Lesson
FBS: Welcome and Greet the
2 Guest
Welcome to this module! You must be very excited to start with the learning activities. The learning
exercises in this module have been designed to provide you with rich, encouraging and interactive
learning experiences that will help enhanced better your communication in English. Please
familiarize the different sections of this module.
What I need to know
This section starts to explore the learning activities that will take place when the customer
arrives at the food and beverage establishment. You will learn the proper way of welcoming and
greeting the guests, seating the guests, taking food and beverage orders, and liaising between kitchen
and dining room area in accordance with the established standard procedure.
This module is about welcoming guests and taking Food and Beverage orders. You will be
guided on the proper way and sequence of the service upon arrival of the guests, and expansions are
discussed in the following lessons:
• Lesson 2.1 – Welcome and Greet Guests
• Lesson 2.2 – Seat Guests
• Lesson 2.3 – Take Food and Beverage Order
• Lesson 2.4 – Liaise between Kitchen and Dining Room Area
After going through this module, you are expected to:
1. Acknowledge guest as soon as they arrive at the restaurant;
2. greet guests with an appropriate welcome;
3. check details of reservation based on established standard policy;
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For you to achieve the objectives of this module, here are some steps to follow:
1. Reading is the key and following instructions carefully will help you comprehend each
lesson well.
2. Take note and record points for clarification.
3. Do the activities to fully understand the lessons.
4. Answer the self-check to monitor what you already learned in each lesson.
5. Answer the posttest.
6. Check your answers in every test against the key to correction.
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Being familiar with the following terms will help you get the most from this module:
Terms Definition
A La Carte Menu Multiple choice menu in which each item is listed
down in specific sequence which is priced individually.
A formal and extravagant meal for many people,
Banquet usually followed by speeches.
Fairly standardize menu that includes juices,
Breakfast Menu cereals, eggs to order, breakfast meat like bacon,
sausages or ham, waffles, and pancake.
A chair intended for children.
Booster seats/booster
cushion Free drinks offered to guests once they arrived or
Complementary Drinks are seated.
A docket system that is widely used in restaurants,
Computerized Control residential hotels, and large establishments where
System
orders are entered by waiters at one terminal or more.
A person who buys products and services offered
in the restaurants.
Customer/ Guest
Set of dishes or menu items that are different for
each day or week during a cycle.
Cycle Menu
“Chef’s tasting menu”, this type of menu is
Degustation Menu described as “showcase the chef’s flair for combining
flavors and textures”.
A traditional manual system which can be
Duplicate docket system preprinted, often used in medium and large- sized hotels
and restaurants with a limited menu.
Du Jour Menu or Daily “Du Jour” a French term means “dish of the
menu day”, which restaurants used available seasonal
ingredients to prepare the freshest food possible for the
day; e.g. “Soupe du jour” means soup of the day.
An order entry tool which provides all the
Electronic Order Pad items in the menu list to take note of the customers’
order quickly.
Floor Plan
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It is the lay-out of the restaurant, in which
Receptionist/Hostess/ the receptionist can view the tables occupied by the
Host/Maître de Hotel guests and those which still vacant.
Lunch Menu The first person who greets and welcomes the
guests in a restaurant.
Menu Board Composed mostly of light and informal meals
like sandwiches, salads, and soups.
A board where the menu is posted on and
Point of Sales (POS) placed outside a restaurant primarily to attract tourists.
Equipment A digital order entry technology that is used to
capture orders, record data, and display or print tickets.
Reservation
An act of making prior arrangement in a
restaurants.
Static Menu
Most common type of menu or predetermined
menu that does not need to change every day.
Table D’ hôte French phrase which means “host’s table” it
offers one or more variants of dish for fix prices.
Waiter A person who serves food and beverage.
What I Know
Pre – Test
Direction: Read the following test items carefully and choose the correct answer from the
given choices, write your answer in your activity notebook.
1. What is the most important factor to show in greeting guests?
A. Price
B. Ambiance
C. Smile
D. Status
2. A couple entered the restaurant, however, all the tables were already occupied. As a receptionist,
what will you say to the couple?
