|The money remaining becomes the operation’s profit. | | |

Service

Today, the quality of service has become very important to 282- 2

American diners. The quality of the service can often set a restaurant 283

apart. The industry's response to this desire is evident by it’s increase

in service training.

Servers are not merely order takers. They are salespeople of the 284 2

restaurant and must learn to gauge the guests’ satisfaction levels and

to be sensitive to guests’ needs.

|Suggestive Selling | | |

|Suggestive selling can be an exceptional tool to increase food and beverage sales. Through training and|286 |2 |

|practice, servers become | | |

|sellers. Guests will more likely be receptive to suggestions from competent servers. | | |

Back of the House Page Object.

The back of the house is generally run by the kitchen manager 287 5

and usually refers to the areas that do not come in contact with

the guests.

One of the most important aspects of running a successful 287 5

restaurant is having a strong back of the house, particularly in the

kitchen.

Food Production

|The kitchen manager, cook, or chef begins the production process by determining the expected volume of |287 |3, 5 |

|business for the next few days. Much of the prep work is done in the early morning and afternoon. | | |

|The cooking line is the most important part of the kitchen layout. The size of the kitchen and its |288 |3, 5 |

|equipment are all designed according to the sales forecasted for the restaurant. | | |

| | | |

|The kitchen will also be set up according to what the customers prefer and order most. | | |

| |288 |3, 5 |

|Teamwork is especially important in the kitchen; for example, helping each other with the prepping and | | |

|the cooking. | | |

| |288 |3, 5 |

Kitchen/Food Production

Staffing and Scheduling

Practicing proper staffing is crucial in running a successful kitchen. 289 2, 3,

Overstaffing, rather than understaffing, is often the best idea, for it is 5

much easier to send someone home than to call someone in. Extra

employees allow for cross training and development.

Problems can also be eliminated if a manpower plan is created. 290 2, 3,

Also crucial to a smoothly run kitchen is a competent staff. 5

Training and Development

Implementing a comprehensive training program is vital in the 290 6

kitchen due to a high turnover rate.

Ensuring adequate training is important because success of the 290 6

business lies in the hands of the trainer and trainee.

Production Procedures

To control the production process, production control sheets 291 3

are created for each station. The first step in creating the sheet is to

count the products on hand for each station. Once the production

levels are determined, the amount of product required to reach the

level for each recipe is determined. Then the sheets are distributed

to the cooks.

When determining production, par levels should be changed 291 3

weekly according to sales trends to help control and minimize

waste levels.

The use of production sheets is critical in controlling how the 291 3

cooks use the products since production plays a key role in food cost.

Management Involvement and Followup

Management should know firsthand what is going on in the back 291 3, 6

of the house. As management spends more time in the kitchen, more

knowledge is gained, more confidence is acquired, and more respect

is earned.

Continual management followup is necessary to ensure that policies 291 3, 6

and standards are being upheld.

Employee Recognition

Recognizing employees for their efforts creates a positive 292 3, 5

environment that motivates the staff to excel and to ultimately produce

consistently better quality food for the guests. This is an important

aspect of back of the house management.

|Purchasing | | |

|Purchasing for restaurants involves procuring products and services that the restaurant needs in order|292 | |

|to serve its guests. | | |

|Operators need to determine standards to set up an effective purchasing system. The following must be|292 | |

|established – standards for each food item, systems to minimize theft/pilferage, par stocks, who will | | |

|do the buying, who will do the receiving, storage, and issuing of items. | | |

|Product specifications establish standards for each product. |292 | |

|Computerized or manual systems can be used to minimize theft and pilferage. |294 | |

|An efficient and effective system establishes a stock level that must be on hand at all times. This |294 | |

|is called par stock. | | |

|The person who is responsible for ordering and the person who is responsible for receiving should not |294 | |

|be the same person. Keeping these responsibilities separate is important to guard against theft. | | |

|Pre-purchasing functions include - planning menus, determining the quality and quantity needed to |295 | |

|produce the menus, determining the inventory of stock levels, identifying items to purchase and the | | |

|amount to be purchased, and writing specifications and market orders for purchase. Purchase orders | | |

|come as the result of the product specifications. | | |

|Receiving | | |

|When placing an order, the restaurant operator specifies the time and day the delivery is to be made. |296 | |

|Receiving is a point of control in the restaurant. The purpose is to ensure that quality, quantity, | | |

|and price are what was ordered. | | |

|Perishable items may go directly to the kitchen. Non-perishable items go into storage. | | |

|Storing/Issuing |296 | |

|Control of the stores is often a problem. Records must be kept of all items going into and being | | |

|removed from stores. The more people that have access to the storage areas, the more difficult it is | | |

|to maintain strict controls. | | |

|Items should only be released when an authorized requisition has been completed. First in–first out |296 | |

|(FIFO) ensures stock rotation by placing the most recent purchases, in rotation, behind previous | | |

|purchases. | | |

Restaurant Manager Job Analysis Page Object.

