Food-Service-Manual-for-Health-Care-Institutions

carrying their filled trays to their tables. With cafeteria service, attractive food displays, temperature
control, and portion control are possible. Furthermore, diners can make their own
food selections. In some situations, buffet service, which has similar benefits, is used when residents
are able to serve themselves.
Dining Room Service
Dining room service is where patients or residents and in some instance families go to the dining
area for meals. In some facilities, the patients or residents may be served a prepared tray or
they may order from a menu.
Table Service
The service provided by full-service restaurants, referred to as table service, may be appropriate
for some types of health care food service operations. Table service, another option for dining
room service, presents some difficulties when a selective menu is offered, but
restaurant-style menus may be used. Because foods are portioned in the kitchen or service area,
residents may not be able to modify their portion sizes or choose sauces, gravies, and condiments
as easily as in a cafeteria. Unless portion sizes are carefully tailored to the residents’
needs, plate waste may be higher than expected. In facilities where table service is customary,
an occasional buffet, such as a Sunday brunch for residents and their families, makes a pleasant
change in routine.
In some facilities that use a more formal method of service for patients, residents, and family
members, waitstaff may be used to serve the meals. The waitstaff has been trained to provide
a variety of services. This service can be expensive but can be used for special holidays.
The waitstaff should be trained in the four basic service styles: French, Russian, English,
and American.
• The French style of service is often used in exclusive and expensive restaurants. Portions
of food that may be fully or partially cooked are brought to the dining room on serving platters
and placed on a small heater called a rechaud that is placed on a portable cart called a
gueridon. The cart is wheeled to the table where the chef de rang completes the preparation.
The chief waiter then serves the plates, which are carried by a commis de rang, who is an assistant
waiter to each guest. This is the most expensive service because of the number of personnel
involved and the leisurely pace of service. The service is gracious and individual.
• The Russian style is the most popular, especially in better restaurants and hotel dining
rooms. In this service, the food is completely prepared and portioned in the kitchen. The
needed number of portions for the guests at a table are arranged on serving platters by a chef.
The waitstaff brings the platters to the dining room with heated plates and places them on a
tray stand near the guests’ table. A heated plate is placed in front of each guest, and the waitstaff
carries the platter of food to each guest in turn and serves each a portion using a spoon
and fork as tongs in the right hand and serving from the left side. The service is speedy. The
disadvantage is that the last person served may receive a different-sized portion from an unattractive
serving platter. If all guests order a different entree, many platters would be necessary.
• The English and American styles of service are similar. In the English style, all food is
prepared in the kitchen, but meat is carried into the dining room. The chef places portions of
meat on plates and passes them to waitstaff to deliver to each guest. The service uses familystyle
dishes, and platters of food are passed among guests at the table.
• The American style service is basically used in the United States and is the oldest. In this
style of service, a maitre d’ or headwaiter greets and seats the guests and gives them a menu for
the meal. Waitstaff takes their orders, brings the food from the kitchen area, serves each guest
from the left side, and may remove soiled dishes from tables. Employees who are known as
bussers may set up tables, pour water, serve bread and butter, and remove soiled dishes from
the dining room.
Distribution and Service
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