Roles & Responsibilities of Waiter & Barman
The Waiter and the barman are the employees in the hotel who directly handle food and beverage. Since they handle food, there are a lot of expectations from them by the customers. The customers hope to see that the waiter and barman provide meticulous service.
We shall first see the roles and responsibilities of the waiter and then go on to understand the roles and responsibilities of the barman.
Waiter
The Waiter in the hotel is the
person who is responsible for the service food. The waiter may be also called the
‘server’ or ‘commis de rung’ and performs the following function:
·
Acts on the instructions from the chef de rung
or the captain
·
Getting the restaurant ready for service is the
duty of the waiter.
·
Assisting the captain in welcoming and seating the
guests.
·
The waiter brings the food and drinks from the
kitchen to the restaurant
·
The waiter is in charge of the service of food
and drinks to the guest on his/her table
·
Clearance of the table during and after service
is done by the waiter.
·
The waiter should be an effective salesman to
push sales and increase the revenue of the hotel
·
The waiter should have a thorough knowledge of
all the food served in the restaurant to take guest orders
Barman
The barman is the person who maintains the bar and services alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks in the bar. The barman may otherwise be called the wine waiter, wine butler, or sommelier. He performs the following function:
·
He/she is responsible for the service of all
alcoholic drinks during the service of food
·
He/she should be an effective salesman to push
sales
·
He/she Should have a thorough Knowledge of all
the drinks served in the restaurant and the bar
·
He/she should be able to suggest the best wines
to go with certain foods
·
The barman is responsible for the preparation
and service of all cocktails and other drinks in the bar
·
He/she should have a basic knowledge of the registers
maintained in the bar to stock the bar with sufficient bar supplies to aid in smooth
service
The role and responsibilities throw light on what a waiter and barman are required to do. Apart from the roles and responsibilities, there are certain qualities and attributes that water and barman should possess to make them effective in the workplace.
Qualities and attributes of a waiter and barman
There are certain qualities and attributes that a waiter and barman should exhibit at the workplace to make every interaction a memorable one for the guest. No matter how good the quality of food, drink, décor, ambiance, equipment, etc., if the waiter/barman fails to carry themselves properly, the guest will not feel satisfied.
The following are the essential qualities of the waiter/barman:
Personal Hygiene
This is one of the critical components
to be kept in mind as they are people who handle and serve food to the guests.
Both male and female staff should wear clean and pressed uniforms with neatly polished
shoes. Male staff should be clean-shaven, have short and clean nails, and have well-trimmed
hair.
Female staff should have their
hair cut short or it should be tied up properly. It is recommended to avoid excessive
makeup and jewellery.
A waiter/barman should avoid sneezing,
coughing, or blowing one nose as it would make the guests extremely uncomfortable.
Knowledge of food and drink
listed on the menu
The waiter and barman are
people who take guest orders and serve the guest. They should have complete knowledge
of the food and drinks available in the restaurant. They should be well-versed in
the ingredients of the dishes and the drinks served. Furthermore, they should know
the accompaniments, garnishes, and sauces to be served with the food and drink.
The correct cutlery, crockery, and glassware to be used for service should be
known by the waiter, in addition to the right temperatures at which specific food
and drink have to be served.
Punctuality
Coming to duty on time is an
indicator of the interest level of the waiter and barman. Continuously being
late to duty mean the person is not interested in his work.
Local Knowledge
The waiter/barman interacts
with the guests quite often. To satisfy the interest of the guest, local
knowledge such as places of interest, best means of transport, various
entertainments available, etc., is desirable.
Personal traits
Qualities such as tactfulness,
courteousness, good humor, and politeness are required for a waiter/barman.
They must be pleasing when conversing with the guests.
Attitude towards customers
The customers expect the
waiter/barman to be cordial. So the waiters should satisfy the needs of the
customers effectively by projecting a positive attitude towards them. Extra care
should be taken when dealing with difficult customers. Waiters should never argue
with customers when there is a complaint but try and pacify them and take corrective
actions immediately.
Memory
The waiter/barman is required
to serve many customers. Knowledge of the customers and their preferences is
very essential. Things like most liked food, place of seating, etc.. for
regular guests should be remembered by the waiter/barman.
Honesty
The waiter must be honest with
the guest and the hotel that he/she works for.
Loyalty
Loyalty towards the hotel and
working towards its best interest is desired from all the employees, including
the waiter and barman.
Conduct
The waiter/barman should at
all times follow the rules and regulations of the establishment in which they
are working.
Selling ability
The waiter/barman is an important
salesperson for the hotel. They must try to push sales by suggesting appropriate
food and drink to the customers.
Sense of urgency
The guests coming to have food
and drink always expect quick service. There should always be a sense of
urgency to serve food and drink by the waiter/barman.
Customer satisfaction
The waiter/barman should
always see that they take care of the needs of the guests with utmost care. They
must make every customer feel satisfied.
The waiter/Barman is the level
position in any hotel. The career path for the waiter/barman is highlighted in
the diagrams above. It may be inferred that the potential for growth that this
job offers is enormous and the pace with which a waiter progresses in his/her
career depends on the dedication to his/her job.
