3 Types of Food Service Explained

Learn about different types of food and beverage services such as dish service, cart service, French trolley service, French banquet service, and family-style service.

3 Types of Food Service Explained

When it comes to food and beverage service, there are several different types of service styles to choose from. Understanding the benefits and challenges of each type of service will help you decide which one is best for your restaurant, hotel, resort, or other establishment. The main categories of food service are dish service, cart service, French trolley service, French banquet service, and family-style service. Let's take a closer look at each one.

Dish Service

Dish service is the most common type of food and beverage service. In this style, kitchen staff carefully prepare dishes in the kitchen and then serve them to guests from the right side. This type of service is often used in fine-dining restaurants, where waiters serve dishes at the table with serving spoons and forks.

Cart Service

Cart service is similar to dish service, except that waiters bring the food in plates and show it to the host for approval before placing it on the tables.

This type of service is often used in hotels, resorts, and other establishments that provide food and beverages in places that are not intended for food & beverage service.

French Trolley Service

In French trolley service, the food is prepared and assembled next to the table. Guests select their food from the cart while seated at their tables and then it is served to them from the right. This type of service is usually offered for small VIP groups.

French Banquet Service

French banquet service is similar to French trolley service, except that waiters place the food on plates and serve it on the left side. To restock them, waiters keep the plates of food in front of the guests. This type of service is often used in restaurants where guests select their own food from a plate.

Family-Style Service

Family-style service is a type of food and beverage system that enables an economical supply of food in commercial and institutional hospitality sectors.

In this style, kitchen staff prepare dishes in the kitchen and then place them on guests' decks from the right side. This type of service is often used in fast-food establishments where guests pick up their own food from the counter.