A New Restaurant

Continuing yesterdays discussion…

Most concepts fall into two categories, although some concepts cross over between the two: Quick Service and Full Service.

Quick Service

Quick Service restaurants are typically fast food type concepts. They are typified by quick, easy to prepare meals that are also easily packed to go. You order your food at the counter, wait while your food is prepared, get your own beverage, and carry your food to your seat. You are also expected to clear away your trash at the end of your meal.

Restaurants like McDonalds, Taco Bell, Chipotles, and Panera fall into this category.

Full Service

Full Service restaurants are just what the name implies. You are seated at a table, and a server comes to take care of you while you are at the restaurant. The server, or someone else on the restaurants staff, takes your food order, pours your beverage, brings your food to your table, and clears away the dirty dishes at the end of your meal. If you need condiments, or more coffee, you ask your server, and it’s brought to you.

Full Service restaurants can be broken down further into a couple of categories: Mid-scale/family, Upscale, and Buffet.

Mid-scale and Family restaurants serve full meals that are priced low enough to be perceived as a good value. They usually have a simpler menu with more basic food choices, and not a lot of frills. These restaurants are likely to serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They are usually fairly well lit, and the atmosphere is designed to get the customer in, get them fed, and get them back out again.

Upscale restaurants offer a more formal dining experience. Dimmed lighting, mood music, and an ambiance that is designed to make the guest feel special. These restaurants usually use china, and use formal place settings. The food is more upscale, and will quite often offer unique combinations and signature dishes prepared by the chef. The prices are typically higher, and the atmosphere is designed for a more un-hurried dining experience.

Buffets, while really their own category, are usually considered to be full service restaurants. Although you do get your own food, you have a server that takes care of your table. The server brings your beverage, and clears away dirty dishes. The server also takes care of getting things that may not be on the buffet, such as condiments