Lesson 2

Manpower Requirements

Learning Objective:

After reading the lesson, YOU MUST be able to determine the manpower requirement for
different styles of service, and advice colleagues promptly about items ready for service.

Introduction
Human resource is the key to any hotel/restaurant operations as they are concerned with the
very important resource – people.

Manning Requirements

The manning requirement for food and beverage service depends on the volume or food orders
and the seating capacity of the food outlet.

Each food outlet is usually manned by one captain, assisted by waiters and busboys.

For the bar, the manning include a bar captain, bar attendants, bartender and bar boys.

Each banquet function is usually supervised by a banquet captain, assisted by waiters and food
attendants. When a presidential table is set-up, one or two waiters are assigned to serve the guests
thereat. Likewise a waiter or busboy is assigned as runner for the pick up and refill of foods at the buffet
table.

Room service in big hotels is under a separate section, headed by a room service supervisor or
captain. In smaller hotels or resorts, the room service is under the administrative responsibility and
supervision of the outlet head waiter or supervisor.

The number of waiters or dining personnel is usually calculated based on the productivity ratio.
Said ratio depends on the productivity standard of each food outlet. The standard varies for each type of
service and the capacity of the dining personnel. A time and motion analysis is usually undertaken o
arrive at a realistic productivity standard.

The typical productivity ratio used by large and medium-sized food establishments is:

 1 waiter/attendant for every 15 customers (for American service)

 1 waiter for every table or 10-12 customers (for Russian service)
 1 waiter for every 5 customers (for French service with table side preparation)
 1 waiter for every 20-25 customers (for Buffet service)
 1 waiter for every 20-25 customers or 4-5 tables (for family or Lauriat service)