Food and beverage outlets are the areas in a hotel where food and beverage are sold to both in-house and outside guests. The following types of food and beverage can be seen which may or may not attach to a hotel.
Specialty restaurant
These restaurants deal in a particular type of cuisine like Chinese, Italian or French etc. Each and every aspect of the restaurant is typical and related to the area of region of community whose food is being served. The food, service, uniform, décor etc. are ethnic and authentic of the area whose cuisine the restaurant specializes upon. When one enters into such kind of restaurant one can feel the culture and tradition of that area. These restaurants may be attached to a hotel or may independently exist. They have specific hours of function and normally more expensive than ordinary restaurants.
Multi cuisine restaurant
These restaurants deal with more than one cuisine like Indian, Chinese and Continental etc. They are not as exclusive as the specialty restaurants. There is no emphasis on adherence to the culture and tradition of a particular area of region or community. They may be attached to a hotel or may independently exist. They generally have specific time of operation when attached to a hotel. They may be operating on a straight shift from morning till night when independently existing. They are not as highly priced as a speciality restaurant.
Bar
These food and beverage outlets deal with the alcoholic beverages only. They may be attached to a hotel or independently existing. They have certain specific hours of operation and the law strictly governs the operation. Their hours of operation, inventory, location and client to whom they should serve etc are governed and regulated by the law-enforcing agency.
Room Service
This food and beverage outlet is attached to a hotel and caters to the F and B requirements of the guests who are staying in the hotel only. These F and B outlets cannot independently exist. The service in room service is always in trays and trolleys. In a five star hotel the room service operates round the clock. The prices in the room service are generally more than the coffee shop.
Banquets
This is generally attached to a hotel of restaurant. This outlet generally caters to a huge gathering of people who assemble in the banquet hall for events like reception, marriage party, birthday, conference, seminar etc. The service is generally from a buffet when a lot of guests have to be served within a short span of time. Sometimes formal lunch, dinner etc also takes place in banquet halls. This is the highest revenue producing F and B outlet in any commercial hotel. Sometimes banquet halls can independently exist where an outside contractor does the catering part.
Coffee Shop
This is generally attached to a hotel. In a five star hotel the coffee shop operates round the clock. It cannot independently exist. The service is very informal and emphasis is on pace of service. Service is generally snacks and very light meals.
The meals part is not as elaborate as the restaurant. Prices are not as exorbitant as the restaurants. Although the coffee shop is operational round the clock there are meal timings when the certain items are available which are not available at other times. There are some dishes, which are available all 24 hours. There is option of having a buffet in coffee shop.
Pub
A pub generally independently exists, which serves only beer. The atmosphere in a pub is generally very informal most pubs have a very informal seating arrangement and generally designed to suit the likings and requirements of the youth. They also have specific hours of operation and the law like a bar governs operations. Books of inventory and accounts are maintained as per the government regulation and are supposed to produce them before the concerned authority as and when required.
Discotheque
This may be attached to a hotel or may independently exist. The ones, which independently exist, are open to anybody who can pay but most allow only couples. The ones, which are attached to the hotels, are not only opened to the members but guests accompanied by members are also allowed. They also have specific hours of operations and are normally attached with a bar.
Pastry shop
They may be attached to a hotel or may independently exist. They deal with only pastry or pastry related products. Those, which are attached to hotels, deal with pastry prepared in the same hotel. The ones, which are not attached to hotels, have their own bakery either in the same premises of outside the premises. Service is done across the counter. Very limited seating arrangements may be provided if space permits.
Cafeteria
These generally independently exist and are found in railway stations and airports etc. The service is generally self-service. Food is displayed in the counter and the guests helps himself in picking up the food as per his liking as he moves along the counter and finally pays the bill at the end of the counter. Sometimes payment of the bill may be through coupon also. Very informal atmosphere exists in these outlets and prices are not very high.
