Room Service Servicing

What is a Room Service Attendant?

Almost 60% of guests in a resort or hotel use room service for their food and
beverage orders. This is why Room Service Attendants have a very important role in the
hotel or resort experience. They interact with the guests directly and ensure that all food and
beverage requests are acted upon in a timely and professional manner.

As a Room Service Attendant, you are the hotel staff who serves food and beverages
to the guests in their rooms. Your main task is to ensure that room service orders are
properly delivered and on time for the satisfaction of guests.

Often, you are also in charge of taking the room service order calls and cleaning up
after the guest have finished their meals.

Room Service Attendant


Duties and Responsibilities of a Room Service
Attendant
As a room service attendant, your duties and responsibilities include:

Taking guest orders through the telephone
Assembling the food orders
Delivering food to the guest at their rooms
Cleaning up after meals

Dress appropriately
Guests judge a hotel/resort not only by the food, room design or amenities but by the
kind of people who serve them. The appearance and attitude of the Room Service Attendant
also matter to the guests. Here are some tips you need to know in dressing appropriately:

1. Wear your Uniform well
Before starting your duty as room service attendant, you should be in proper uniform.
Make sure that your uniform is clean, well-pressed, and in good condition (no holes or loose
threads). Never use dirty uniforms. Remember, the way you are dressed has an impact on the
guests. Do not forget to wear your name plate to be addressed correctly.

2. For long hairs, wear a hairnet
Neatness is a plus. Use a bun-shaped hairnet especially if you have a long hair to look
clean and neat. This will also avoid hair fall as well.

3. Wear socks or hose
Socks must harmonize with the color of your pants. For women, wear clean hose daily.
As for the men, wear plain dark socks.

4. Wear Shoes
For your shoes, always keep it polished and well laced. It should be attractive and well
fitted as well. Avoid wearing open-toed shoes. For the girls, wear shoes with heels.

Complete Uniform of a Room Service Attendant


Hygiene and Sanitation
As a Room Service Attendant, you should observe proper hygiene and sanitation at all
times. Here is a sample checklist to guide you before going to work.

1. Have I taken a bath?
Take a warm, cleansing bath daily and dont forget to use deodorant. Also, make sure
to change your undergarments frequently.

2. Is my hair well combed?
Your hair must not distract you from what you are doing. It must be clean and free
from dandruff. It should also be odorless and glossy in appearance. As a standard part of the
uniform, make sure to use hair nets.

3. Am I wearing the proper jewelry?
Only wear jewelry such as wrist watch, engagement or wedding ring. Do not wear
bracelets, necklace and dangling earrings. Remember, you need to look clean and
presentable so avoid wearing fancy jewelry.

4. Have I cleaned my ears?
Always keep your ears clean before starting your work. As for your earrings, avoid
dangling ones.

5. Have I brushed my teeth?
As a room service attendant, you talk and communicate with people. Make sure to
always smile. Brush your teeth at least twice a day to maintain a good breath. If you have
some dentures, wear it while on duty.

6. Have I applied light make-up?
Apply cosmetics neatly and moderately, this will help you lighten up your face to look
more presentable. But make sure to never put on clown make up.

7. Have I washed my hands and clipped my nails?
Your hand is your main tool in serving so always make sure that it is clean. Make sure
to wash your hands frequently. Your nails must be well trimmed and without polish.

Hair and Earrings Teeth and Makeup

Washing of Hands Clipped Nails


Your workstation
As a Room Service Attendant, you will be working at your work station in handling
guest orders so make sure to be familiar with the common equipment. Also, you will not be
the only one to utilize these equipment so handle them with care. Here are the common
items that you will use:

1. Telephone This will be your main equipment in communicating with the guest. As
soon as you enter the work station, check the phone if it is working properly.

2. Calendar Know the date. Your orders are not always delivered on the current day,
there are cases when some guest orders in advance and asks for it to be delivered on a
specific time and date.

3. Clock As a room service attendant, you should highly value the time of the guest. As
soon as you are on duty, always be aware of the current time. Avoid late delivery of food
to the guests.