A. “My apology sir/ma’am but all seats are occupied at the moment. Would you like waiting
at the lounge and I’ll call the moment we have a table available for you.”
B. “My apology sir/ma’am but all seats are taken at the moment. Would you mind waiting at
the lounge for five minutes and I’ll call the moment we have a table available for you?”
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C. “I’m sorry sir/ma’am, we are fully occupied”
D. “I’m sorry sir/ma’am but all seats are full at this moment, would you like to have a drink
while waiting?
3. What other way can you do towards a guest who claims a confirmed booking when in fact they
never made one?
A. Decline the guest form dining in your restaurant and notify that they have not created one
B. Apologize profusely, and offer another session of a meal if and only if you have vacancy
C. Honestly inform the guest that you are into computerized system a no results were found
under their name
D. Adopt the stance that says “If we can’t find your booking, you didn’t make one
4. How else can you do to accommodate a walk in guest that arrives in your restaurant at earlier
time and wants to dine in your restaurant even if you are at full house status at twenty one
hundred hours?
A. Offer some bar service towards your guest while waiting in the lounge and inform them
whenever a table is already available
B. Decline the guest for a dining experience in your restaurant, instead transfer to your
nearby sister establishment
C. Ask whether they could be finished by 8:45 pm so you can re-set it for the reserved guest
D. Create another time schedule for guest reservation and transfer them to nearby restaurant
5. How else should you state an acceptable standard spiel when asking the guest table approval
before seating?
A. Do you want this seat ma’am/sir?
B. How about seating here ma’am/sir?
C. Will this table be alright for you ma’am/sir?
D. Is this table okay ma’am/sir?
6. What is the shape of the napkin after successfully draping on the lap of each guest?
A. Square B. Diamond C. Rectangle D. Triangle
7. What could be done by a certain restaurant staff to maximize sales before the actual order
taking?
A. Individually distribute menus to guests
B. Offer the drink list with the host after seating
C. Utilize suggestive selling during order taking
D. Ask guest water preference after seating
8. How do you call the price list of food and beverage items available in restaurants?
A. Menu B. Food List C. A la carte D. Table d hotel
9. Which of the following choices best describes the event where can you utilize prix fix type of
menu?
A. Normal day to day dining B. Restaurants
C. Banquet Functions D. Hotels
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10. Which of the following choices is UNLIKELY to describe the purpose of taking food orders?
A. Informs the kitchen or bar staff of the order
B. Informs the service staff of any changes needed to the cutlery
C. Identifies who is eating or drinking the items ordered D. Provides the basis on which are
VIP and regular guest
11. Where should a waiter position himself in order taking?
A. Center of the table B. Right side of the host
C. Left side of the host D. Corner of the table
12. What should be suggested to a guest after ordering the main course?
A. Appetizer B. Soup C. Wine D. Cocktail
13. Defined as to establish working relationship, typically in order to cooperate between the kitchen
and the dining area.
A. Liaising B. Liaise
C. Taking orders D. Placing Orders
14. It is the computer-based order entry technology that restaurants used to record data, enter orders,
and or display and print tickets.
A. Personal Office System
B. Price of Sale
C. Point of Sale equipment
D. Price Office System
15. Which of the following is the traditional manual system that is often used in medium and large
sized restaurants?
A. Triplicate Docket System
B. Duplicate Docket System
C. Electronic Billing System
D. Computerized System
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What’s In
You are done with the basics in dining management during the previous module. You already
mastered the procedure on taking table reservation, familiarized the different cutleries, tableware and
glassware necessary for service. Different table napkin folding and table skirting design and
procedures were already attained and acquired. In this module, your communication skills will be
enhanced because you are going to deal with the ways to handle guests in the dining area.
What’s New
Lesson 1 – Welcome and Greet Guests
Have you experienced dining in a restaurant? If no, have you watched a movie which the casts dine
in a cozy restaurant? What did you observe in the setting?