|Human Resource Management | | |

|Key elements that must be addressed by Foodservice Managers include: Recruitment and Training, |300- |6, 7 |

|Orientation and Training, Scheduling for Shifts, Supervision, and Employee Development. |301 | |

|Financial Management | | |

|Key elements that must be addressed by Foodsrvice Managers include: Accounting and Cost Control |300- |6, 7 |

| |301 | |

|Administrative Management | | |

|Key elements that must be addressed by Foodservice Managers include Scheduling and Coordination, |302 |6, 7 |

|Planning, and Communication. | | |

|Marketing Management | | |

|Key elements that must be addressed by Foodservice Managers include creating and executing marketing |302 |6, 7 |

|activities, providing opportunities for the establishment to provide community service, and carrying | | |

|out special promotions. | | |

|Operations Management | | |

|Key elements that must be addressed by Foodservice Managers include Facility Maintenance, Food and |302- |6, 7 |

|Beverage Operations Management, Service, and Sanitation and Safety. |303 | |

| | | |

|Trends in Restaurant Operations | | |

|A few trends include more flavorful food, increased take-out, food safety, more food court restaurants,| | |

|steak houses, quick-service restaurants, difficulty finding good employees, etc. (see full list on text|304 |2, 3, 6, 7 |

|p. 304). | | |

Check Your Knowledge, p. 287

1) Question: What is considered the front of the house?

Answer: The front of the house includes anyone with guest contact, from the hostess to the bus person (text page 280).

2) Question: Define curbside appeal.

Answer: Curbside appeal refers to keeping the establishment clean and attractive both inside and out (text page 280).

3) Question: Suggest methods for remembering who ordered what on a table for a large party.

Answer: This can be accomplished by training servers. When taking orders, the server should begin at a designated point and take the orders clockwise from that point (text page 281).

4) Question: Name some of the responsibilities and duties of an assistant restaurant manager.

Answer: These responsibilities and duties include (text page 293):

A. Planning and organizing

B. Coordinating

C. Supervising

D. Controlling

E. Other

5) Question: Briefly explain American Service.

Answer: American Service consists of simplified Russian Service techniques. The food is prepared and appealingly placed onto individual plates in the kitchen, carried into the dining room and served to guests. This method tends to be quicker for the fast paced American lifestyles (text page 284).

Check Your Knowledge, p. 292

1) Question: Explain the following terms: guest counts/covers; product specification; production control sheets.

Answer: Guest counts/covers – the number of guests patronizing the restaurant over a given time period—a week, month, or year.

Product specification – standards for each item.

Production control sheets – a checklist/sheet itemizing the production.

Answers to Chapter 8 Review Questions

1) The two components of restaurant forecasting are guest counts and average guest check. Guest counts refers to the number of guests patronizing the restaurant over a given time period. The average guest check is determined by dividing total sales by the total number of guests.

2) Purchasing involves the ordering of products and services necessary for the restaurant to satisfy guests’ needs. When receiving these orders, it is essential to ensure the quantity, quality, and accuracy of the delivery and store it effectively, making sure that all products have a date stamp and ensure effective rotation. The size, layout, and equipment of the kitchen are set up according to the notes forecasted for the restaurant to ensure the greatest efficiency.

3) Kitchen layout impacts how efficiently production of menu items can occur. It is important that no one section of the kitchen be overtaxed with production.

4) Good servers are not merely order takers, but at the same time act as salespeople for the restaurant. Suggestive selling expects the server to make suggestions to the guest about food or drinks they might have never considered before. It is essential that servers are in tune with guests’ needs and have competent knowledge of the menu. A good server foresees any requests a guest may have.

5) a) Controllable expenses are all expenses management can control. They include payroll, benefits, music and entertainment, utilities and maintenance.

b) Uniform system of accounts outlines a basic classification and presentation of operating results, which allows for easy comparison among restaurants.

c) Prime costs are the combination of food and labor costs.

6) A point-of-sale system automatically records sales in the kitchen or bar. It is one of the control systems restaurants use to protect themselves from theft. It is important for a restaurant operation to have control systems because the foodservice industry loses approximately $20 billion a year to theft and cash mishandling.

7) Front of the house refers to direct guest contact areas and employees, e.g., waitstaff, the dining room, the coat checkroom, etc. Back of the house refers to non-guest contact areas and employees, e.g., kitchen staff, accounting, etc.

8) Steps for completing a production sheet are:

- determine the amount of product on hand

- determine the amount of product needed, considering sales trends

- calculate the difference between the amount on hand and the amount needed, which equals the amount to be produced

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download