Workstation

Materials needed before the guest calls
In taking the call, you first need to prepare the materials stated below. Make sure
that you also have these at your work station.

1. Pen or Pencil You cant memorize everything. You are dealing with a lot of
information daily, so make sure to have a pen or a pencil to take down all the
information you can have.
2. Order slip Be familiar with the order slip. This is the main item you will be using to get
the orders from the guest. You will also be communicating the orders to the kitchen and
cashier so make sure that you have an order slip in your work station. Menu Familiarize
yourself with the menu and always have one in your work station so that when a
customer orders, you can refer to the menu for the details.

Order Slip





















Menu

Taking Guest Order
When the phone starts to ring, answer on the first ring, if possible. All telephone calls
should be answered on or before the third ring. Remember to speak politely and clearly.

Receiving a call

1.
Pick up the phone and greet the guest. Be sure
to introduce yourself and offer greetings with a
smile.



2.
Write the guest details on the order slip. This
includes the name and room number of the
guest.
Sample script:
Room Service. Good Morning!
This is....( mention your name) . How may I
help you?
May I know who is on the line please?
May I know your room number?

Getting the order

1.
Ask for the order of the guest. If you are not
familiar with the order, use the menu as
reference.
May I get your order, please?
2. List the order details on the order slip.


3.
You must ask for the guest preference if there
are any options available in the ordered meal.
This will include the options for beverages like
coffee or tea and side orders like fruits or
salads.
Which do you prefer, fresh fruits in season
or fruit juice like mango or pineapple?
For your drinks, which do you prefer, coffee
or hot chocolate?

4.
Offer daily specials or best sellers like soup for
the day, chefs recommendation.
Instead of sausage, would you like to try
our roasted beef?
It is one of our top sellers.

5.
Ask if the guest requires condiments. You may
suggest salt and pepper, mayonnaise, mustard
or catsup.
Would you like any preferences for your
condiments?

Ask for additional orders and confirm delivery
6.
time once the order is final. You should inform
the guest of when the food would be served to
their rooms.
Do you have any additional order?
Your food will be available in 15 minutes.
Would you want us to deliver it right away or
on a specific time?

Recapping and confirming the order
1.
Recap the order by stating each item the guest
requested.
May I repeat your order, .
Did I get your order right, maam?

Compute for the total amount of order which
2.
includes total cost of food, taxes and service
charge (if any).
The total amount of your order would be
200 pesos.


3.
Confirm the payment method whether cash or
charge. For cash payments, ask the guest if
they would pay the exact amount or if you
should bring change.
Would you prefer to pay it in cash or charge
it to your room?

Closing the call
1.
Thank the guest and ask for any additional
assistance. If none, you may end the call.
Thank you for your order, maam. Is there
anything else that I can help you with?
Thank you for calling room service.
Have a nice day.

Posting an Order Slip
After taking the order of the guest and closing the call, you need to give the filled out
order slip to the kitchen staff so that preparations can be made early and to ensure that the
food will be delivered on time. After handing the slip, the chef will do all the work and you
will be notified once the food is ready to be delivered.

Things to Remember

NOTE:

Give the filled out order slip as soon as possible to prevent missing the agreed delivery
time.

REMEMBER:
Chefs do not prepare orders until they receive them.

Control Sheet
The control sheet is a standard form used by hotels in order to ensure that all food
and beverage orders will be monitored properly, and be delivered on time. All orders and
table appointments are reflected on the room service control sheet in order to avoid losses
and breakages of the table appointments by tracking them down.

Here are the important information needed:

1. Guest name
2. Room number
3. Servers name
4. Date of order
5. Time of delivery
6. Time of pickup This will initially be left blank. The information will be filled after the
delivery
7. Guest orders
8. Quantity of order
9. Tableware appointments - These are the needed materials that will be used by the
guest.

Control Sheet


Setting up the tray
After being notified that the food is ready, you may now set the tray. You may use
the order slip to know the needed items.

