Department of Education Region V

Division of Albay
Polangui General Comprehensive High School
Polangui, Albay

Food and Beverage Services

LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEET
by: Richele R. Valencia

Name of Learner: _____________Grade/Section:________ Date Submitted:_________

A. TOPIC: PROVIDE FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICES TO GUESTS

B. Leaning Competency: LO 1. Serve Food Orders
1.1 Present menu to customers, take orders completely, and take note of the special requests. The learners demonstrate
knowledge and skills on the proper way of giving food and beverage services to guests.
TLE_HEFBS9-12SG-IIId-4

Background Information for Learners

Service is a used-term to describe the method and manner by which food is
served to the guests in food service.

Types of Service
1. Waiter service
More commonly known as sit-down service, a waiter takes care of everything
from taking orders to serving food and payment.
Benefits
• Service is more personalized as diners
are served directly.
• Special requests can be more easily
accommodated compared to other
services.
Challenges
• Requires skilled service staff because the waiter has to remember orders, service
protocols and serve promptly.
• More prone to mistakes as miscommunication with the kitchen can lead to wrong
orders being served to guests.
2. Chinese banquet service
Another form of waiter service where
each of them is takes care of a table or
group of tables with 10-12 guests. Dishes
are usually communal and shared.
Benefits
• Guests feel more relaxed because of
the communal sharing dishes.
• Food served is usually pre-ordered so
the waiters don’t have to worry about taking orders.
Challenges
What is It
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• Requires a big number of skilled staff because different tables have to be served at the
same time.
• Coordination with the kitchen is key as all the food has to be served fresh at the same
time.
3. Buffet service
In a buffet service, guests can choose their
food from a wider selection made available
on the buffet line. There are 4 common
types of buffet service:
• Simple Buffet – Guests get food from a
buffet line and waiters move around to
clear tables and help guests with minor
requests.
• Station-type buffet – Waiters serve the
Note: Practice Personal Hygiene protocols at all times. – R. Valencia
beverages while guests get the other dishes from the buffet line.
• Modified deluxe buffet – Tables are set with cutlery; waiters serve the beverages,
coffee and dessert while guests get the other dishes from the buffet line.
• Deluxe buffet – Waiters serve appetizers, soup and/or salads and beverages. Guests
take the other dishes from the buffet line.
Benefits
• Buffet tables are easy to prepare.
• Waiters focus only on serving a few dishes and clearing tables.
Challenges
• Last minute special requests can be challenging because of time and resource
constraints.
• This service can make diners feel alienated as waiters only clear plates and have little
interactions with them.
4. Self-service
Diners place, pay and pick up their
orders at a counter similar to fast casual
and fast food establishments.
Benefits
• Waiters only need to stay behind the
station counter to take orders.
• Waiters do not have to go around the restaurant as food is self-serviced.
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Challenges
• Diners expect quick service so food must either be prepared promptly or pre-prepared.
Rush hours can be tiring and stressful because there may be queues.
5. Semi-self service
Similar to self-service, diners order and
pay for their orders at the counter but their
food is served to them when ready.
Benefits
• Waiters only need to stay at the counter
to take orders and receive payment.
• Services have an easier time delivering
orders because diners are identified via a
number system.
Challenges
• Food has to be prepared promptly as
quick service is expected.
• Rush hours can be tiring and even more challenging when a long line forms and guests
expect quick service.
Finding the right service for your restaurant
With all the different types of service available, finding the right one for your restaurant
can create a more enjoyable experience for your diners. Here are 4 common types of
restaurants and the types of matching services:
1. High-end restaurant – Waiter service
2. Casual dining restaurant – Waiter service/semi-self-service/self-service
3. Fast food – Self-service/semi-self service
4. Café – Self-service

Steps of Service – The Basics

Every business has a set of procedures or guidelines whether it be written or verbal to make the day-to-day operations
flow smoothly. With restaurants, despite the fact that every place is different and has their own set of rules or policies there
is a basic blueprint for the steps of service.

Note: Practice Personal Hygiene protocols at all times. – R. Valencia

This is the sequence I use when it comes to serving a table of mine.

1. Greet your guest(s)

2. Take a drink order
3. Deliver the drinks
4. Tell features or specials (optional)
5. Take food order
6. Deliver the food
7. 2 bite check
8. Clear the table
9. Take dessert and coffee/tea order
10. Drop the bill
11. Thank your guests as or before they leave
So let me break it down for you.

(please remember that these steps are the steps I, myself take when serving tables in my current serving jobs. This will give you an
idea of what is involved when serving tables. If you need additional information, have any questions or want to know something
specifically within this post then please don’t be shy to ask)

Greet your guest(s)

