The hotel and tourism industry in India is one of the fastest growing industries. As this industry deals with food service, there are various methods used to serve food to customers. These include table service, buffets, self-service, single point service, and specialized or en situ service. Table service involves staff bringing and clearing dishes for customers. Buffets allow customers to select their own food. Self-service options have customers select, carry, and clear their own dishes. Single point service provides food from a single location like a takeaway or vending machine. Specialized service involves bringing meals on trays or trolleys directly to customers.

1. Food and Beverage Industry
The hotel and tourism industry is one of the fastest growing industries in India. The hotel
industry is a service oriented industry run by the people and for the people. As this industry
basically deals with the service of food provided to the people, so this industry includes lots of
methods of service of food.
For example -
1. Table service
2. Buffets
3. Self service
4. Single point service
5. Assisted service
6. Specialized or en situ service
Different Types of Service Offered by the Hotels:
Table Service:
Customer is seated and menu is presented to the guest, service and clearance is provided by the
staff. It is the most common service that is followed in a normal restaurant. Under table service
we have following different Services:
1. Silver Service/English Service: Often referred to as "Host Service" because the host
plays an active role in the service. ood is brought on pattern by the waiter and shown to
the guest for approval, after that food is served and is also cleared by the waiter
afterwards. Service is done according to the various courses.
2. Family Service: Here the main courses are pre plated in the dishes with the
accompaniments, placed on the table, for the customers to help themselves.
3. Plated/Pre-plated/American Service: As the name suggests, the food is pre-plated and
the service is to be done from the right hand side of the guest.
4. Butler/French Service: The food once brought inside the restaurant is presented in front
of the guest individually, but the service is done by the guest itself, the food may be
carved by the waiter as per the suggestion of the guest, and the customer have to help
themselves.
5. Russian Service: The food is not presented in front of the guest, simply laid and the
customers need to help themselves. Usually large joints are served in this style of service.
6. Gueridon: This is a service done where a dish comes, partially prepared from the
kitchen, to be completed in the restaurant by the waiter. The cooking is done on a
gueridon trolley, which is a mobile trolley, also sometimes known as Flambe Trolley.

2. 7. Bar Counter: Often a U-shaped bar with well designed stools for the customers to be
seated and enjoy the alcohol and non alcoholic drinks.
Assisted Service:
The customer is usually seated. It's at the wish of the guest. This service may either have buffet
or menu. If there is buffet then customer have to help them and if there is a menu then staff will
take care of service and clearance both.
 Commonly applied to Carry "type operations, where some of the part of the meal is
served and then rest is to be helped or collected by the guests themselves.
 Buffet where guests select their own Food and Beverages and help themselves.
Self-Service:
Guest is welcomed he/she selects his/her own food, collect them in a food tray, help themselves
and the clearance can either be done by the staff or guest. Now days, it is the most common
service that is followed in fast food joints and restaurants.
Following are the various ways in which the self-service can be carried out.
a) Counter: a "Q" is formed for a service counter, where the guest selects its own tray or food.
b) Free Flow: It is same as counter service but the only difference is that the guest moves in a
random to the service point, and exits via a till point.
c) Single point Service: Guest enters, guided towards a single point. Service is to be carried out
by the customer itself and clearance either by staff or guest. Food or Beverage is supplied from a
single point.
Single Point Service:
1. Take away: It is the most common concept that is visible or followed in the world, now
days, customer's orders for a dish or meal, which is prepared and packaged. There is no
place for seating.
2. Vending: Here comes the automatic retailing of food and beverage service.
3. Kiosks: Most demanded food or snacks are sold by a small counter, may be on wheels.
Here the food items are displayed to the guests and he/she orders according to their wish.
4. Bar: It's a only selling point of beverage, which is licensed and it should be legal.
Specialized or En-situ service

3. It is basically a banquet, which is pre determined or may have a special menu. The food stuffs
are brought to the customers and the clearance is done either by the staff or guest. Following are
the methods of service:
1. Tray: Whole or a part of the meal is brought on the tray, to the guest. Basically, common
in Outdoor Caterings and banquet parties.
2. Trolley: If the guest is busy in some other work and he/she is not available at the dining
hall, then the food is collected on a trolley is carried to the guest.
3. Home Delivery: Various restaurants or fast foods and take away provides this useful
facility to their customers. This home delivery can be free or sometimes charges are also
levied