For undergraduate Hospitality/Travel/Tourism courses that focus on waiter/waitress training and service of food.

Ideal as a competency-based training guide or simply as a reference manual for specific service questions, this all-inclusive book explains the key aspects and responsibilities of today's food servers. It contains broad and in-depth coverage on everything a good waiter or waitress will need to know to be successful in this very competitive and dynamic profession—from restaurant industry statistics to how tips are calculated, the importance of poise and posture, the use of place settings, menu knowledge, the presentation of wine, recognizing the nonverbal cues and prompts of guests, understanding guest paging systems and touch-screen terminals, handling complaints, and much more. Self-contained chapters flow in a logical sequence and establish a step-by-step procedure for understanding and learning appropriate server skills.

• Intensive job overview—Discusses the occupational advantages and disadvantages, along with job qualifications and descriptions of advancement opportunities for servers.

  • Starts students off with a thorough introduction to the profession, and arms them with useful industry statistics and income opportunities. Ex.___

• Basic table settings—Explains settings for breakfast, lunch and dinner, beginning with the preset through how the meal is served, various illustrated napkin presentations, and the appropriate wine and beverage settings.

  • Helps students understand specific types of table services in detail. Ex.___

• Serving food and beverages—Includes 25 tips for proper table service, such as the correct procedures for loading and carrying trays, along with the techniques of carrying multiple plates.

  • Clarifies for students service priorities, and shows them how to effectively handle difficult situations with positive responses. Ex.___

• Wine presentation and service—Introduces and explains wine varietals, as well as other spirits, cocktails, and coffees, and presents step-by-step illustrations of correct serving procedures.

  • Provides budding food servers with the knowledge and skills they will need to operate with competency. Ex.___

• Service technology—Covers table service management, guest paging system, product management software, hand-held touch-system terminal, server paging system, two-way radio, restaurant web sites, and other software technology used in the business.

  • Helps students identify and understand various technology applications and their benefits. Ex.___

• Waiter-waitress profiles—Shares the successful experiences of ten servers selected among fine-dining, family and casual-theme type restaurants from across the United States.

  • Gives students a valuable insider's look and exposes them to the realities of the profession. Ex.___

• Pedagogy and problem material—Includes an overview, discussion questions, chapter test questions, and exercises at the conclusion of each chapter.

  • Provides students with full support and reinforcement of concepts covered. Ex.___

• Handy appendices.

  • Provides students with a quick and easy reference source for common menu terms, wine terminology, spirit brands and related cocktails, ales, lagers, and non-alcoholic beers. Ex.___

 1. The Professional Waiter-Waitress.


 2. Professional Appearance.


 3. Table Settings, Napkin Presentations, and Table Service.


 4. Serving Food and Beverages.


 5. Service Preparedness.


 6. Wine and Beverage Service.


 7. Guest Communications.


 8. The Technology of Service.


 9. The Host/Hostess.


10. Waiter-Waitress Profiles.


Appendix A: Common Menu Terms.


Appendix B: Wine Terminology: General, Sight, Smell, and Taste.


Appendix C: Spirit Brands and Related Cocktails.


Appendix D: Ales, Lagers, and Non-Alcoholic Beers.

Food Service Management (Food Science)
Introduction to Food and Beverage Service (Culinary Arts)
Restaurant Management (Culinary Arts)
Customer Service (Hospitality)

"Service At Its Best not only constitutes a concise and practical book about dining room techniques, it presents a clean standard for genuine hospitality and also conveys a refreshing, new message on the heightened significance of dining room professionals." — Bernard Martinage, C.H.E., Founder/President, The Federation of Dining Room Professionals

Ed Sanders is the founder and editor in chief of the Hospitality News Group, which publishes regional foodservice industry newspapers and an international education guide. He is a Certified Food Executive and a Certified Purchasing Manager; his professional career has included being chief operating officer for a regional chain of restaurants, an associate professor of business, and procurement director of a large-volume foodservice operation. He has a master of science degree in international management from the American Graduate School of International Management, and a doctor of business administration degree in management and organization. He was the co-founder and director of industry relations for the Hotel, Restaurant and Resort Management Program at Southern Oregon University. He is also co-author of Foodservice Profitability, A Control Approach, 2E (Prentice Hall, 2001) and Catering Solutions: For the Culinary Student, Foodservice Operator, and Caterer (Prentice Hall, 2000).