When customers arrived, it is the responsibility of the service staff to promptly meet them with a
smile and an appropriate greetings at the door. First impression lasts, they say, that’s why welcoming
and greeting the guests is equally important as having a meal itself. If the impression was not good
enough, it will affect the dining experience and may not be a potential repeat customer, and that is a
big no in the business industry.
Activity 1.1 Welcoming and Greeting the Guest Procedure
Direction: As you read, fill in the graphic organizer below regarding the process on how to welcome
and greet the guest appropriately.
The person who welcomes and greets upon the arrival of the guests is the receptionist, also
known as host or hostess. The receptionist must set the positive mood and ambience of the diners to
enjoy their dining experience. It can be achieved if the receptionist wears his/her best smile,
enthusiastic but respectful since he or she is the first contact of the guests. Remember that customers
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like to be pampered, and they should always be treated with importance. In addition, the welcoming
and greeting of the guests upon arrival can also be done by the head waiter.
What is It
Welcoming and Greeting Guests Procedure
1. Acknowledge guests as soon as they arrived at the restaurant. When the guests arrive, open the
door. Walk towards the guests, make a pleasant eye contact, and welcome them with an
appropriate greetings. If it happens that you are busy with another guests, acknowledge the new
guest by making eye contact and say;
“I’ll be right back with you.” Or simple hand gesture or smile will do.
2. Greet guests with an appropriate welcome.
Welcome guests with an appropriate greetings according to their gender, and time of the day.
Address them with the appropriate greeting for the time of the day as follows,
00:00—11:59 – “Good Morning”
12:00 – 06:59 – “Good Afternoon”
07:00 – 12:59 – “Good Evening”
Say: “Good morning/afternoon/evening, Sir/ Ma’am, welcome to OHSP Restaurant (name of the
restaurant).
*Note that, by greeting them with their names, it would let them feel that they are important.
Say: “Good morning/afternoon/evening, Mr. _________ or /Ms. ____________, welcome to
OHSP Restaurant (name of the restaurant).
3. Checking reservations.
• Politely ask if they have reservation, if they do, ask the guest’s name in the reservation list and
guide them to the reserved table. Make sure that their table is prepared in advance.
Say: “Good morning/afternoon/evening, Mr. _________ or /Ms.
____________, welcome to OHSP Restaurant (name of the restaurant). Are we holding any
reservation from you?
Or
“Good morning/afternoon/evening, Mr. _________ or /Ms.
____________, welcome to (name of the restaurant). We have prepared a nice table
for your party. This way please.
• Another situation is, if the guest doesn’t hold any reservation. The receptionist must ask how
many are dining and ask their preferred section in the dining room/restaurant. (e.g., smoking
or non-smoking room, near the window, corner table, among others).
“How many are we expecting in the party, sir/ma’am?
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• The receptionist will also hold them for a moment to check if there are still tables available.
In case all tables are already occupied, politely inform the guest and ask them if they can wait
at the lounge.
• If the guests will wait at the lounge, they should be informed about the length of waiting time
or period honestly, to avoid bad impression from the guests. Explain to the guests that there
will be a table ready in the few minutes or the table are currently being cleared and set.
• If you anticipate a long waiting time period, the receptionist may offer complimentary drinks
and lead them to a place where they can wait comfortably.
Say: “My apology sir/ma’am but all seats are taken/occupied at the moment. Would you mind
waiting at the lounge and/or bar area for five minutes and I’ll call the moment we have a
table available for you?”
Don’t just say;
“I’m sorry we are full at the moment”.
Special needs customers
Guests may also have a special needs and simple observation will identify many of these.
Don’t wait to be asked if you think there is a special need, be proactive and offer it to the guests. These
special needs are currently include but not limited to:
• Easy access to the guests table because of a disability.
• A booster seat/high chair for infants.
• Warmer equipment of a bottle for babies.
• Appropriate food for those with special dietary needs as indicated in the reservation
information.
• Privacy for romantic couples, and business people – to the best extent possible.
Offering pre-meal services
As and when circumstances dictate, or opportunities present themselves like all tables have
already been occupied, pre-meal services can be offered to guests. These services include but
not limited to:
• Bar service – it may be appropriate to offer guests the bar services before they go to their table
and/or while waiting for a vacant ready table.
