Phone reservations, greeting, and seating the guests are part of the service protocol! The rules are simple but strict!
In Fine Dining, it is crucial to follow the correct service protocols so every guest receives the highest quality service.
Phone reservations procedures:
- Answer the phone within 3 rings or 10 seconds with an appropriate
greeting
2. Ask for the caller’s name and use it during the conversation
3 . Ask for the number of people dining, the dining time, and the
telephone/room number
4. Repeat and confirm the details
5. Thank the guest at the end of the conversation
Greeting and Seating the Guests
6. Once a guest enters the restaurant he should be greeted or paid attention to within 30 seconds
7. If the guest had to wait, we should acknowledge this and apologize for the delay
8. Within a minute of their arrival, the guest should be placed at a fully prepared table
9. The waiter or the host has to offer help with the chair, remove excess place settings, and present the menu/wine list
10. In fine dining restaurants, the lights are toned down and we need to offer an alternative light source for the menu (e.g. menu lamp)
11. A fine dining restaurant should always have blankets available if a guest feels cold.
12. If there is a single guest at the table, the waiter should offer a newspaper while the guest is waiting for the food
13. When presenting the menu, the waiter should explain the specials of the day and the sold-out dishes.
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