SOP - Duties for waiting staff

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This is an example of the general set up for the Dusty Sofa Restaurant in the morning

• Checking the station
• The Manager will be responsible for making sure that the staff has done their tasks correctly
• Checking the arrival time of the team assigned to the station
• He will need to see that the table clothes are fresh and clean, not damaged in any way
• The mise en place is cleaned and laid on the table in the standard shown during the training session
• All chairs are clean and presentable

Before the assigned team leaves for a break, the station should be ready to start the service. This is to include the afternoon tea mise en place, ice buckets, supply of fresh linen, spare covers to re-set during the meal period, and that the station is clean and presentable.

On return from lunch, he is again to check the arrival time of the assigned team. He should then make sure the station is fully prepared for the service. To include, butter, hot water, jug of iced drinking water, waiters pad.

During the course of the service, he is to remain in his assigned station over looking the service and helping out in any way or form

On the completion of the service, he will need to control the till to see if there are any open checks on the system and that the station is cleaned down and stocked, ready for the next days service.

At this stage, he needs to check that all the dirty linen is put in the correct place. No food or water is left on the station over night.

He will also need to make sure that he looks at the daily silver-cleaning schedule, making any item readily available for the stewarding department.

Linen control

The control will include checking that every station in the restaurant has returned all dirty linen. This is to include all dirty used aprons on service trolleys, any napkins used on service trays or plates, and inside all the cupboards and draws in the service station.

All used glass cloths should be collected and left in the linen box ready to be returned the following morning for fresh clean ones.

The control of the back of house area should be to make sure that any dirty white linen, left on any trolleys, breadbaskets, bar area is picked up and placed in the dirty linen cage ready to be taken away.

In the morning he will be responsible for returning the glass clothes, to the linen room and collecting enough clean clothes needed to cover the day's business.

Back of house

The definition of back of house is the area where the restaurant staff meets the kitchen staff. The border being the kitchen units where the chefs place any orders waiting to be taken into the restaurant, in front and behind the dispense bar and the corridor that leads to the dirty linen cage. It will be the responsibility of the Manager to make sure that this area is left clean and tidy. All breadbaskets should be emptied and stacked neatly. Any dirty restaurant plates taken to the dishwashing area. Dispense bar is clean and the door locked. Any mess around the water tape is cleaned down. The marble tops should be wiped down and left clean.

Serving trolleys

Cheese

The preparation of the correct mise en place for the trolley. This should include 6-8 different types of cheeses, correctly identified, garnished, and explained to all waiting staff. A variety of dried cheese biscuits displayed in a basket. Ten small knifes and forks neatly arranged in a white napkin placed on a large restaurant plate.

Finally a bottle of Fine Port, Sancerre (sweet), and a great old heavy bottle of full bodied red wine accompanied by 6 port, 6 white, and 6 red wine glasses.

Hot

The correct mise en place for the trolley. This should include a carving board to cut the item being served. The correct sharp knife. A large fork and spoon on a white napkin placed under the trolley. A small silver ladle should be left on a small white restaurant plate, again placed on the bottom of the trolley.

Before opening the Manager should check the trolley to make sure that it is hot and that the joint along with the accompanying sauce is ready for serving if not he should contact the kitchen immediately.

Wine

The correct mise en place for the trolley. This should include all promotional wines and champagne. A selection of white and red house wines served by the glass. The champagne and white wine will be placed in the large silver ice bucket and positioned on top of the trolley.

The red wine should then be arranged around the ice bucket. Both the ice bucket and red wine should all be placed on clean white napkins.

A large selection of champagne glasses and wineglasses should be arranged again on clean white napkins on the middle shelf of the trolley.

A second smaller round trolley should again have a good varied selection of wines and glasses and positioned at the opposite side of the restaurant to the larger trolley.

At the end of the service all trolleys should be completely cleaned down, with all the used white napkins placed in the linen cage. All wines should be left behind in the dispense bar.

Flowers

Making sure that every table has a fresh presentable flower. Positioned in the middle of the table.

At the end of the service, it has to be checked that all the flowers are placed in a large wine bucket, which should be half full with fresh cold water. The bucket should then be put inside of the flower fridge in the back of house area.

If at any stage during the week the flowers are no longer presentable, he will need to arrange for some fresh new flowers to be bought.

This is an example of the opening and closing duties for the Rusty Spoon Club

Opening

Restaurant

• Clean all tables with appropriate chemical
• Check / Brush chairs down
• Clean mats to be placed on tables, along with full cruets, comment cards, coffee and Danish sign
• Ashtrays to be placed in smoking area only
• Fill sugar bowls and place on tablemat
• Display trolley: doilies, ice packs, dessert plates, bread baskets
• Fill up trolley with Danish pastries, cakes, salads, and labels
• Place napkins on silver trays
• Polish bill presenters
• Set up workstations with appropriate mise en place (condiments, napkins, bill presenter,...)
• Dust all displays
• Ensure brass "RUSTY SPOON CLUB" signs are clean.
• Turn on both dishwashers, coffe machine, till...
• Bring all saucers, teapots, cups etc out of the bar
• Polish cutlery and fill up all workstations
• Cover and date the cakes
• Prepare mustards on side plates, and date
• Prepare display cakes for the trolley
• Ensure that there is enough butter for the day
• Date and store fresh products in the fridge
• Check stock of napkins, jam, sugar etc. and replace if stock is low