• Lounge and waiting areas. This saves the guests from possible embarrassment, and rather,
demonstrates excellent customer service and indicates that you are tuned in to individual
needs. You can offer the customer something to read while they patiently waiting.
• Valet services. Common services available for guests include but is not limited to valet
parking, car retrieval, car rental, booking of tickets, and arranging of taxis to guests.
What’s More
Below is a sample spiel about welcoming guests, complete the missing information,
familiarize the sequence and try to practice it in front of the mirror.
WELCOME/GREET GUESTS (RECEPTIONIST/HOSTESS)
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Receptionist: Good morning, evening, afternoon Sir/Ma’am or Mr.
_________ or Mrs. _______, welcome to Open High
Restaurant. Are we holding any reservation from you?
- If YES
Receptionist: (Under the name of) sir/ma’am we have prepared a very nice table for
you, this way please….will this table be alright with you sir/ma’am? - If NO (Note:
check the floor plan first, if there are still table available, say :)
Receptionist: May I suggest a table for you?
Guest: Yes please.
Receptionist: This way please.
Then the guest follows the receptionist/hostess while you lead with
one step ahead and carrying with you already the menu and drink list
professionally.
Receptionist: Will this table be alright with you sir/ma’am?
Another Scenario which the guest doesn’t hold any reservation:
- Upon checking into the floor plan and there’s no table available, say:
Receptionist: I’m sorry sir/ma’am but all seats are occupied at the moment.
Would you mind waiting at the lounge for five minutes and I’ll call the moment
we have a table available for you?
This is also the right time to offer the pre-meal services like bar area, lounge and
valet services, not just to increase sales but also to demonstrate excellent
customer service.
Guest: Alright, I’ll be waiting at the bar.
Before the guests are seated:
Receptionist: Will this table be alright with you? I’m sure this could be a nice area for
dining ma’am/sir as you can witness here the sunset while dining.
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Activity 1.2 – The Restaurant’s Receptionist
Perform the role of a Restaurant’s Receptionist/ Host/Hostess as you welcome and
greet guests in the following situations. Situation 1:
Mr. De Guzman was newly appointed Chief Executive Officer in the company he served in. He
planned to celebrate his promotion together with his family, close friends, and colleagues at Open
High Restaurant. He made reservation via telephone two days before the party and Mr. De Guzman
requested for a booster seat for his 2 year old baby.
Your performance will be rated using the rubrics below:
Criteria Excellent (5 Very Satisfactory Needs Total
pts.) Satisfactory (2 pts.) Improvement
(3 pts.) (1 pts.)
Guests are
Acknowledge as
soon as they arrive.
Guests are
greeted with an
appropriate
welcome.
Details of
reservations are
checked base on
established
standard policy.
What I Have Learned
Congratulations! You are almost done with the lesson. For the teacher to assure that you
apprehend the lesson well, in your activity notebook, write at least 5 sentences on what you capture
about the lesson.
___________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
What I Can Do
Write a spiel following the situation below, apply what you have leaned, and put your spiel in
your activity notebook.
A group of young lady decided to dine at Self-Check Restaurant without prior reservation.
Unfortunately, as the Receptionist check the floor plan, it was found out that there were no tables
available at the moment. As a receptionist, what best move will you do?
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Your write up will be rated using the rubrics below:
Criteria Excellent (5 Very Satisfactory Needs Total
pts.) Satisfactory (2 pts.) Improvement
(3 pts.) (1 pts.)
Guests are
Acknowledge as
soon as they
arrive.
Guests are greeted
with an
appropriate
welcome.
Details of
reservations are
checked base on
established
standard policy.
