Unit 1: SCHOOL CAFETERIA OPERATIONS AND

MANAGEMENT

Introduction

The food service industry encompasses all the activities, services and business functions
involved in preparing and serving food to people eating away from home. It includes restaurants,
cafeterias, cafe’s, fast food restaurant, food manufacturing operations, catering businesses, food
transportation services and more.

A school cafeteria is where food is sold, purchased, and consumed at school. How food is
displayed, prepared and marketed, how the tables, chairs and food are arranged and the overall
cleanliness and look of the cafeteria can impact what students chose to eat. At an age where
students are forming their dietary preferences and habits, the cafeteria has the ability to promote
healthy or unhealthy food habits, therefore it is important to make sure that the healthy choice is
always the easy choice.

The establishment and operation of school cafeteria is important in developing love and interest
in buying nutritious and healthy food among students, faculty and the school personnel, making
it possible for them to enjoy nutritious and healthy food at affordable prices during the school
day.Parents consider also where to enroll their children so that they can be nourishing not only in
mind but also in body.
The school canteen supplies and generates additional income for the school and this flows back
for the schools daily operations. The school canteen can be managed by a school teacher or the
school may hire outside personnel.

Professional development for food service staff , those on the front line preparing and serving
school meals isn’t just about better training for healthy food preparation. It is also about training
staff on how they can help engage students in nutrition and health education in the cafeteria.
Food service professionals are essential partners in delivering healthy school meals, and we need
to ensure that the cafeteria is a place of learning and health.

In this module, you are to familiarized yourself on the application of principles of food,
preparation and service in the management of school cafeteria.

Topic 1: Classifications of Food service

Learning Objectives:

At the end of the topic, you will be able to:

1. Distinguish between commercial and institutional food service.

2. Determine the types of commercial food service.

3. Determine the types of institutional food service.

LET’S LEARN

When we think of a food service unit, we think of hotels, restaurants, lunch rooms, fast food
operations, catering services, schools, hospitals, institutional food services, industrial and
military food services and vending machines. All these places of food services have become
popular because of number of factors. These include: eating out has become a necessity,
convenience and quick service provided by an eatery, it is steadily replacing drudgery of cooking
at home, both the couples being engaged in earning they are forced to eat out, office goers and
professionals prefer fast food joints to going home for lunch.

CLASSIFICATION OF FOOD SERVICE

Commercial and noncommercial food service operations covers the two most popular forms of
food and beverage establishments available to the public. In this lesson, you'll learn more about
the two and how they differ.
Commercial food service, sometimes referred to as market-oriented food service, is the
largest and most recognizable form of food service operation in the world, accounting for
approximately 77% of food expenditures outside of people's homes. You'll recognize
commercial food service operations as you drive around your town and down the highway, with
large, fluorescent signs advertising hamburgers, pizza, and sub sandwiches.
The majority of food service establishments are in the commercial sector. These establishments
vary in numerous respects, and it is not an easy task to categorize the vast array of establishments
into neatly defined segments.
Noncommercial food service, on the other hand, is a cost-oriented enterprise that prepares and
serves meals as a secondary support service to educational institutions and other organizations.
Noncommercial food service accounts for about 23 percent of food expenditures outside the
home.

Non-commercial food service can be defined as food service operations where food and
beverage are not the primary focus of a business, but rather where food and beverage are present
to support or supplement a “host.” A variety of labels have been used for this segment over the
years,including institutional, non-commercial, contract feeding, on-site food service, and most
recently managed services.

TYPES OF COMMERCIAL FOOD SERVICE

1. Fast Food Dining

Emphasize speed of service and low cost over other considerations sometimes known as a quick
service restaurant orQSR, table service.

2. Casual family dining

A restaurant that serves moderately-priced food in a casual atmosphere or one that feels at
“home”
3. Family style

Family style restaurants are restaurants that have a fixed menu and fixed price, usually with
diners seated at a communal table.

4. Fine dining

Restaurants are full service restaurants with specific dedicated meal courses

5. Café

Informal restaurants offering a range of hot meals and made-to-order sandwiches.

a restaurant serving mostly ready-cooked food arranged behind a food-serving counter.

7. Pub

A (short for public house) it is a bar that serves simple food fare
8. Accommodation Food service

These include hotel restaurants and bars, room service, and self-serve dining operations (such as
a breakfast room). Hotel restaurants are usually open to the public and reliant on this public
patronage in addition to business from hotel guests.

9. Vending and Automated Food service

While not generally viewed as part of the food and beverage sector, automated and vending
services do account for significant sales for both small and large foodservice and accommodation
providers. Vending machines are located in motels, hotels, transportation terminals, sporting
venues, or just about any location that will allow for the opportunity for an impulse or
convenient purchase.
10. Buffet Service

- A buffet consists of food displayed on tables.

- Servers keep the food stocked.Customers walk around and serve themselves.

TYPES OF NON-COMMERCIAL FOOD SERVICE

Institutional Food service

Often run under a predetermined contract, this sector includes:

 Hospitals
 Universities, colleges, and other educational institutions
 Prisons and other detention facilities
 Corporate staff cafeterias
 Cruise ships
 Airports and other transportation terminals and operations
School Foodservice

Consists of meals that are served to students who attend school. It contributes to students health
and well being to help students learn better.

Health Care Foodservice

Foodservice that takes place in hospitals, nursing facilities, and assisted care residences.

Some are served in a customer’s room and some are served in a dining hall.

It is important that the food served meets all the calories and nutrients that a patient needs to
restore and maintain health.