1. Pick up the food from the kitchen. Carry it with your thumb away from the plate to avoid
touching the food.
2. Prepare the silverware by placing it in the napkin. Make sure not to leave any
fingerprints.
3. Arrange the tray and make sure it is clean. Heavy items should be placed in the center
to keep it balanced.

a. First put the silverware on the lower left side of the tray.
b. Then place the placemat on the bottom part next to the silverware.
c. Place the cup and saucer on the upper right side of the tray. If there are any
glassware, handle the glass by body or stem only.
d. Next, place the condiments on the left side of the cup and saucer.
e. Put the creamery set on the top part of the tray near the condiments.
f. After that, place the coffee pot on the upper left side of the tray.
g. Then place the food with cover on the center of the tray.
h. Finally, place the centerpiece below the coffee pot.

4. Fill out the control sheet. This is where you place the guest's information, food order and
the materials on the tray. After filling it out, put this inside the bill folder.

5. Prepare the bill folder. Include the bill and control sheet and slide it under the placemat.
If payment is in cash, include the change in the bill folder.

Posture
Posture is important as it portrays emotion or attitude of a person, so make sure to
be in proper posture. Stand erect. Try not to lean on chairs or against walls or pillars. When
walking, walk with confidence; be proud of your serving. As a tip, you may practice in front
of a mirror to check on your posture.

Proper posture while carrying tray


Side View 1


Side View 2 Back View 2

Carrying the tray
After setting up the materials, it is time to carry the tray. To carry it effectively, you
must do the following:

1. Bend your knees near the table.
2. Slide the tray towards the end of the table while
being careful not to get out of balance
3. Lift the tray with your left hand. Rest the tray on
your shoulder to support the weight. If the tray is
too heavy, you may use your right hand to help
carry the load.
4. Bring the food to the guest. Be careful not to
bump into anyone.
5. Balance the tray carefully while you walk.
6. Knock on the door three (3) times and announce
Room service . If there is no answer after five
(5) seconds, knock again three (3) times and
announce Room service .
7.
When the guest opens the door, greet the guest
and present the food ordered. Ask for
permission to come in. Dont enter the room
unless you are told to do so.

Sample script:
Good Morning Maam/Sir,
Im your Room Service Attendant,
here is your order, May I come in?
8. Be careful while entering the room. Make sure
that proper posture is kept to ensure good
appearance and the tray will stay balanced.

Safety tips
While you are walking on a hallway, there will be a lot of things that might happen
before you reach the guests door. There are some tips to avoid mishaps.

1. Always look where you are going; there might be
some unexpected bumps ahead that you might
miss that will cause you to drop the tray or spill
the beverage all over the tray.
2. Be careful when turning on hallways especially on
sharp turns, you might bump on someone while
carrying a heavy load.
3.
Avoid shaking the tray. Most of the time, there will
be a beverage on your tray. Shaking the tray too
much might cause spills on the food.

Serving the Food Order
There are two (2) types of serving the food order to the guest: leaving the tray on the
table and setting the table for the guest.

1. Leaving the tray on the table
This is where you will just leave the tray on the table. This is a common option by the guests
who do not want to be disturbed and want to spend the time alone as quickly as possible.

2. Setting the food on the table
This is where you get the food from the tray and set it up on the table.

Leaving the tray
Initially, you will ask the guest if he wants the food to be set up on the table or just
leave the tray.

Sample Script:
Excuse me Maam/Sir, how do you
want me to set up your order? Do you
want me to just leave the tray, or do you
want the food to be set up on the
table?

If the guest chooses to just leave the tray on the table, here are the steps to follow:

1. Bend your knees down in front of the table.
2.
Sweep the tray towards the end of the table and
slide it to the center. Be careful not to spill

anything.
3. When the tray is properly placed, get the bill
folder under the placemat, step away from the
table and offer extended service.
Examples of extending service:
Is there anything else you need
maam?
Opening the curtains for the guest
Would you like me to open the
curtains?
Pouring coffee for the guest Would you
want me to prepare the coffee ?