Paul Paz has been a career professional waiter for over twenty years. Restaurants USA, Restaurants and Institutions, Nation's Restaurant News, The Washington Post, Principal The Wall Street Journal, and several other publications have featured him in his WaitersWorld profession. He has also appeared on ABC's 20/20 news show. His column, "Tips for Tips," runs regularly in the Hospitality News Group of newspapers and he has written numerous articles for other publications. Furthermore, he is a hospitality consultant and has presented a variety of seminars throughout the Pacific Northwest. He developed a number of training programs for the Oregon Restaurant Education Foundation and is the only professional waiter ever to serve on the Board of Directors of the Oregon Restaurant Association. The Association voted him the 1997 Restaurant Employee of the Year. He also has served as president of the National Waiters Association.

Ron Wilkinson is the founder and CEO of Profit Power Systems, developers of FoodcoCost Control Systems and AIMHIRE-Employee Selection Systems. He is also the founder and director of the International Food Service Foundation. His forty-year career has included owning and operating quick-serve, family, and formal dining restaurants, and he has been a training director and vice president of operations for several large restaurant chains. He has developed and written operational and service training manuals and has taught college foodservice and restaurant management courses. He has also served on academic advisory boards for restaurant and hospitality management programs. He has presented numerous workshops at food shows, hospitality association conferences, and restaurant chain management meetings. He is a recognized expert at maximizing profit for foodservice operations of all types.

Ideal as a competency-based training guide or simply as a reference manual for specific service questions, this all-inclusive book explains the key aspects and responsibilities of today's food servers. It contains broad and in-depth coverage on everything a good waiter or waitress will need to know to be successful in this very competitive and dynamic profession—from restaurant industry statistics to how tips are calculated, the importance of poise and posture, the use of place settings, menu knowledge, the presentation of wine, recognizing nonverbal cues and prompts of guests, understanding guest paging systems and touch-screen terminals, handling complaints, and much more. Self-contained chapters flow in a logical sequence and establish a step-by-step procedure for understanding and learning appropriate server skills.

View a Sample Chapter PDF:

Pearson Higher Education offers special pricing when you choose to package your text with other student resources. If you're interested in creating a cost-saving package for your students, contact your Pearson Higher Education representative for pricing and ordering information.

Pearson Higher Education offers special pricing when you choose to package your text with other student resources. If you're interested in creating a cost-saving package for your students, browse our available packages below, or contact your Pearson Higher Education representative to create your own package.

• Package ISBN-10: 0131789651 | ISBN-13: 9780131789654
  ©2007 | Instock | Suggested retail price: $88.53 | Buy from myPearsonStore
  This package contains:
• Service at Its Best: Waiter-Waitress Training, 1/E
  Sanders, Paz & Wilkinson | ©2002 | Prentice Hall | Paper; 199 pages
  
• NRAEF ManageFirst: Customer Service, 1/E
  NRA National Restaurant Association | ©2007 | Prentice Hall | Paper; 112 pages
  

• Package ISBN-10: 0136007945 | ISBN-13: 9780136007944
  ©2007 | Instock | Suggested retail price: $88.53 | Buy from myPearsonStore
  This package contains:
• Service at Its Best: Waiter-Waitress Training, 1/E
  Sanders, Paz & Wilkinson | ©2002 | Prentice Hall | Paper; 199 pages
  
• NRAEF ManageFirst: Customer Service w/ On-line Testing Access Code Card, 1/E
  NRA National Restaurant Association | ©2007 | Prentice Hall | Paper; 112 pages