Lesson
2 FBS: Seat the Guest
What I need to know
We are now on the next lesson, good job! After going through this lesson, you are expected
to:
1. Utilize tables according to the number of party or person.
2. Seat guests evenly among stations to control traffic flow of guests in the dining room.
3. Open cloth napkins for the guests when applicable.
4. Serve water according to the standards of the food service facility.
5. Present the menu to the guests according to the establishment’s standard practice
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What’s In
We have already capture the previous lesson about how to properly welcome and greet guests
according to standard procedure. The proper character of a waiter in welcoming and greeting the
guests was also emphasized. We are now ready to the next lesson, let’s now learn
and enjoy.
What’s New
Seating the Guests and Presenting the Menu
Many hotels or restaurants may have a different standard to greet their guests according to
establishment procedure. There is commonly a simple sequence of events that may occur when a
guests enters a restaurant. This sequence is called the 'meet-greet-seat' sequence, which means that
you first meet the guests, then greet them and finally, show them to their seats.
Activity 2.1 Seating the Guest Procedure
Direction: As you read, fill in the graphic organizer below regarding the process on how to
seat the guest.
The manner on how customers are seated should contribute in making favorable impression,
courtesy and care should always be present. Different seating plan should be made for different types
and number of guests. Considerations should be given to customers with the following preferences:
a. Smoking or non-smoking areas.
b. Customers with small children- should be seated in the corner or wall side.
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c. Customer with special physical needs- should be positioned close to the hostess station as
possible.
d. Customers with communication difficulties- should be positioned close to the hostess
station as possible.
Escorting and Seating the Guest Procedure
1. Escorting the Guest
• From the reception area, receptionist will lead the guests to their table. Once the table
is available, accompany them immediately to the table with hand outreach to the
direction where you are heading to and palm open.
• Do not walk too fast and walk little ahead when escorting guests to the table. Be
considerate of elderly or handicapped guests.
Say: “This way ma’am/sir”.
2. Seating the Guest
As a receptionist or Maitre D’ Hotel, you have some consideration to follow when assigning
tables to customers, and this will make them appreciate and enjoy the dining experience in the
restaurant. These considerations are as follows:
• Accommodate guests’ preferences like smoking or non-smoking, pool side, window,
terrace, etc. whenever possible. If ever the table they wanted is already occupied,
apologize and offer what is available.
• Another is the number of guests in the party. Position them where they have enough
space to sit on.
• For guests with small children, put them on the corner or wall side.
Don’t forget to offer booster seats for the small kids to be seated.
• For the couples, assist them to the seat with the best view.
• Customer with special needs like senior citizen and person with disability should be
seated as close to the hostess station as possible. Offer assistance without seemingly
overbearing and avoid drawing unnecessary attention to them.
• Ladies must always be seated first and against the wall if any, pull out the chairs for
them if they let you, push the chairs gently after they are seated.
• For the groups where there is a host or hostess, or where there are assigned seats for
the guests, it is customary to seat the host/hostess last.
Before the guests are seated,
Ask: “Will this table be alright for you? I’m sure this could be a nice area for
dining ma’am/sir as you can witness here the sunset while dining”
Then endorse guests to the captain waiter. The hostess/ receptionist leaves the table once
the captain waiter or the waiter approaches the guests’ table. If the waiter of Food and
Beverage Services Attendant (FBSA) is not yet available to attend to the guests;
Say: “The waiter will be with you shortly”.
3. Unfolding of Table Napkin
When the guests are already seated Food and Beverage Service Attendant/waiter will
unfolds the napkins and gently places them on each of the guests’ lap if they let you.
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If the guests allow you, from the right-hand side of the guests, remove the napkin that has
been provided as part of the setting. Unfold it into a triangular shape and drape it across the
guest’s lap without touching any body parts of the guest. Laid napkins should be pointed side
facing away from them. Note that some guests will prefer to place their own napkin, so be
aware of the guests’ body language at all times, and certainly don’t force this service on
anyone.
A comment such as “Excuse me ma’am/sir, may I unfold the table napkin for you?” may
be appropriate.
4. Waiter Takeover and Serving Water
The captain waiter/waiter should be well groomed, s/he should stand erect, make a
pleasant eye contact as s/he welcomes the guests to the restaurant, depending on the
establishment’s standard policies. Reading the guests’ comfort level and perhaps the occasion
helps personalize and adjust service to the specific needs of the party.