Bar

• Remove grills from wall cabinet and lock away in cupboard.
• Unlock all fridges.
• Turn on coffee machine. Place grills and stainless steel milk containers at their places.
• Switch on the coffee bean grinder and fill it if low.
• On bar counter, place blue paper under coffee grinder and hot water dispenser.
• Fill one teapot with hot water and spoon.
• Check tea drawer and re-stock if necessary.
• In fridge's, fill one glass jug with milk and another with iced water and place in wine fridge. Check milk pack in kitchen, and if empty replace milk pack.
• Check freshness of previously opened orange juice.
• Check dates on milk packs, double cream, open juices (max shelf life - 3 days)
• Ensure that date stickers are available at bar for any juices that will be opened during the day.
• Record fridge temperatures.
• Set up displays on bar.
• Slice lemons, oranges, limes, cover and date
• Prepare a small container with water and appropriate chemical for cleaning cloths (blue).
• Collect orders from storeroom.
• Re-stock fridge's with stock from main drinks fridge.

Café Machine - After each use, slowly release milk from steamer, and wipe clean. Wipe press on grinder after use. At end of day, keep grinder to minimum level. Store cups on base heater, and cover at night.

Closing

The last order for food is taken 20 minutes before closing. Drinks and cakes are served up to 5 minutes before closing.

Restaurant

• At closing, remove salt and pepper from table and store in appropriate stations.
• Remove condiments, check dates, and store in fridge.
• Take sugar bowls off table and empty into correct storage containers.
• Remove comment cards and Danish pastry signs from tables, and store at appropriate stations.
• Clean mats and store at non-smoking station.
• Clean tables and bases with appropriate chemical.
• From stations, clear away bills and envelopes. Clean stations with appropriate chemical.
• Place all trays in kitchen to be washed.
• Remove napkins from silver trays, and place in lined bag. This will be taken to the linen room the next morning.
• Place silver trays in kitchen to be washed.
• Clean menus and store at your station.
• At closure, take breadbaskets into kitchen and throw away all left over bread.
• Take ice packs out of dessert trolley and put into kitchen freezer.
• Dispose of all display cakes over 2 days old. Others for display cover and mark "display only".
• Record all wastage on record chart.
• Ensure that all remaining food in fridge is dated. If you are unsure of dates, check with manager or chef.
• Check / clean fridge and dessert trolley.
• Complete cleaning schedule.

Bar

• Clean all surfaces with appropriate chemical.
• Clean coffee machine as follows: Flush out with water. Clean coffee handles. Remove tray and grill, and take to kitchen for cleaning. Clean milk steamer with green sponge. Clean top of machine and place cloth over cups.
• Clean all bar equipment with appropriate chemical.
• Lock away all bar displays and clean bar with appropriate chemical.
• Take temperature readings of all fridges with probe.
• Clean hand basin and behind coffee machine.
• Check / clean all bar fridge's and doors.
• Lock all coasters and maximum of bar equipment inside bar cabinets.
• Lock bar cabinets with grills, and lock all fridges.

External Standards

• Pavement - clean and clear at all times, regular checks during trading periods
• Exterior walls -well maintained, no graffiti
• Shop front - brass clean and shining, paint work clean - not flaking
• Canopy - clean and in good repair, used appropriately for guests needs
• Exterior lightning - full working order, lights on as soon as street lights are Illuminated
• Exterior signage - clean and in excellent repair
• Exterior planting - flowers/plants attractive, no litter in planting
• Promotional posters - all posters launched with blue pins, Blue Pudding posters only
• Boards - clean and well maintained, relevant promotion messages in foyer, all black boards in good condition (repaint if necessary), all black boards must be hand-written in liquid chalk, correctly spelt in English with prices clearly displayed
• Menu display - clean, illuminated where possible, includes food menu, wine list, breakfast and specials
• Windows - clean
• Entrance - clearly defined, push/pull signs in use, opening hours clear visible, free from clutter, wait to be seated signs
• Outside seating - set up before service, tables laid up with ashtrays, cruets, sugar bowls including white, brown sugar and sweetener, clean and well maintained, checked regularly for litter during service
• Refuse area - clean, locked out of sight of customers, no overspills, cardboard boxes collapsed in litterbags, lids closed

Internal Standards

• Floor, walls, ceilings and woodwork - clean and polished appearance, at all times litter free
• Temperature - comfortable temperature maintained, set a temperature
• Air conditioning - clean and in working order, vents on the ceiling
• Waiter stations - rubbish bins clean and lined, drawers clean, display shelves clean and attractive, bread displayed in bread holders, bread carried from kitchen in clean tea towel, mise en place prepared and monitored
• Tables - good condition, not wobbly, clean as per cleaning schedule, cutlery, glassware, cruets, sugar bowl and night-lights clean and polished to company specifications
• Chairs and high chairs - seating is safe to sit on, appropriate chairs for internal/external use, correct number of chairs, high chairs sanitised after each use, erected securely for each guest
• Menus - clean and in good condition
• Brass - clean and shiny appearance at all times
• Mirrors - clean and smear free appearance at all times
• Pictures and posters - framed pictures in good condition, secure displayed, straight, appropriate publicity material displayed discreetly (black boards as well)
• Lighting - all light bulbs working, lighting dimmed to the appropriate level, according to the lighting requirements, night-lights or candles in clean holders on tables
• Music - appropriate music set to the company requirements, sound clear and not distorted, background not foreground volume level
• Coat hooks - ensure coat hooks are secure