Sales control system

Methods of order taking: essentially there are four methods of taking food and beverage orders from customers.

All order taking methods are based upon these four concepts. Even the most sophisticated electronic system is based upon either the duplicate or triplicate methods even though the actual checks may not be written but communicated electronic to VDUs or print out machines.

TRIPLICATE CHECKING SYSTEM

This is a control system used in the majority of medium and large first-class establishments. As the name implies the food check consists of three copies.
To ensure efficient control the waiter or waitress must fill in the information required in the four corners of the check, this being:
• Table number
• Number of covers
• Date
• Signature of waiter/waitress taking the order

The first kitchen order ticket goes to kitchen and is received by aboyer who shouts the order to various sections for preparation of items and puts up spike in chronological order of table numbers. After the pickup of dishes kitchen order tickets are puts up in a kitchen order ticket box (locked) and taken out for making production and consumption sheet and later sent by the chef to food and beverage control department for comparative analysis.

The second kitchen order ticket is given to restaurant cashier. He prepares the sales summary sheet on the basis of that. The guest check is presented to guest for settlement either by cash or credit. The sales summary sheet is sent to front office clerk for making entry into various books like cash book, guest folio, city ledger etc. only kitchen order tickets and vouchers are sent to food and beverage control for comparative statements.

The third kitchen order ticket is used by the steward for pickup purpose as well for preparing guest voucher. Abbreviations may be used when taking the order as long understood by everyone and not misinterpreted by the kitchen causing the wrong order to be put up, and therefore a delay in the service to the guest.

 

THE FOOD CHECK:

1) The top copy of the food order goes to the kitchen and is handed to the aboyeur at the hotplate
2) The duplicate goes to the cashier who makes out the guest's bill
3) The flimsy, or third copy, is retained by the waiter at his/her sideboard as a means of reference

Any checks or bills which have to be cancelled should have the head waiter's or supervisor's signature on them; so also should checks and bills which have alterations made on them.

In certain instances it is necessary to write out special checks. These would be as follows:
• Where it is necessary to write out more than one food check for a meal, e.g. where a sweet check is written out after the first and main course has been served. At the head of this check should be written the word Suivant which means the 'following' check, and shows that one check has already been written out for that particular table

suivant kot's

• When an extra portion of food is required because sufficient has not been sent from the kitchen, a special check must be written out headed Supplement. This means to 'supplement' what has already been previously sent. It should be signed by the head waiter or supervisor and normally there is no charge (n/c), but this depends on the policy of the establishment concerned

supplement kot's

• Where a wrong dish has been ordered and has to be sent back to the kitchen and replaced, a special check must again be made out. If the service being carried out is from an a la carte menu then the prices of the two dishes concerned must be shown. Two main headings are used on this special check, Retour, or 'return' and the name of the dish going back to the kitchen, and En place or 'in its place', and the name of the new dish to be served

retour kot's

• It is occasionally happens that the waiter or waitress may have an accident in the room and perhaps some vegetables are dropped. These must be replaced without any extra charge to the guest. Here a check must be completed headed accident. It will show the number of portions of the vegetables required and should be signed by the head waiter or supervisor in charge. No charge(a/c) is made

accident kot's

With modem day trends towards 'covered' dishes being presented to customers at the table it is increasingly important to identify specific orders before placing them on the table in front of the appropriate person.
A system for ensuring that the right customer receives the correct food without the constant lifting of dish covers is to identify on the order which customer is having which dish. A check pad design which might be used for this. The covered dishes are then lettered at the hotplate prior to leaving the kitchen

DUPLICATE CHECKING METHOD

This is a control system which is more likely to be found in the smaller hotel, popular price restaurant and cafes and department store catering. It is generally used where a table d'hote menu is in operation and sometimes a very limited a la carte menu.

As the name implies, there are two copies of each of these food checks, each set being serial numbered. A check pad, or bill pad as it is sometimes termed, usually contains a set of 50 or 100 food checks. The top copy of the food check is usually carbon-backed but, if not, a sheet of carbon must be placed between the top and duplicate copy every time a fresh order is taken.

For control purposes the top copy may have printed on it a waiter’s number or letter. This should be the number or letter given to a waiter on joining the staff. The control and accounts department should be informed of the person to whom the number applies, and he/she retains it throughout employment. Also on each set of food checks should be printed a serial number

The top copy of the set of food and drink checks is made up of a number of perforated slips usually 4-5 in number. There is a section at the bottom of the food and drink check for the table number to be entered. The top copy sometimes has a cash column for entering the price of a meal or the dishes ordered but, if this is not the case; the waiter must enter them independently on to the duplicate copy against the particular dish concerned.

