Dinner Sequence of Service Check List

DINNER SEQUENCE OF SERVICE CHECK LIST

The Greet: Approach the guests within 2 minutes ______Smile, make eye contact, welcome and “greet” your guests. Listen for their response to your greet and respond accordingly. (It may be acceptable to deliver bread as you greet the table, but most important is to meet the 2-minute goal.) ____ Describe today's Soup of the Day, Fresh Fish and any Manager’s Special(s) ____ Suggest specific beverages & obtain the beverage order ____ The Greet Exit (“Let the guests know what will happen next.”) ____ Enter bar beverages in Micros The Order: Beverage delivery time is 2 minutes ____ if no bar beverages Beverage delivery time is 4 minutes ____ if you do have bar beverages  Beverage delivery to the right, with right hand (move clockwise) ____  Coffee and decaf are poured at the table ____  Iced tea spoon with iced tea, and wrapped straws are offered for iced tea and soda ______Opening Line should sound something like “Are you ready to order or would you like a little more time?” or “Do you have any menu questions I can help you with?” but not simply “Are you ready to order?”

At dinner, guests may begin with an appetizer and order entrées later ____ Take the order (women first, then men, with hostess and host last [if known]) ____ Listen for suggestive selling and upselling opportunities; make suggestions or upsell ____ The Order Exit (“Let the guests know what will happen next.”) ____ Enter the order in Micros

Deliver Bread & Butter and Bottled Wine  Bread plate is placed on table and butter is delivered ____  Bread is offered by the server ____  If ordered, bottled wine and glasses are presented:  Present, uncork, wipe bottle with clean cloth and serve wine if ordered , unless guest specifies when wine should be served.  Wine is served to women first, then men in clockwise fashion.  Deliver ice bucket and stand if appropriate.  Adjust all covers reflecting the food order of each guest before appetizers arrive ____  Soup Soup spoon  Salad/Appetizers Salad knife & fork  Strand Pasta/Rice Pasta spoon ____  Steak / Ribs Steak knife (paper napkin, finger bowl set-up) ____  French Fries Side ramekin of ketchup ____  Fish Fish fork & fish knife ____

1 DINNER SEQUENCE OF SERVICE CHECK LIST

Deliver Appetizers: Delivery in 8 minutes from the time server leaves the table ____  Serve appetizer with left hand, from the left (move counterclockwise) ____  Check all beverage and bread levels ____

Clear Appetizers: Tell KM or Expo 2 minutes before actually clearing appetizers “KM, clearing appetizers from table ____.”  Prepare necessary MEP for entrée course at this time.  Inquire / Recommend wine for the entrée course.  Clear only when guests have finished their appetizers.  Clear appetizers and presentation plates from the right, with right hand ____  Check all beverage and bread levels ____ Deliver Salads & Soups: Delivery in 5 minutes from the time server clears appetizers ____  Fresh ground pepper (grinder) offered for salads ____  Proper MEP for soups delivered ____  Check all beverage and bread levels ____ Clear Salads & Soups: Tell KM or Expo just before actually clearing appetizers “KM, clearing soups and salads from table ____.”  Salad plates and soup bowls are cleared from the right, with right hand ____  All salad forks (used or unused), soup spoons and used knives are cleared ____  Check all beverage and bread levels ____  Deliver and serve bottled wine and glasses for dinner.  After clearing, check proper MEP for the entrées ____  Strand Pasta/Rice Pasta spoon ____  Steak / Ribs Steak knife (paper napkin, finger bowl set-up) ____  French Fries Side ramekin of ketchup ____  Fish Fish fork & fish knife ____  Used knife? Clean entrée knife ____ Deliver the Entree: 8 Minutes from the time server finishes clearing soup & salad ______Deliver food, with your left hand and from guest’s left. Move counter-clockwise around the table (women first, then men, with hostess and host last [if known]) ____ Use proper seat numbers as you deliver hot food. Do not "auction" meals, so please do not ask, "Who gets the ______?” Announce each plate as you set it down: "The Roasted Pork Loin for you, sir.” This is said as a statement, not a question!  If the plate is hot, caution the guest! ____  The base of the plate is placed one inch from the edge of the table ____  The entree protein should be placed as close to “6 o'clock" as possible, without turning the plate. Grasp the plate to allow you to set it down without turning it once it’s on the table ____  "Finish the table" ____ "May I bring anyone anything else? Another glass of Chardonnay (more water, bread, iced tea, Parmesan cheese)?"