In serving water, waiter should be at the right side of the guests. Pour water in the water
goblet ¾ full.
Say: “Hi I am (name), I will be your waiter for tonight. Here’s your water. Please let me know
if there is anything I can do to make your dining experience more pleasurable”.
5. Presenting the menu card
After serving the water, the waiter will excuse his/herself to get the menu card. In presenting
the menu card, it should be on the right hand side of the guests. If it’s a booklet type, menu
should be handed open in a right side up position.
Say: “Excuse me ma’am/sir here is our menu card for your food selection. Please take you
time to read the menu and I’ll be back to take your order whenever you are ready.
6. Serving of Bread
After presenting the menu, you may suggest or ask the guest if they want to have their bread,
after hearing the guests’ response, excuse yourself and tell them you’ll be back with the bread.
When serving bread, present the bread o the guest and served it the left side hand of the guests
where the bread and butter plate is placed. Do not cross over to the guests.
Say:” excuse me ma’am/sir, here is your bread. Please call me whenever you are ready to
order.”
Now you are done with the sequence, and here are some helpful tips on seating the guests.
• When one or two people is dining in a restaurant do not use the four-seat table if possible,
unless there are no other table available.
• Young couples prefer quite corners with good view.
• Loud, noisy parties may be placed in private rooms or towards the back of the dining room to
avoid disturbing other guests.
• Should the guests request for a specific location, try to accommodate him/her.
• In seating the guests, assist the ladies first, followed by the gentleman, and the host/hostess
last. If in case there are children in a group, they should be assisted first.
Note:
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1. When your guest carries some bags or wears heavy jacket during winters, offer
assistance especially for girls upon suggesting tables.
2. While leading your guest to their table, make sure that you’re already carrying the menu
and drink list professionally with your one hand and another hand half wide open to lead the
guest where you are heading to.
What’s More
Activity 2.2 – The Restaurant’s Receptionist
Direction: Portray the scenario below. You may ask a member of your family member to practice
it with you.
Scenario #1:
You will going to portray as the Restaurant’s Receptionist. You will going to escort a couple. As
a receptionist, you will going to perform your task in seating your guests to their table and introduced
the captain waiter/waiter to them.
Your performance will be rated using the rubrics below:
Criteria Excellent Very Satisfactory Needs Total
(5 pts.) Satisfactory (2 pts.) Improvement
(3 pts.) (1 pts.)
1. Escort and seat guests
according to table
allocation.
2. Utilize tables according to the
number of party or person.
3. Details of reservations are
checked base on Seat guests
evenly among
stations to control traffic flow
of guests in the dining room.
4. Open cloth napkins for the
guests when applicable.
5. Serve water according to the
standards of the food
service facility.
6. Serving bread according to the
standards
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What I Have Learned
Congratulations! You’re almost finish with this lesson. For the teacher to assure that you
apprehend the lesson well, in your activity notebook, write at least
5 sentences on what you realize about the lesson.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
What I can Do
Write a spiel following the situation below, apply what you have leaned, and put your spiel in
your activity notebook. Let’s see how you’ll deal with the given scenario.
There is a family composed of 6 members, 2 elders, a couple, a toddler and a 1 year old baby.
They don’t have any reservation, and the dining area is full at the moment. As soon as the table is
available, the couple doesn’t like the table. As a receptionist/waiter what will you do?
Criteria Excellent Very Satisfact Needs Total
(5 pts.) Satisfactory ory Improvement
(3 pts.) (2 pts.) (1 pts.)
7. Escort and seat
guests according to
table allocation.
8. Utilize tables
according to the
number of party or
person.
9. Details of reservations
are checked base on
Seat guests evenly
among stations to
control traffic flow of
guests in the dining
room.
10. Open cloth napkins
for the guests when
applicable.
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11. Serve water
according to the
standards of the food
service facility.
12. Serving bread
according to the
standards
Congratulations! You are done in this module, Good Job! Practice the skills and in a long run
you’ll be a skilled food and beverage attendant! Good Luck!
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