Foodservice Management:

Principles and Practices, 12th ed.

Chapter 9
Service
 Key Concepts
◼ Numerous options and alternatives exist to
assemble, distribute, and serve meals.
◼ The service function can be designed using a
centralized or decentralized structure.
◼ Methods of meal assembly vary depending on
the service objectives of the foodservice.
◼ System selection for assembly, distribution,
and service is contingent on many
organizational and operational factors.

Foodservice Management: Principles and Practices, 12e © 2012, 2009, 2005 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.
All Rights Reserved.
June Payne-Palacio and Monica Theis 2
 Key Concepts
◼ Economic factors often serve as the
“bottom line” in system selection.
◼ Service systems require investment in
capital and small equipment.
◼ Specialized equipment may be required
for some service systems.

Foodservice Management: Principles and Practices, 12e © 2012, 2009, 2005 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.
All Rights Reserved.
June Payne-Palacio and Monica Theis 3
 Key Concepts
◼ Style of service refers to the method by which
a customer accesses and receives prepared
food.
◼ Off-site or portable meal service necessitates
special attention to food quality during
transport.
◼ Customer service (or guest relations) refers
to the interactions between customers and
service staff.
Foodservice Management: Principles and Practices, 12e © 2012, 2009, 2005 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.
All Rights Reserved.
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 Introduction
▪ The goals of a delivery and service system
include the following:
• Maintain quality food characteristics
• Ensure microbial safety of food
• Serve food that is attractive and satisfying to the
consumer
▪ Chapter content includes factors that affect
selection of a system, equipment needs, and
a review of various styles of service.
Foodservice Management: Principles and Practices, 12e © 2012, 2009, 2005 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.
All Rights Reserved.
June Payne-Palacio and Monica Theis 5
 Methods of Assembly,
Delivery, and Service
▪ Methods – delivery and service as
subsystems.
• Distribution or delivery refers to the
transportation of prepared foods from
production to place of service.
• Service involves assembling prepared
menu items and distributing them to the
consumer.

Foodservice Management: Principles and Practices, 12e © 2012, 2009, 2005 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.
All Rights Reserved.
June Payne-Palacio and Monica Theis 6
 Methods of Assembly,
Delivery, and Service
▪ Centralized delivery-service system
• Prepared foods are portioned and assembled at a
central area and then the completed orders are
transported and delivered to the consumer.
▪ Decentralized delivery-service system
• Bulk quantities of prepared foods are sent hot and
cold to serving kitchens located throughout the
facility, where reheating, portioning, and meal
assembly occur.

Foodservice Management: Principles and Practices, 12e © 2012, 2009, 2005 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.
All Rights Reserved.
June Payne-Palacio and Monica Theis 7
 Assembly
▪ Assembly is the fitting together of prepared
menu items to complete an entire menu.
▪ Tray assembly
• Two major systems are used to assemble trays
▪ Central location
▪ Decentralized units

Foodservice Management: Principles and Practices, 12e © 2012, 2009, 2005 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.
All Rights Reserved.
June Payne-Palacio and Monica Theis 8
 Cook/Chill Trayline

Figure 9.1 Cook/chill trayline.

Foodservice Management: Principles and Practices, 12e © 2012, 2009, 2005 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.
All Rights Reserved.
June Payne-Palacio and Monica Theis 9
 Parallel Cook/Serve Trayline

Figure 9.2 Parallel cook/serve trayline.

Source: Courtesy of Crimsco, Inc., Kansas
City,MO.

Foodservice Management: Principles and Practices, 12e © 2012, 2009, 2005 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.
All Rights Reserved.
June Payne-Palacio and Monica Theis 10
 Cook/Serve Circular Trayline

Figure 9.3 Cook/serve circular trayline. Source: Courtesy of Crimsco,

Inc., Kansas City,MO.
Foodservice Management: Principles and Practices, 12e © 2012, 2009, 2005 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.
All Rights Reserved.
June Payne-Palacio and Monica Theis 11
 Factors Affecting Choice of
Distribution Systems
▪ Type of foodservice system
• Refer to Chapter 2 to review the four types of
foodservice systems
▪ Conventional
▪ Ready-Prepared
▪ Commissary
▪ Assembly-Serve

Foodservice Management: Principles and Practices, 12e © 2012, 2009, 2005 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.
All Rights Reserved.
June Payne-Palacio and Monica Theis 12
 Factors Affecting Choice of
Distribution Systems
▪ Kind of foodservice organization
• Schools, colleges, industrial plants
• Fast food
• Hospitals and nursing homes
• Table service restaurants
• Hotels

Foodservice Management: Principles and Practices, 12e © 2012, 2009, 2005 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.
All Rights Reserved.
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 Factors Affecting Choice of
Distribution Systems
▪ Size and physical layout of facility
• The size and building arrangement of the facility
are additional factors to consider when selecting a
delivery system.
▪ Style of service
• Self-service
• Tray service
• Portable service

Foodservice Management: Principles and Practices, 12e © 2012, 2009, 2005 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.
All Rights Reserved.
June Payne-Palacio and Monica Theis 14
 Factors Affecting Choice of
Distribution Systems
▪ Skill level of available personnel
• Labor needs and required skills vary for
different types of delivery systems and for
the equipment used.
▪ Economic factors
• Labor and equipment needed must be
calculated and evaluated in relation to
budget allocations.

