This essay will be considered the analyse of Food and Beverage provision and management of the dinner in Loco Lounge restaurant. Author will evaluate the appropriateness of the menu provided in relation to the needs and wants of the client group and level of service experience including any operational negative or positive issues. According to the Licensing Act 2003 any licensing issues will be considered as well. On the end of the essay author will give his own suggestions for improvements.
Analyse the Food and Beverage provision and management took place in Loco Lounge restaurant. Loco Lounge is one of the 100 lounges in the United Kingdom. This restaurant is perfect for family with children and older people, for meetings with friends or family party. Firstly, they do not have any time restrictions, so customers can stay there all they and enjoy the great atmosphere and time with family. Secondly, they are even dog friendly, so customers can come for meal with four-legged friends. Because of that privileges the main client group for this company are family members. The lounges care about customers and thinking about them they provide excellent choice of menu. They offer main food, specials, kids, gluten free, vegan and even party menu. With this various option everybody will find something for themselves. The main food menu is divided for six parts plus puddings, its include burgers, tapas, salads, beef, pork and chicken meal, sandwiches and panini and brunch. The appropriateness of the menu which is provided meets needs and wants of the client group.
Prices in menu are very nice, people from all demographic levels can dining there without any problems. Value for money and price is for every wallet.
The type of the event was formal. The main dish was Chicken Bacon and Avocado Salad, additionally Tapas dishes were starters and it included Salt and Pepper Squid, Pork Belly, Black Bean and for drink handmade Lemonade. The food was delicious. The starters
were lovely, came out hot and really tasty. However, salad had no plenty of chicken and
bacon. Avocado was fine, meal was not oily and did not have any fat from bacon.
Lemonade was too sweet.
Layout of the room and tables need some improvements. According to Hall (1996) people can feel uncomfortable if seats are too close especially if they seat next to the foreign person. Everything is about person space. Hall identified 4 zones He divide this on intimate distance, personal distance, which is verbal and visual contacts, social distance- impersonal and business (eye to eye), and last one is public distance (e.g. classroom). Donald Getz and Stephen J. Page in Event Studies says that room need to be designed with thinking about customers and making them to feel comfortable.
There was not enough space
between tables, if someone come with pram there could appear problem to leave pram
next to table or simply pass through the tables and people can walk with some obstacles.
Signs informing about toilets, emergency exit and etc. were clear and very visible. Bar
was located in perfect place.
The Lounges concept is different than usual concept for restaurants, customers need go to
the bar to make the drink and food order, waitress do not take orders from table. Every
table contains number, when clients go to make order, they need to tell which table they
picked. They have 5 minutes to prepare drinks and 20 minutes to prepare food.
Bar service was extremely welcoming, friendly and efficient, quick and professional, sides
was offered, and the order was repeated back to ensure that was correct. Drinks was ready
after 2minutes after ordering.
Table service also was friendly and efficient. Food arrived really quick. Waitress checked
back if everything is fine. Plates was cleared promptly and quickly once there was finished.
Waitress also asked about any dessert or hot drink and she recommend some puddings.
Layout and design did not make any problems or issues which could negatively affect for
service. What’s more they add more positive energy. John R. Walker thinks that the first impression of entering to the restaurant for guests is the most important.
Design was nice, cosy, environment was welcoming, great atmosphere, right choice of decor, warm lighting, quite without any unnecessary noises, equipment and furnishing shape and colour was appreciate
Staff and managers working during any event have a lot of work. First and foremost, they need
to take care about customers, make their experience the best and unforgettable in positive way.
The staff on the bar was polite, friendly and confident. The transaction was taken correctly,
smoothly and efficiently. The table service was really quick, server brought cutlery shortly after
order was placed. After food arrived, server asked how the meal is and offered more drinks.
Server clean the table right after the meal was finished. Managers were helping to staff with
taking orders on the bar, serving food or cleaning tables. Everybody looked happy and they
enjoyed the work. Even though it was busy night, staff and managers was not look stressed or
struggled, they were chatty and give appropriate attention for customers. They haven’t shown
any bad attributes or unnecessary attitudes; their skills were perfect for industry they worked.
John R. Walker says that the really important thing when working in hospitality is management. If managers are involved and they like what they do is a fundamental thing to the success of a restaurant. Second very important point is service, good service. In any addition to taking orders, front of house staff is not just a server, is kind of sales person to the restaurant. People need to know the place where they are working and the products they are selling and giving for clients. Servers are dealing with this part of the restaurant which has straight contact with guests. Guests see and hear everything. The front of house need to care about them to see and hear just good things.
Although that the service was amazing, the bar staff did not ask about any documents which
could confirm that clients whose was buying alcoholic drinks are of age 18 or over. Additionally,
if some of the staff looked really young they could not confirm that they are of appropriate age
to selling alcohol. The restaurant is open from 9am to 10pm every day, they hold permission to
sell late refreshments drinks.
Level of service was really high, only improvement they need to do is additional training staff for setting the table with cutlery on the right side and about asking for ID or any documents which can confirm age of 18 or over when selling alcohol.
Level of cleanliness and hygiene as well as level of service was really high, tables and chairs were clean, floor was not sticky or dirty, toilets was checking and cleaning every 2 hours.
They have a great offer on Mondays evening, if customers buy any burger or main dish they will get a free desert or free glass of house wine. On Tuesdays evening they have Tapas offer for tapas lovers.
In conclusion The Loungers achieved the customer’s needs, they are friendly for dogs, so if someone is dog lover and want to have a breakfast, lunch or dinner with pet – just need to go to The Loungers. They do not have any time limit, so guests do not need to go after 2hours, they can stay there all day. The Loungers makes unforgettable family parties. And what’s more the value for money and price is really good.