IN ROOM DINING SERVICE: Room Servi

IN ROOM DINING SERVICE:
 Room Service is the service of food and beverages in guests’ rooms in hotels or other accommodation establishments, such as motels or serviced apartments. In all- suite hotels it is often referred to as ‘in-suite service’.
 In establishments of any size, there is usually a specialist room service department responsible to the Food and Beverage Manager. The Room Service Department must work closely with the Kitchen, Front Office and Housekeeping Departments to ensure guests’ satisfaction.
PREPARING ROOM SERVICE ITEMS FOR SERVICE PERIODS:
 Most modern hotels have a single central pantry for the room service department located conveniently near the kitchen and the service lift. This pantry should be fully equipped for quick and efficient service to the rooms.
 Room service catering can involve the delivery of everything from complimentary items and items for which no charge is made (such as ice buckets and glasses) through drinks or light snacks to full a la carte meals with wine.
 The items available for service in rooms will normally be listed on a special room service menu, but in a superior hotel guests will expect any reasonably request to be met.

 There may be different sections within the room service menu listing the items available at different times of the day, for example:
1. Breakfast- 6am to 11 am
2. All-day Dining- 11 am to 11 pm
3. A La Carte- 7 pm to 10:30 pm
4. Night Owl Menu- 11 pm to 6 am
 The pantry must be stocked with sufficient equipment to ensure that all orders can be met promptly even at the busiest times. A typical hotel might pride itself on meeting all room service orders in less than 30 minutes of the order being taken.

STORAGE OF EQUIPMENT & PRODUCTS:
1. Room service equipment includes such items as:
•Trays and trolleys
•Cutlery, crockery, linen and glassware
•Selected food and beverage items
•Printed Materials
2. Store all items in a safe, hygienic, orderly and accessible manner.
3. Set a ‘par stock’ level for every item.
4. Store the items safely to reduce the risk of accidents and breakages.

PREPARING ROOM IS SERVICE EQUIPMENT:
 Different tray and trolley set-ups are dictated by the menu items to be served and will also include provision for common requests for items not included on the room service menu. The details of tray or trolleys set-up vary from establishment to establishment, but in most instances, there will be standard set-ups for:
•Tea and Coffee Trays
•Ice Buckets
•Breakfast Trays and Trolleys
•Snack Trays
•Dinner Trays or Trolleys
•Champagne or Wine Trays
•Fruit Basket Trays
•Butters
•Condiments
•Bread Baskets
•Hot Boxes

TAKING ROOM SERVICE ORDER:
 1. Most room service orders are given by telephone.
 2. The IRD Order Taker must have a good knowledge of the menu.
 3. The telephone must be answered quickly. The benchmark for a five-star hotel is no more that three rings before it answered.
 4. Greet the guest and introduce the department and yourself. This can be achieved by answering along these lines: “Good Morning, Mr.________. This is Room Service, ________ speaking. May I help you?”
1. Write the order down carefully on an order docket as you speak to the guest.
2. Don’t forget to record the room number.
3. Repeat the order to the guest, clarifying any doubtful details.
4. Tell the guest approximately how long it will take for the order to be delivered. It shouldn’t be more than 30 minutes.
5. Check that all the details are correctly recorded on the docket. Include the time hat the order was taken.
6. Enter the order in POS.
7. Distribute the order to the appropriate personnel, both in Room Service Department and other departments if necessary.

SETTING UP TRAYS & TROLLEYS:
 Once the order has been distributed, a suitable present tray or trolley should be selected and set-up appropriately. The set-up will depend on:
•The number of covers.
•The food and beverage items ordered, and
•The meal or snack requested.

COLLECTION OF THE ORDERS:
 When the trays or trolleys have been correctly set up, collect food and beverage items promptly and in the right order, with the appropriate accompaniments. Food and Beverage items should be checked, with attention to such details:
•Food and beverage temperatures
•Portion sizes
•Visual presentation as per recipe standards
•Wine details, including vintages
 Food temperatures must be maintained from the time the food is collected to the time it is delivered to the guest. Plate covers, food warmers and hot boxes should be used to keep food at the right temperature.
 Collect the guest’s account and confirm that it matches the order. This account must be taken to the guest’s room along with the items ordered. When all items have been checked, like service equipment, food and beverage as ordered, and the account, they should be taken to the guest’s room without delay.

ENTERING A GUEST ROOM:
 Respect for a guest’s privacy is the primary consideration when entering a room. The following procedures will usually apply:
1. Approach the room quietly.
2. Knock firmly and say, “Room Service” clearly.
3. Listen for the guest’s response and react accordingly. If there is no response, knock and announce, “Room Service” again. Don’t go in until the guest opens the door or you have been asked to enter.
4. When you have entered, address the guest by name. “Good Morning,_________. Here is your breakfast.” Continue to use the guest’s surname while making polite conversation throughout the room service procedure.

PRESENTATION OF ROOM SERVICE FOOD & BEVERAGES:
 Exactly where trays are placed and trolleys are set up will vary accordingly to circumstances, depending on the equipment being used, the design of the room, the position of the furniture and the guest’s particular wish. Appropriate procedures are as follows:
•Confirm that the tray or trolley is being placed where the guest wants it.
•Set them up where directed. Advice the guest of any potential hazard, for example, the hot box or the coffee pot may be too hot to touch.
•Position the furniture properly.
•Light a candle, if applicable.
•Explain the contents of the tray or trolley.
•Serve the food and beverages.
•Ask the guest if they need anything else.
•Present the account for signature.
•Explain the clearing procedures. Typically, guests are requested to put trays or trolleys outside their room when they have finished.
•Bid goodbye to the guest in a friendly but courteous manner.
•Present the signed charged account to the cashier.

CLEARING ROOM SERVICE AREAS:
 Typically, the room service order-taker is required to record the following on a dispatch sheet or checklist:
1. Date
2. Room Number
3. Whether tray or trolley taken.
4. Time the order was taken.
5. Person delivering the order.
6. Time the order was cleared.
 The room service order-taker is responsible for controlling floor service procedures and for directing staff to clear rooms and floors. In addition, there should be regular floor checks, to ensure that used trays and trolleys and miscellaneous items are quickly removed.
 When a room or floor has been cleared after room service, the room service order-taker must be informed.
 Floors must be cleared quickly and quietly, but while doing so staff must ensure that equipment is securely placed so that it can be moved safely.
 Once cleared from the floors, unconsumed food and beverages, food service equipment, trays and trolleys must be returned to room service via service lift.