Foodservice Management: Principles and Practices, 12e © 2012, 2009, 2005 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.
All Rights Reserved.
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 Factors Affecting Choice of
Distribution Systems
▪ Quality standards for food and microbial
safety
• Considerable research has been conducted to
determine quality standards for microbial safety,
nutrient retention, and sensory qualities.
▪ Timing required for meal service
• The time of day desired or established for meals is
another factor influencing the choice of a delivery-
service system.

Foodservice Management: Principles and Practices, 12e © 2012, 2009, 2005 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.
All Rights Reserved.
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 Factors Affecting Choice of
Distribution Systems
▪ Space requirement or space available
• The delivery-service system preferred
should be stated early in the facility
planning process.
▪ Energy usage
• A concern for energy use and its
conservation plays a role in deciding on a
delivery-service system.

Foodservice Management: Principles and Practices, 12e © 2012, 2009, 2005 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.
All Rights Reserved.
June Payne-Palacio and Monica Theis 17
 Equipment Needs
▪ General classification of delivery-service
equipment
• Fixed or built-in equipment
• Mobile equipment
• Portable equipment
• Pellet disc
• Insulated trays with insulated covers

Foodservice Management: Principles and Practices, 12e © 2012, 2009, 2005 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.
All Rights Reserved.
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 CYBEX Model 8430 Gallery
Station

Figure 9.7 Galley Station. Source:

Courtesy of Crimsco, Inc., Kansas City,
[Link] with permission.

Foodservice Management: Principles and Practices, 12e © 2012, 2009, 2005 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.
All Rights Reserved.
June Payne-Palacio and Monica Theis 19
 Storing Portable Totes

Figure 9.8 Portable totes are insulted for

temperature maintenance. Source:
Courtesy of Cambro Manufacturing Co.,
Huntington Beach, [Link] with
permission.

Foodservice Management: Principles and Practices, 12e © 2012, 2009, 2005 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.
All Rights Reserved.
June Payne-Palacio and Monica Theis 20
 Equipment Needs
▪ Equipment for specific uses
• Reheating frozen or chilled foods
▪ With any rethermalization system, the objective is to
heat the food product to service temperature and to
retain nutrient content, microbial safety and sensory
quality.
• Meal assembly
▪ Meal assembly requires that the various menu items that
make up a meal be collected and put in one place.

Foodservice Management: Principles and Practices, 12e © 2012, 2009, 2005 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.
All Rights Reserved.
June Payne-Palacio and Monica Theis 21
 Equipment Needs
▪ Temperature maintenance and holding
• Equipment for this short-time holding includes
refrigerated and heated storage units.
▪ Transportation and delivery
• When choosing transportation equipment, the
manager must consider holding time, distance to
be traveled, and the layout of the building.
▪ Serving

Foodservice Management: Principles and Practices, 12e © 2012, 2009, 2005 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.
All Rights Reserved.
June Payne-Palacio and Monica Theis 22
 Styles of Service
▪ Self-service
▪ Cafeteria
• Traditional
• Scramble system
▪ Machine vended
▪ Buffet

Foodservice Management: Principles and Practices, 12e © 2012, 2009, 2005 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.
All Rights Reserved.
June Payne-Palacio and Monica Theis 23
 Styles of Service
▪ Drive-thru pick-up
▪ Tray service
▪ Counter wait service

Foodservice Management: Principles and Practices, 12e © 2012, 2009, 2005 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.
All Rights Reserved.
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 Styles of Service
▪ Table wait service
• American service
• French service
▪ Rechaud
▪ Chef de rang
▪ Commis de rang
• Russian service
▪ Banquet
• Family style

Foodservice Management: Principles and Practices, 12e © 2012, 2009, 2005 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.
All Rights Reserved.
June Payne-Palacio and Monica Theis 25
 Styles of Service
▪ Table settings and serving procedures
• The following are a few of the traditional service
rules used in formal dining:
▪ Using his or her left hand, the waitperson serves the
food from the left-hand side of the guest.
▪ The dinner plate is placed directly in front of the guest.
▪ The waitperson uses his or her right hand to serve
beverages from the right hand side of the guest.
▪ Dishes and beverages are removed from the left.

Foodservice Management: Principles and Practices, 12e © 2012, 2009, 2005 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.
All Rights Reserved.
June Payne-Palacio and Monica Theis 26
 Styles of Service
▪ Portable meals
• Off-premise delivery
• On-premise delivery
▪ Room service
• Hotel-style room service is one of the hottest
trends for patient meal service in hospitals.
▪ Customer service
• Service is also the act of helping others.

Foodservice Management: Principles and Practices, 12e © 2012, 2009, 2005 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.
All Rights Reserved.
June Payne-Palacio and Monica Theis 27
 Summary
▪ Customer satisfaction depends in large part
on the pleasing presentation of carefully
prepared, assembled, and transported food.
▪ The style of service used – whether self-
serve, tray, or waiter-waitress service – must
be appropriate for the type of organization
and for attaining its goals.

Foodservice Management: Principles and Practices, 12e © 2012, 2009, 2005 Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.
All Rights Reserved.
June Payne-Palacio and Monica Theis 28