Serving the food on the table
If the guest wants the food to be set up on the table, here are the steps to follow:

1. Go to the right side of the table
Place the placemat on the bottom part center of the table. The placemat must be
one (1) inch away from the edge of the table.
Next is the cup and saucer. It will be placed on the right hand side of the table in a 4
Oclock position. This means that the handle of the cup is mimicking the hour hand
of the clock. If there are any glassware, place it on the upper right side of the table.
Above the cup and saucer. Handle the glass on the stem or the body.
If there are any condiments, place it above the cup and saucer.
Next will be the coffee pot and the creamery set. This will be placed above the
condiments or glassware.
Place the centerpiece above the placemat.

2. Go to the left side of the table.
Get the flatware and place it to the left side of the placemat. Make sure that you are
holding the flatware using the napkin to prevent leaving prints on the it.
Place the food on the center of the placemat and say its name. Avoid touching the
food with your thumb while placing the dish on the table.
Maam/Sir here is your American breakfast and fresh fruits

3. Offer extended service
Examples of extending service:
Opening the curtains for the guest
Pouring coffee for the guest
Do you need anything else maam?

Settling the bill
After serving the food, you will then need to settle the bill of the guest. Here are the
steps to follow:

1. Ask for the guests signature by presenting the bill folder with the bill and the control
sheet. Let the guest sign on the bill to settle payment whether it is charged to room or
through cash payment. If the guest chooses to pay in cash, give the change to the guest
and accept the payment. Also, let the guest sign the control sheet. You must provide a
pen for the guest to use.
May I present to you your bill and control sheet Maam/Sir, kindly put your
signature on the space provided .

2. Kindly ask the guest on what time you should come back to clean the soiled dishes.
What time do you like me to comeback for the clean up?

3. Thank the guest and bid farewell.
Thank you Maam/Sir. I am looking forward to serve you again. Enjoy your meal.
Please call us if there is anything you need.

4. Leave the room quietly.

Clean-up
When it is now the agreed time for cleaning the orders, here are the steps to
proceed:

1. Carry the tray and the control sheet to the guests room. Knock on the door three (3)
times and announce Room service . If there is no answer after five (5) seconds, ring
the doorbell or you can just knock again three (3) times and announce Room service .

2. Once the guest opens the door, smile and offer greetings and inform the guest that you
are there for the clean up and wait until the guest lets you in. Good morning Maam/
Sir, Im here for the clean up, may I come in?

3. To proceed with the clean up, scrape the leftover food and put them on a small plate.

4. Then, stack the plates according to their sizes but do not stack them too high.

5. Segregate the tableware and move it on the tray. Put the cup, condiments, creamery
set, coffee pot and centerpiece first. Next, remove the plates from the table and place
them on the middle of the tray. Put the placemat last.

6. When everything is clean, check for missing items by comparing your list of materials
written on the control sheet from the soiled dishes. If there are any missing items, inform
the guest immediately.

7. Then pick up the tray carefully.

8. Lastly, leave the room quietly.

Professional work habits
When it is now the agreed time for cleaning the orders, here are the steps to
proceed:

1. Report for work before the time.
2. Be informed by attending daily brief orientation to know the specialty for the day,
promotions, available and out-of-stock items, and time of preparation for each food item.
3. Be familiar with the structure of the food establishment, the location of each room, fire
exit, cashier, kitchen, stock room, storage area, pantry area, etc.
4. Be familiar with the tools/equipment for room service.
5. Maintain good grooming and proper hygiene.
6. Establish good rapport with your guests and your colleagues.
7. Take and process guest room food and beverage orders.
8. Ensure that the payment of the guest is processed.
9. Apply safety and sanitation at all times.
10. Perform other duties as required.

Things you have learned
Summary list:

1. Receive Call Orders
2. Take guest's food order
3. Suggest food items and answer inquiries of the guest
4. Write down the guest's order and other information
5. Confirm the delivery time
6. Finalize order transaction
7. Bring the order to the kitchen
8. Post the order for billing
9. Assemble the room service order
10. Write down information on the control sheet
11. Prepare the bill
12. Pick up and deliver the room service order to the guest
Proper knocking etiquette
Leave food on the table
Set table for the guest
13. Offer or extend personalized service to the guest
14. Settle the bill
15. Confirm clean up time
16. Forward cash/signed bill to the cashier
17. Clean up soiled dishes
Scrape
Stack
Segregate
18. Professional work habits