When writing out a guest's order a different perforated slip should be used roc each course. The waiter must remember to write out the number of covers arc the price of the meal or dish concerned on each slip. Before sending each slip to the hotplate see that the details are entered correctly on the duplicate copy together with the price. Since the duplicate copy acts as the guest's bill, the waiter must ensure that everything served is charged and paid for.

As the service of a meal commences, the waiter tears off from the top copy of the food and drink check the perforated slip showing the first course ordered, this is taken to the hotplate and the required dish is put up. As soon as this happens the aboyeur will tear off the waiter's number (21) on the end of the slip and place it with the dish concerned. This then shows which waiter the dish is for. If there is no waiter number at the end of the perforated slip, then the perforated slip itself is left with the order until collected by the appropriate, waiter. The aboyeur will then retain the slip showing the course just served. As soon as the first course is served and allowing time for this course to be consumed the second perforated slip is taken to the hotplate by the waiter. This dish will then be collected as required. This same procedure is carried on throughout the meal.

It may happen that there are insufficient perforated slips on the top copy of the food and drink check for a particular guest's requirements. Very often the waiter does his/her own drink service and thus takes the drink order and enters it on a separate perforated slip. When there are not sufficient perforated slips, a supplementary check pad is brought into use. This pad is made up of single slips on which the waiter writes the order and the number and then collects the items concerned from a particular service point. He/she must ensure that the charge for such items is entered on the guest's bill, that is, the duplicate copy of the food and drink check.

duplicate kot

 
   
Other checking methods
As has already been mentioned, there are many variations to the basic duplicate checking control system. These are too numerous to mention. Individually but two are described below very simply in order to give some idea of the possible variations available.

 

SINGLE ORDER SHEET

A further simple form of checking. This may be used in cafes, quick turnover restaurants and department stores. A simple form of control such as this may also be used, or adapted for use, in various forms of take-away establishments.

The menu is normally very limited with little or no choice. The waiter takes the order and marks down the guest's requirements, calls for the order verbally over the hotplate and, when the guest requests the bill, prices the order sheet and hands it to him/her. The guest then hands it to the cashier on leaving and pays the required amount. There is only one copy of this order and bill combined and this is retained by the cashier, for control purposes, once the guest has made the necessary payment.

In conclusion, it must be remembered that control in one form or another is all important, the final method of control used depending upon the policy of the establishment concerned. No system is foolproof but, if sufficient care and caution is observed, any loss will be cut to a bare minimum.

single order sheet

sales summary sheet

Menu and customer bill

This shows the menu order and customer’s bill combines on one sheet and would be allocated to each of the guest’s requirements would be written down in the column next to the price column.
 
How to Settle Guest Bill in Restaurant: As you know after finishing meal guest calls for bill. Generally at first captain or head waiter takes order and so after finishing meal they take and settle bills. In many restaurants general waiter settle bills.

Basic Steps:
1. Guest calls for bill
2. Waiter goes to the cashier and instructs him to total the check by the table number.
3. Cashier calculate and totals the guest check including service charge and hands the check to the waiter.
4. Waiter double checks the bill and places it in the check folder.
5. Waiter approaches the table and stands straight to the right of the guest and presents the bill in the folder.
6. Waiter waits for the guest to examine the guest check.

When Guest Pay in Cash:
1. Verify the cash tendered by the guest.
2. Waiter takes bill and cash to the cashier.
3. Cashier returns any change due (to the guest) with the receipt to the waiter.
4. Waiter verifies the change returned by the cashier.
5. Waiter gets authorized signature form Manager or his assistant (If applicable)
6. Waiter returns change, receipt to the guest.

When Guest Pay by Credit Card: 
1. Request the guest to sign to the check and obtains the credit card.
2. Waiter takes credit card and signed check to the cashier.
3. Cashier checks the credit card for expiration date.
4. Cashier obtains approval code.
5. Cashier imprints credit card on respective voucher and the guest check.
6. Cashier lists the amount on the guest check on the credit card voucher and also the guest check number.
7. Cashier returns guest check, credit card and voucher to the waiter.
8. Waiter presents guest check, credit card and voucher to the guest, requesting his signature on the credit card voucher.
9. Waiter discreetly checks the checks the guest’s signature against the signature on the back of the credit card.
10. Waiter returns the credit card to the guest.
11. Waiter gives the guest copy of the signed credit card voucher to the guest.

When Guest want to charge to guest room:
1. If guest wants to pay with his room charge, then politely requests the guest to write the room number and name in the apace provided on the check.
2. Request the guest to sign the check on the line provided.
3. Verify the check of its legibility and returns the check to the cashier.
4. Obtain verification of guest’s name and room number by requesting the guest for his/her room key and checks it with cashier against house list.

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