How to Serve Tea or Coffee in Restaurant (SOP)

March 21, 2010

Tea is an aromatic and most popular beverage made by infusing tea leaves in boiling water. Tea is served either hot or cold. On the other hand, coffee was introduced in Europe in 17th century and from then it gains immense popularity.  In the sequence of meal service, coffee is often served last so it is very important to know how to serve these beverage items properly in restaurant to provide last minute satisfaction to guests. Here is the step by step guideline on serving tea or coffe properly in restaurants or coffee shops.

Tips to Serve Tea or Coffee in Restaurant:

1: Set up Coffee Order:

  • Never serve that is more than 30 minutes old. Must smell the coffee to be sure it is fresh
  • If a coffee pot is a one-quarter full or less, start a fresh pot
  • On a service tray, place the correct number of cups and saucer or mugs, cream, sugar and artificial sweetener

2: Serve Coffee:

  • Place a coffee pot with fresh coffee on the service tray
  • Carry the tray to the table. Place the tray on a tray jack
  • Place the mug or cups and saucer to the right of the water glass with the handle turned to the guest right

3: Re-fill coffee cups and mugs as soon as possible:

  • Pour from the guest’s right side with the pot in your right hand
  • Do not pick up cup fop
  • Do not ask if guest wants to a refill
  • Pour until the guest signal signals that he or she has had enough.

4: Place other items on Tray:

  • Place sugar and a creamer on a service tray. Place a clean spoon on a napkin and place it on the tray

5: Fill Teapots with Hot Water:

  • Place a tea bag and lemon wedges in a small side dish. Place the plate on the service tray
  • Run hot water from the coffee maker in to a clean two cups pot

6: Serving Hot Tea:

  • Place the mug or cup and saucer on the table with the handle pointing to the guest’s right
  • Place the teapot and under liner to the right of the cup or mug
  • Pour from the guest right side with the pot in your right hand

Incoming search terms for this article:

{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }

Jessica R March 29, 2011 at 11:42 pm

Handle Position.
I’m quite confused about where the appropriate position should be. I was told 3 o’ clock. And then another time I was told anywhere between 3-6 o’ clock. And now finally I’m told 4 o’ clock. I’m guessing 4 o’ clock is the correct way. What is your insight on this?

Reply

Hotelier Tanji March 30, 2011 at 12:52 am

Yes I believe your guess is right !

Reply

Jyoti August 12, 2010 at 1:27 pm

Thanks for the step by step information on tea service.. would like yo read some on food service on platter to plate as well as pre plated..

Reply

Hotelier Tanji August 12, 2010 at 1:36 pm

That Will be available in Member Club for Paid Members…

Reply

Ram krishna July 23, 2010 at 8:23 pm

Tea and coffee service sop is very good,
thanks

Reply

Ram krishna July 22, 2010 at 1:05 pm

Kindly provide some food knowledge,such as sauce dressing type of soup, different types of salad and other food knowledge.
Thank you,
r.k.Chhetri
Soaltee crowne plaza
Kath Nepal

Reply

ugan July 6, 2010 at 1:48 am

nice coments, but i want to now pantry services important thinks and cheak list for daily ple help me.

Reply

Sameen Khan June 7, 2010 at 10:39 am

Hi Tanji,
I guess you can add few more technical things for serivce like….

* When serving tea in a cup the tea spoon is should be placed at 4,O Clock position….

*Tea bags standard for tea pots…

* Different types of coffees like expresso, cappuccino, ristretto, macchiato etc

However your doing a great job…… Keep it up!!!

Reply

arunarther May 21, 2010 at 7:04 pm

i am intrested to learn many more things about f&b service.

Reply

Admin May 21, 2010 at 8:33 pm

Thanks. I am sure, my ebooks will be more helpful for you…

Reply

sam perera May 17, 2010 at 4:08 pm

Hi Tanji
My name is sam,this is grate staff what your doing keep it up ?
i my self all so a Food & Beverage Manager.

Reply

Admin May 18, 2010 at 12:38 am

Mr. Perera if you are interested then please share your expertise. You can write in this blog. I will love to post that with your photo and detail information about you..

Reply

anteneh March 22, 2010 at 12:48 am

thank you you are giving me important things

Reply

Admin March 22, 2010 at 1:24 am

Just keep in touch and inform your friends. I hope to provide more valuable content as the time progress. This month i am very busy with my personal life but in April i hope to publish an ebook and also some great tutorials for hotelier and hotel management students. Keep commenting…Tanji

Reply

Leave a Comment


Our Ebooks
Very soon we will publish ebooks, Audio books and Audio Tutorials on Hotel, Front Office, Food & Beverage Service, Food & Beverage Production, Housekeeping, Safety & Security etc. We hope you will support us all the time

Advertise In This Blog
If you run Hotel Management training Course or offer video tutorials or ebooks or any other services then this blog is the best place to advertise. Please click here for more details.
Free Job Posting
Are you looking for Hotel Management graduate or experience hotelier? Then take a chance a post your hotel job here.
Write Us
We are some hoteliers write for young students, teachers and hoteliers to give some quality free hotel management tutorials. Your feedback is our inspiration. So, please write us