Qualification : Food and Beverage Services NC II

Module Title : Preparing the Dining Room/Restaurant Area for

Service

Learning Outcome No. 3 : Set up the tables in the dining area

Assessment Criteria

1. Tables are set according to the standards of the food service establishment.

2. In cases where the menu is pre-arranged or fixed, covers are set correctly
according to the predetermined menu.

3. Tableware and glassware are wiped and polished before they are set up on the
table.

4. Cloth napkins are folded properly and laid on the table appropriately according to
napkin folding style.

5. Buffet or display tables are skirted properly taking into account symmetry, balance
and harmony in size and design.

Resources

 Tableware

 Dinner ware

 Electrical appliances and equipment

 Training materials

Reference

The Waiter’s Handbook (3rd Edition), Graham Brown and Karon Hepner, Pearson South Asia
Pte. Ltd. (Philippines), Copyright @2005.

Food and Beverage Services. Leonora D. Basbas. Rex Printing Company, Inc., Metro
Manila (Philippines), Copyright @ 2017.

Food Service and Bartending. Roldan, et.al. AR Skills Development and Management
Services, Metro Manila (Philippines), Copyright @ 2013.
LEARNING OUTCOME NO. 3: Set up the tables in the dining area.
Learning Activities
 Discuss the following:
 Factors to consider in setting the table
 Table arrangement and accessories
 Demonstrate the following:
 Types of table set up, kinds of table
setting
 Types of table arrangement, types of
napkin folding
Special Instructions/Outcomes
 Have the students practice table setting
and napkin folding;
 The students, at the end of this session
must be able to demonstrate the
different napkin folding and table setting
styles.
INFORMATION SECTION

Guides in Preparing an Ideal Dining Room

An Ideal dining room should be comfortable, relaxing, convenient and beautiful

as to make customers fully satisfied and happy. In creating an ideal dining
room, consider the following:

1. The amount of dining space should dictate the amount of furniture and
furnishings to be arranged.
2. The prescribed space in a dining room of a restaurant is 15 square feet
per person. A dining area with 100 seats has a total of 1 500 square me-
ters. However, food outlets in many shopping malls use smaller tables
and chairs to accommodate more customers.
3. Dining tables should be 30 square inches for devices (table for 2) and 34-
36 square inches for four sitters. Dining tables should have a height of
29-30 inches.
4. Shape of tables can be round or square. Round tables are used in fine
dining while square tables can easily accommodate customers in pairs or
devices, fours, eights and more by simply joining the tables for larger
groups.
5. Tables and chairs are made of different materials – wood, plastic, to sup-
port vinyl and metal and in different designs. Choose chairs that are
sturdy and heavy to support any weight, simple in design for easy clean-
ing and seating space enough to accommodate a customer of any size.
6. Dining room chairs should be 17-18 inches in height. 16-17 inches square
and chair back is 32-33 inches, high enough to support the body. Chairs
should provide erect, comfortable seating for eating, not sloping or tilted
which are for relaxing
7. The number of seats in the dining room depends on customer load, rate of
movement through the line, and seat turn-over. Customer load refers to
number of customers seated in the dining room at one time. Rate of move-
ment through the line is the speed of service provided by the staff. Seat
turn-over refers to the speed of customer changes in the seats.

Preparing the Table Appointments

Table appointments refer to all tools used for dining. These include the
dinnerware, flatware, beverage-ware and linens.

 Dinnerware include place plate, dinner plate, luncheon plate, soup

plate, soup bowl, bread and butter plate, cup and saucer, demitasse cup
and saucer, platters, soup tureen;
 Flatware are forks, spoons and knives such as dinner fork, salad or
dessert fork, pickle fork, oyster form; dinner spoon, soup spoon, demi-
tasse spoon, ice teaspoon, dinner knife, steak knife, serving spoon and
fork, pie server, soup and gravy ladle, butter spreader ;
 Beverage-ware are classified into un-footed and footed wares. Un-footed
wares include old fashioned glass, highball, tumbler, juice glass and
whisky glass while footed wares include goblet, champagne, cocktail,
sherry, wine;
 Linens for the dining room are the following: table cloth, silence cloth,
top cloth, table runners, placemats and napkins.

Source:

Leonora D. Basbas. (19 Food and Beverage Service. Rex Printing Company, Inc.,
Metro Manila, Philippines. Copyright 2017. pp. 31-32, 36-41.

Food and Beverage Services. Leonora D. Basbas. Rex Printing Company, Inc., Metro
Manila (Philippines), Copyright @ 2017. Pp 35 – 52.

Food Service and Bartending. Roldan, et.al. AR Skills Development and Management
Services, Metro Manila (Philippines), Copyright @ 2013. Pp. 13 – 22; pp. 147 – 165.

SELF CHECK
After the undergoing the learning activities, the following checklist may be used.
Put a checkmark on the space corresponding to your response:

Some-
Action Never Often Always
times
1. Am I able to set tables according to
the standards of the food service
establishment?

2. In cases where the menu is pre-

arranged or fixed, am I able to set
covers correctly according to the
predetermined menu?

3. Are tableware and glassware wiped

and polished before they are set up
on the table?

4. Are cloth napkins folded properly and

laid on the table appropriately
according to napkin folding style?

5. Are buffet or display tables are

skirted properly taking into account
symmetry, balance and harmony in
size and design.

FEEDBACK

Comments and suggestions from teacher and other trainees may be used as feedback to self-
check.

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA
 Criterion Yes No

1. Tables are set according to the standards of

the food service establishment.

2. In cases where the menu is pre-arranged or

fixed, covers are set correctly according to
the predetermined menu.

3. Tableware and glassware are wiped and

polished before they are set up on the table.

4. Cloth napkins are folded properly and laid on

the table appropriately according to napkin
folding style.

5. Buffet or display tables are skirted properly

taking into account symmetry, balance and
harmony in size and design

SELF-ASSESSMENT TEST
Fill in the blanks. On the space provided, write the word or phrase that will
make the sentence true and complete.

1. The amount of __________ should dictate the amount of furniture and

furnishings to be arranged.
2. The prescribed space in a dining area of a restaurant is __________ per
person.
3. __________ tables are used for fine dining.
4. __________ refers to the number of customers seated in the dining room
at one time.
5. __________ refers to the speed of service provided by the staff.
6. Bread and butter plate is classified as __________.
7. The butter spreader is an example of a __________.
8. Champagne and cocktail glasses are examples of __________ beverage
ware.
9. Old cocktail and whiskey glasses are examples of __________ beverage
ware.
10. Placemats and napkins are classified as dining room __________.

Answer key:
1. dining space 6. dinnerware
2. 15 square feet 7. flatware
3. Round 8. rooted
4. Customer load 9. un-rooted
5. Rate of movement 10. linens