 Make sure you:  Pour bottled wine ____  Offer refills on water, bread, iced tea & coffee ____  Deliver any condiments or "sides" requested immediately ____  Reorder any cocktails or wine requested ______The Exit: use an appropriate exit line: ____  “Enjoy your dinners. I'll check with you in a couple of minutes." or  "I'll be right back with your drinks and I'll check on your meals."

Checking Back on the Meal (“2 Minutes or 2 Bites”) ____  Identify specific entrees -- one or two meals and then generalize to the whole table:  Ask: "How is your Pork Loin this evening? And how about your Chicken Marsala? How are the rest of the meals?”  No “generics” -- do not ask: "How are your meals?" or "How is everything?"  Check beverage and bread levels again ____  Remove any items which guests no longer need, which you were unable to clear before (or while) you delivered their meals (salad plates, soup bowls, etc.) ____  The Exit: Don't just ask "Do you want anything else?" Please say something like: "If you need anything, please let me know. I'll stop back in a little while." ____

Clear Entrées:  Clear only when everyone has finished ____  Always ask before you remove anything from the table, "Are you finished?" or "May I take this out of your way?" Be polite! Clear from the right ____  Do not stack items on top of each other on the table. Pick up each item and stack them on a large oval on a tray jack near the table ____  Do a COMPLETE clear. Remove entrée plate, silverware used for the course, bread plate (service plate and guest plate), butter spreader, butter, and salt & pepper. Leave only napkin, spoon, beverage glasses in use. ____  Crumb the table top ____  Check and offer refills on beverages ____

Presentation of the Dessert Menu (or tray)  Present the dessert menus (or tray) - mention and describe your favorite dessert ____  Regardless of whether guests order or decline dessert, you're next question would be something like: "Would anyone care for fresh coffee, an espresso, or a glass of Quady Port?”  Check beverage levels again, if appropriate ____  The Exit: You would say something like: “I'll be right back with your desserts and the cup of coffee." ____  Go the Micros terminal:  If desserts or additional beverages are ordered, enter the information using proper seat numbers. After sending the order go to the next step:  Recall the guest check, review it, and print a current version of the guest check to present when clearing desserts.

Coffee Service:  Prepare proper MEP for dessert and coffee service.  Using an oval tray, carry out the coffee carafes, warm coffee cups, saucers, creamers and other items necessary at this time ____  To the right of each guest ordering coffee place a saucer and warm cup, with the handle at 5 o’clock ____  With your right hand, pour the coffee without lifting the cup ____  Place the proper dessert silverware to the right and/or left of each guest ____  Exit: Inform the guests of the status of their dessert order be saying something like: “Your desserts will be out shortly.”  If no desserts or additional beverages are ordered, you will place their completed guest check on the table ____

Delivering Dessert  Served to the left, using your left hand ____  Additional Needs:  Coffee and Decaf Cream (underliner under decaf cup) ____  Dessert Dessert Fork & Spoon ____  Ice Cream only Dessert Spoon ____

Guest Check and Change Etiquette  Place the guest check in a check presenter and keep it in your apron! Do not approach the table with the guest check in your hand! This way, you have the guest check with you, but it will not appear as though you are rushing them  Always say something whenever you visit a table - this includes when you deliver or pick up the request check or their money. “I’ll handle this when you are ready (at their convenience).” ____  When you pick up their money, always say something like: "Thank you; I'll be right back with your change." ____  When returning change or credit cards, always check again with them about their experience and thank them: "Thank you. I trust you had an enjoyable lunch. Enjoy the rest of your afternoon and please don't hesitate to let me know if I can bring you anything else. I hope to see you again very soon!” ____

 Continue to check and offer refills on beverages even though they've paid. We don't have "dead" tables!  Our goal is to be sensitive to our guests -- we provide timely service, while never making them feel rushed! We never want our guests to get the impression that we are hurrying them out the door.  Delivering the guest check or their change DOES NOT AND CANNOT signify the end of service.  REMEMBER: Continue to check and offer refills on beverages even though they've paid and they are done with their meals. They are still our guests until they leave the parking lot! The service doesn't end when the check's been paid!