Different Styles of Table Service

Two Main Styles of Table Service

There are two main styles of table service: formal and informal. The more popular is the informal style because it is less stiff and more congenial.

The Formal Style

The formal style of table service is used when there are many waiters or helpers to do the serving. It is used in formal dinners, state functions, and celebrations that call for formal attire. In this style of service, the number of guests is limited only to a small group which can be accommodated in the table in one seating. As a rule, attendance to these functions is by invitation. Invited guests are requested to answer the invitation to assure the hosts that they are coming. Food accommodation is only for those who signified their acceptance of the invitation.

The formal style is also known as the Russian or continental style. Its menu usually consists of five to seven courses which include a soup or appetizer, entree, salad, maid dishes, dessert, and after-dinner coffee. Dishes are served one after the other direct from the kitchen and brought to the guests at the table by waiters. The dinner plate and other table appointments are already neatly placed on the table. Food arranged on trays or platters are served individually by the waiter. After all the guest have been served, the dis is returned to the kitchen. A dish is never left at the table. Another dish is then brought in and served to the guests.

Food service is done at the left of the guest starting at the head of the table. There are always two waiters who serve a dish on each end of the table. Each guest then gets food from the serving plate with the use of the serving spoon, fork, or knife and transfers it to his or her plate.

The Informal Style

The family style of service which we follow everyday is an informal style of table service. In this style, food is served by the host or hostess which may be the father, mother, or other members of the family. The food and serving spoon is passed from one member to another until everybody has taken his or her share. The sequence of serving may start with the soup, followed by the salad or entree, main dish, and the dessert. The host or hostess continues to pass the dishes until everybody has been served. Serving platters are left on the table for those who want second servings. This is also known as the English style.

Another informal service is a combination of the Russian and English styles. In this style, there are dishes already placed on the table and passed around to the seated diners. Some of the dishes come from the kitchen and are served by an assigned family member. Each diner passes his or her plate until it reaches the person serving the food. The dish is served onto the place then passed back to the diner. This is also known as the compromise style and is usually used for a small group or family.

The buffet service is another informal style. It is used when there are many guests and there are not enough hands to do the serving. In this form of service, the silver, china, and crystals are arranged on a table near or beside the buffet table where the different dishes are arranged. Guests line up to get their plates and silverware, then pass the buffet table to get their fill of the dishes served. Then they proceed to small tables spread out in the garden, lawn, or living room to partake of the food they have chosen.

There are several kinds of buffet service:

Plate Buffet - If the dinner is just standing with plate in hand while eating, this is plate buffet.
Sit-down Buffet - With a sit-down buffet, empty tables with chairs are provided for those who will eat after getting their food from the the buffet table.
Tray Buffet - If the dinner plate is placed on a tray and place on the lap while eating, the style is called tray buffet.

The buffet style of service is appropriate for tea or cocktail parties where there are many invited guests cannot be seated.

The blueplate service is another informal style wherein food is served on individual plates from the kitchen. This style is used in serving food during children's parties where the guests are too young to help themselves to the food. Aside from this reason, it is more practical to apportion the servings since children generally have no idea how big or small their appetite is. The blueplate service can also be used for family meals if the dining table is small.

Another informal style is the tray service. This style of service is usually used in serving patients in hospitals or when sending far meals by room service hotels. In this service, the dining table is not used. Instead, dishes and table appointments are arranged neatly on a tray and brought to the diner.

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