Front of the House questions

[Mussina]

I am in the process of writing a service manual for a restaurant. I am looking at a couple of other manuals and there is a reference to "Marking the Glass" "a second white or red should have a red dot, two dots for the third red or white.

Any clues what it is referring to? This is a high end restaurant and I cannot imagine that they are writing on the glass :-)

And maybe it is the term "marking" that is really throwing me for a loop. "Frontwaiter marks the table for the first course" Thoughts?

Thanks folks!

[johnsmith45678]

Never heard of anything like this. But my ignorant guess would be that perhaps it's a system of keeping track of how many drinks a customer has had, and to do such they'd have to bring new glasses from the bar rather than refilling at the table. If so, the marks are almost certainly made on the bottom with a water soluble ink. That's my guess...

[KatieLoeb]

I've heard the term "marking" the table (like mise-ing the table), as in replacing silverware, new stemware for the next course or change of wine, etc, but as for the dots I have no idea what they're talking about.

Are you writing a Service Manual or a "Sequence of Service"? They are two different things.

[SBonner]

I have not heard of this either.

Stephen

Vancouver

[BigboyDan]

A way to count drinks.

[Mussina]

I've heard the term "marking" the table (like mise-ing the table), as in replacing silverware, new stemware for the next course or change of wine, etc, but as for the dots I have no idea what they're talking about.

Are you writing a Service Manual or a "Sequence of Service"? They are two different things.

←

It is both - general behavior (don't run in the dining, no chewing gum etc.) and sequence of service - when to present menus, when to deliver first amuses, when to remove cocktail glasses, etc.

I am glad to hear that I am not the only one unfamiliar with the dots. It doesn't make much sense to me.

[Simon_S]

I assume it means that if guests are having multiple bottles of wines (thus the reference to 2nd red or 2nd white), and all are in different glasses on the table together, glasses should be subtly marked to show which glass contains which wine. Mixing wines in a glass would be a pretty serious faux pas!

Si

[Mussina]

I assume it means that if guests are having multiple bottles of wines (thus the reference to 2nd red or 2nd white), and all are in different glasses on the table together, glasses should be subtly marked to show which glass contains which wine. Mixing wines in a glass would be a pretty serious faux pas!

Si

←

That might make sense. So if they are pouring more than one bottle of red wine at a table they will mark the second glass so that you know it goes with the second bottle. Many thanks!