CHAPTER 4: INTRODUCTION

TO MEAL MANAGEMENT
FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICES
FOOD- anything that is edible that give nutritional
support to our body.
BEVERAGE- is any potable liquid with or without
alcohol content that may satisfy thirst or hunger, or
may even provides pleasure to the drinker.
SERVICE- the act, fact or means of serving for the
welfare of others.
“Food and beverage service is the climax
relationship between a customer and a caterer
during a meal experience.”
INTRODUCTION TO MEAL
MANAGEMENT
Food and beverage service is the climax of the relationship between a
customer and a caterer during a meal experience. The actual contact with the
costumer is made at this stage of the food and beverage operation. In the
presentation of food and beverages to the customer, the food and beverage
service staff, in fact represent the whole organization.

They deliver to the customer the product which was:

1. Planned by the management;
2. Cost by finance;
3. assured by marketing; and
4. Produced by the kitchen
A restaurant concept begins
with an overview of the
marketing mix, and market
orientation is the key to
success.
THE MAIN FACTORS TO BE
CONSIDERED ARE:
1. The SITE is top priority as it determines the degree of contact or
exposure to market.
2. The SIZE of the food and beverage operation determines the desired
impact on the market.
3. The MENU is a fundamental aspect of the early decision-making
process aimed at satisfying customers expectations.
4. PRICING POLICIES determine the average spend and affect the
sales volume.
5. SERVICE, in conjunction with the type of restaurant, menus,
customers and seating arrangement.
THE MAIN FACTORS TO BE
CONSIDERED ARE:
6. OPENING HOURS, days according to marketing strategies and customer
requirements.
7. DECOR AND MUSIC, for pleasant environment which contributes to
customer satisfaction.
8. STANDARDS AND QUALITY. According to customer requirements.
9. ADVERTISING AND MERCHANDISING, to appeal to the market segments.
10. MEAL FUNCTIONS are subdivided into breakfast , morning snacks,
midday meal, afternoon snacks, evening meals, etc., according to the
anticipated and identified market demands.
IMPORTANCE OF DINING
Customers are the life and blood of the food and beverage business.
To ensure continuous patronage, their satisfaction must be sustained.
They always deserve preferential, prompt and consistent attention.
Dining staff must see to it that every customer is satisfied customer
who finds his dining experience pleasurable and rewarding so that they
will come back to repeat patronage. No matter how good the food and
the ambience is, if the customer is traumatized or dissatisfied with the
service and the behaviour of the staff, they may not come back and
even mention his bad experience with friends that can cause
discouragement from patronizing the restaurant.
GOALS OF MEAL MANAGEMENT
Soriano (1982) stated that the goal of meal management is to provide
food that will ensure the physical and mental growth of the person, his
social development and well-being, with a reasonable expenditures of
available resources.
FOUR MEAL MANAGEMENT GOALS
 Good Nutrition
 Meals to Match a Budget
 Controlled Use of Time
 Pleasurable Eating
MEAL PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT
Management means using the available resources to achieve organizational
objective.
Management Resources (6M’s)
• Men • Materials
• Money • Methods
• Machinery • Minutes
These resources are identified as the SIX M’s using the six M’s effectively to increase the
productivity of the organization is the main responsibility of the management. All managers
manage the six M’s by using their knowledge, experience and skills in:
1. Planning (Planning and Scheduling)
2. Organizing (communicating, delegating, directing and coordinating);
3. Controlling (reporting, evaluating, controlling, analysing and reviewing).
MANAGEMENT
FUNCTIONS
PLANNING
• Planning
This means organizational objectives by deciding who is to do what, where,
when and how. Planning is pre-thinking to implement the organizational policies
and to achieve objectives. Planners may get expert advice, depending on the
project, or get the whole team involved (e.g. brain-storming sessions, quality circles
and planning committees). The managers should consider the following:
(a) Where are we? SWOT Analysis ( strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and
threats). Other factors to be analysed at this stage are corporate policy, economic,
social and technological (PEST) factors affecting the macro environment.
(b) Where do we go from here? Long-term, short-term goals and objectives.
(c) How do we get there? Strategies (long-term) and tactics (short-term) (e.g. planning
of a New Years Eve dinner party to achieve a given level of profit).
• Scheduling
This necessitates a detailed plan with timetables, programmers of activities, tasks, and
persons responsible (e.g. deciding on tasks such as the menu, table plan, decorations,
music, and etc.).

ORGANIZING
• Communicating
These are objectives ad tasks translated into words to inform those concerned through
memoranda, meetings, minutes, etc. (e.g. information the food and beverage management
team of a prospered party and the relevant plans) through horizontal and vertical channels.
• Delegating
This means guiding individuals different duties and to specific
departments, teams or individuals and giving authority to take appropriate
decisions within the relevant framework (e.g. allowing the executive chef and
banqueting manager to decide on the menu and price.)

• Directing
This means guiding individuals towards achieving tasks and secondary
objectives (e.g. advising the executive chef on the cost of the menu at an
agreed food cost percentage).
• Motivating
This means creating a devise amongst the employees to achieve the goals set by understanding
individuals needs, appropriating good performances and encouraging effort (e.g. commending the bar
manager for obtaining a special sponsorship for a function from a wine supplier, or thanking the
executive chef, in public, for a well-balanced menu planned for some occasion)
• Coordinating
This means synchronizing the activities that have been delegated for better results.
This involves checking progress and harmonizing the work of different individuals by avoiding
conflicts ,duplication, overlapping, delays and waste(e.g the executive chef checking the purchasing of
items for a menu and monitoring the progress of advance preparation in different sections of the
kitchen)
CONTROLLING
• Controlling
This means developing standards and establishing the rules. The six Ms
should be controlled according to the policy of the organization .Also it means
taking any action of a disciplinary nature(e.g disciplinary action in respect of an
employee found to have deliberately a customer).
• Reporting
This means ensuring a system of timely reports sent up through vertical
channels of communication (e.g daily food cost report from the food and
beverage controller or a profit and loss projection from the food beverage
manager to the general manager regarding the proposed functions)
• Evaluating
This involves checking the actual performances against the plan (e.g checking the
progress of a New Year’s Party ticket sales against predetermined targets or
checking the cost of decoration against projected budget levels.)
• Analyzing
This involves the examination of all the separate elements of an operation, with a
view to tracing the reason for success or failure (e.g trying to ascertain the reasons
why the actual food cost of a function was 5 percent more than the budgeted).
• Reviewing
This consists of a periodical review of an operation, normally with the aim of
improving future performance (e.g discussing the results of New Year’s party early
in January and ensuring that the food and beverage manager has full feedback
from all concerned).
QUESTION?