I like to give my guest(s) a minute to settle in and get comfortable before I go over and say “Hello”. That being said it’s very
important you don’t take too long before you make your first contact with them. My belief is that you should greet your
table within 1 minute, 2 minutes at the absolute maximum. If your unable to get to that table in time then either get
another server to start them off or even ask a manager to help you out.
Take a drink order
I like to start by asking the table whether they are ready to order drinks, or if they need a minute to settle in, this gives
them the option without cornering them into making a panic decision if you just asked: “What can I get you to drink?”.
Remember to ID anyone ordering alcoholic beverages if they look underage or if you’re unsure if they are of legal age.
Deliver the drinks
It’s important after you ring the drinks into the P.O.S. (P.O.S. stands for Point of Sale and is the computer you input your orders
into) that you get their drinks to them as soon as you can, if you’re busy and you do this then it buys you a little time (as
they now have something to occupy them) until you can get back to them for their food order.
Tell features or specials (optional)
Not every restaurant offers features or specials but I find the best time to tell your table is either as your dropping off their
drinks (to give them some other options to think about while they’re checking out the menu and while their focus is on food) or not
long after you have.
Take food order
Pull out that notepad/order pad because it’s about to get used (see the importance of a notepad in the previous post “What to
Do on Your First Day”). If you want tips or tricks on taking orders (the post “6 Tips for Time Management“ has now been
posted). After you have written everything down and repeated the order (The importance of this is also covered in the above-
mentioned blog post) then go right away and ring in the order.

Sample Order Slip

Note: Practice Personal Hygiene protocols at all times. – R. Valencia

Deliver the food
When I drop food off to my table (unless a food runner or another server has taken the food to the table) I make sure to name
the dish as I’m putting this down. This way if something was wrongly ordered it is picked up right away (hopefully it
shouldn’t have been because you wrote everything down right?) but sometimes mistakes are made and this way you can work
on rectifying it immediately.
2 bite check
2 bites or within 2 minutes, this is the rule I go by for doing a “quality” check on your guest(s) meals. If everything is good
then offer more drinks if necessary or if they have everything need then you can be on your merry way to deal with your
other tables.

Clear the table

There are two different ways to go about this and it generally comes down to the “policy” or “guideline” of your employer.
There is a debate about this topic on whether you clear your tables plates as they become empty or if you wait until
everyone has finished their meal.

I like to wait until everyone is finished because if someone can’t finish their meal or would like to share with someone else
at their table then this makes it a whole lot easier for them to offer it around without having to share one plate and one set
of cutlery.

(once again it comes down to the standards and procedures of the particular restaurant your working in).
Take dessert and coffee/tea order
Once your table has had a little time after you have cleared their meals and let them digest and chat a little, head on over
and offer dessert and coffee or tea. Take everyone’s order and punch it into the P.O.S. then set them up accordingly (milk,
cream, sugar, dessert spoons/forks, etc.). If they don’t order anything then go to the next step.
Drop the bill
Unless someone had specifically asked you to bring the bill directly to them when dropping it off at the table try to place it
in the middle as best you can. This way it gives your guest(s) the option to jump right in settle up or to just sit on it for a
while without feeling obligated to settle up right away.(be sure to continually check to see if the bill is ready to be paid, don’t
repeatedly go up and ask but just keep an eye on it from a distance and when it’s ready then go on over).

It’s crucial you don’t make the table wait because you could have done an amazing job throughout their whole dining
experience but if their last impression is having to wait 15 minutes to pay a bill then all that work has gone to waste, not to
mention your tip will probably struggle because of this. You should only give a bill when it has been requested, sometimes
guests will change their mind and maybe order a dessert or have another drink.

Thank your guest as or before they leave

These people have taken the time to come and dine in the restaurant you work in which pays your wage and your bills so
a simple thank you is the least you can give back to them (apart from the amazing service). This will leave a positive last
impression on them and is the last thing they remember when they leave the restaurant.
Service should not stop after your guest(s) pay their bill.
I’ve seen some servers do an amazing job with a table only to suffer in the end because after the guest(s) pay their bill
they just leave them be until they leave. On occasion, a guest may want a glass of water or perhaps order some take out
to bring home with them but if no one is around to help them out with that then they feel neglected.

Thanks and have a great day!

LEARNING ACTIVITY 1:

What can I do?

Demonstrate food service – Scenario: A Chinese family is dining in your restaurant. They
have ordered complete food course.

Rubric for the performance:

Criteria 5 4 3 2 1
Food is served
according to
general
services
Food is
handles based
on food safety
procedures.
Tables are
cleared and
Note: Practice Personal Hygiene protocols at all times. – R. Valencia
 soiled dishes
prepared to be
brought for
dishwashing.
Number of
guest to be
serve are
monitored.
Total Score/20

LEARNING ACTIVITY 2: Essay

Directions: Answer the following questions. Write your answer on the space provided. You may use an extra sheet
for your answer. (10pts. each.)
1. Enumarate the steps in Serving the food and beverage orders. Explain each.
2. Why should we follow these steps?
: REFLECTION: On the space provided below, write a reflection about the topic that you have learned today.
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REFERENCES:
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority-Qualification Standards Office. Training Regulations for Food
and Beverage Services NC II. Taguig City,
Philippines:
https://howtobeagoodserver.com/steps-of-service-the-basics/
Book
Arcos, Cristeta M., Flores, Jelly M., and Yu, Evangeline V. Food and Beverage
Services Manual: Technical-Vocational-Livelihood- Home Economics First
Edition – Department of Education – Bureau of Learning Resources. Pasig
City, Philippines: Sunshine Interlinks Publishing House, Inc 2017.
Food and Beverage Services Manual Department of Education Republic of the Philippines pages 185-204

Best of Luck!!! ☺

Note: Practice Personal Hygiene protocols at all times. – R. Valencia