Poolside barbeque
These are generally attached to the hotels and operate near the poolside. They generally operate for lunch and dinner only. There are adequate lighting arrangements to take care of the dinnertime. The menu is not very elaborate and comprises a lot of grilled and barbequed items. Some light meals are also available. These outlets are generally attached with their own kitchens, which are more often than not makeshift. A bar may be attached to the outlet or alcoholic beverages may be served from the service bar. Once again the décor is very informal like a coffee shop. Service is very much similar to the coffee shop as well.
Grill Room
These kinds of hotels are generally attached to the star hotels although they can be found independently existing also. They specialize in grills and barbequed items only. The kitchen is separated from the service area by a glass partition so that guest can see the chef preparing the food. This give rise to impulse buying. The guests are normally assured of better hygienic condition as they can see the actual food preparation.
Permit Room
They are generally found in restaurants and in hotels existing in the dry states like Gujarat. In a restaurant there is a specific area where one can serve alcoholic beverages. The restaurant cannot pour alcoholic beverages an area outside this.
Same set of rules and regulations are applicable to the permit room as applicable to the bar. Prior license have to be secured from the appropriate authority before starting a permit room.
Night Club
They are generally attached to hotels and are open to members only. The operation starts late in the evening and goes on till late in the night. Stripes, cabarets and floorshows etc. are performed as a part of the entertainment. These are not seen in recognized star and commercial hotels. An elaborate menu is offered and the service is quite formal and extensive. It opens only for members. Alcohol is served to the members.
Fast Food Outlets/QSR
They are generally not attached to a hotel and are found independently existing. They serve fast foods, which are easy to prepare to easy to carry and eat. These outlets provide very limited seating arrangements and people are not encouraged to sit and pass time in these places. Service is done in disposable plates and packets. Patrons are supposed to get their food from across the counter. There may be one person to look after the clearance and cleanliness of the place. Very limited service is provided.
Coffee Bar:
This is a very recent development and becoming very popular. These outlets deal with only coffee. They specialize in different types of coffee. Both alcoholic and non-alcoholic coffees are served here. The alcoholic coffees are commonly called as speciality coffee.
Cyber Café
These are also very recent developments and fast growing in popularity. Each outlet provides computers with Internet facility and the guest can surf the Internet for a specific period of time paying certain amount of money. The outlet also provides light refreshments like tea, coffee and snacks to keep the people engaged when there are two different sessions with the computer.
Vending machine
Such kind of a service involves service from a machine is requiring a coin or token of a particular denomination and the product comes out through an outlet in the machine itself. These machines are not extensively used in India and the use is still confined to tea, coffee and packed milk etc.
Pizza outlets
These are outlets that mostly stand-alone. These outlets have been a recent development in India over the past decades. Their food mainly deals with pizzas. They also offer food & beverage like pasta, garlic bread, soft drinks, ice-tea etc. In India chains like Pizzeria, U .S pizza, Pizza hut, Smoking Joe’s etc are very popular. This trend has given rise to the franchising business, hence making pizza a youth food trend along with family and office treat zones. Basically covering all age groups of people. These outlets also deal with home delivery and take away. They usually have a moderate or minimum seating arrangement in an informal manner or tables are attached to walls with high chairs. Here one can enjoy hot & fresh food. One also has the optional at most places to plan their own pizza as per the available ingredients in the menu.
Home delivery/ take away
This has been a recent trend over the past few years. As the name suggests, these outlets deal with delivery of food till your doorstep. These are stand-alone restaurants (kitchen only) that emphasize only on quick preparation of food & its delivery. There is no seating arrangement available here. The staff may contain chefs, order taker, cashier and delivery boys. The order taker takes orders over the phone or of walk in guest, notifies the kitchen and hands over the food packets to guest or delivery boys. He also might take the cashiering responsibilities at the counter, which might be overlooked by the manger. Normally such outlets do not charge for home delivery. Food is provided in plastic containers, aluminum foils, plastic bags etc. These outlets must not be confused with restaurants, which provide services of home delivery.
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