View source for Room service

{{short description|Hotel service}}
{{about|the hotel service}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{wiktionary|room service}}
[[File:Boon Hotel + Spa - Sarah Stierch - April 2019 - 9.jpg|thumb|right|230px|Room service with empanadas at Boon Hotel + Spa in Guerneville, California.]]
'''Room service''' or '''in-room dining''' is a hotel service enabling guests to choose items of food and drink for delivery to their hotel room for consumption. Room service is organized as a subdivision within the food and beverage department of high-end hotel and [[resort]] properties. It is uncommon for room service to be offered in hotels that are not high-end, or in [[motels]]. Room service may also be provided for guests on [[cruise ship]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shipdetective.com/ships/princess_star.htm|title=Star Princess|publisher=Shipdetective|language=en|access-date=26 December 2015}}</ref> Room service may be provided on a 24-hour basis or limited to late night hours only. Due to the cost of customized orders and delivery of room service, prices charged to the patron are typically much higher than in the hotel's restaurant or tuck shop, and a [[gratuity]] is expected in some regions.

== History ==
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The [[Waldorf Astoria New York|Waldorf Astoria]] hotel in New York — already a symbol of fame and distinction from its construction during the late 19th century<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/hotel-pioneers/index.html|title=8 hotels that changed the industry|first=Kristen |last=McKenzie|date=24 January 2014|website=CNN Travel|language=en|access-date=1 February 2019}}</ref> — is credited as being the first modern hotel to offer room service (along with other industry advancements, including restaurant reservations and full electrical wiring).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hipmunk.com/tailwind/the-history-of-room-service-and-some-great-spots-to-find-it/|title=The History of Room Service (and some great spots to find it)|last=Staff|first=Hipmunk|date=12 July 2015|website=TAILWIND|access-date=27 April 2019|archive-date=22 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190222042006/https://www.hipmunk.com/tailwind/the-history-of-room-service-and-some-great-spots-to-find-it/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Room service became a necessary amenity for any high-end hotel and is commonly found at hotels worldwide. Unique room service offerings include: singer-songwriters with cocktails and appetizers at the Thompson Nashville in Tennessee, s'mores and champagne at the Carneros Resort & Spa in Napa Valley, and straight-to-room vinyl record deliveries at the Moxy East Village in New York.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Departures {{!}} Life From Unexpected Perspectives |url=http://www.departures.com/travel/hotels/best-luxury-room-service-offerings |access-date=2022-05-31 |website=Departures |language=en}}</ref>

During the [[Covid-19 pandemic]], hotels suspended traditional room service in 2020 and recommended food company deliveries to their guests,<ref>{{cite news |title=Why is hotel room service so hard to stomach? |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2024/03/04/hotel-room-service-waffles-trader-joes/ |access-date=9 June 2024 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref> who then became comfortable with outside room service management.<ref name=HotDive>{{cite web |title=Is food delivery the new hotel room service? |url=https://www.hoteldive.com/news/hotels-partnering-with-delivery-apps/695761/ |website=hoteldive.com |publisher=Informa |access-date=7 June 2024}}</ref> [[Resorts World Las Vegas]] opened in June 2021 with the first partnership between a resort and a food delivery [[Mobile app|App]], [[Grubhub]],<ref>{{cite news |last=Shoro |first=Mike |title=Resorts World partnering with Grubhub for in-room dining and more |url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/casinos-gaming/resorts-world-partnering-with-grubhub-for-in-room-dining-and-more-2383517/ |access-date=June 22, 2021 |work=Las Vegas Review-Journal |date=June 21, 2021}}</ref> followed by numerous other major hoteliers contracting with delivery companies to provide room service,<ref>{{cite news |title=The New Hotel Essential: Easy Take-Out Food |url=https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/travel/hotel-food-delivery-apps-grubhub-uber-eats-4cbad4ab |access-date=7 June 2024 |work=Wall Street Journal}}</ref> including [[Uber Eats]], [[DoorDash]], [[GoPuff]] and Grubhub.<ref name=HotDive/>

==Standards==
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Organizations tend to have their own standards for room service, as there are no universally held best practices as they differ from business to business and the best practice depends on the guest's perspective, but generally it can be considered the guest's ability to order a meal, the meal being prepared and be served the product in the privacy of their own room as to maximize the customers comfort.<ref name=":12">{{Cite web|url=https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2781&context=thesesdissertations|title=Room Service Principles and Practices|last=Suboleski|first=Stanley}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2781&context=thesesdissertations|title=Room Service Principles and Practices: An Exploratory Study|last=Suboleski|first=Stanley|date=1 December 2012}}</ref>

===Occupations===
A variety of hotel staff categories work on room service.

====Hotel management====
The role of hotel management in regards to room service is to ensure guest satisfaction and to address any complaints and queries that may arise.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=http://irt.austincc.edu/IDS/curriculum/PDFs/HospitalityACAP.pdf|title=Hospitality: Hotel Management|last=Morse|first=Carolyn|date=21 April 2000|website=ACAP|access-date=21 February 2019|archive-date=9 June 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100609234926/http://irt.austincc.edu/ids/curriculum/PDFs/HospitalityACAP.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.unlv.edu/degree/bs-hospitality-management|title=Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management|website=University of Nevada|date=16 January 2013}}</ref> Their responsibilities also include recruiting, training and supervising staff, and they also manage the budget to maintain financial records, planning maintenance, events and the bookings for rooms, promotions and marketing.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-advice/job-descriptions/279789-hotel-manager-job-description|title=Hotel manager: job description|website=Target jobs}}</ref>

==== Restaurant manager ====
In addition to making guests feel welcome and providing an enjoyable dining experience, restaurant managers are responsible for processing room service orders accurately and efficiently and ensuring compliance of the relevant health and safety regulations.<ref name="oxbridgeacademy.edu.za">{{Cite web|url=https://www.oxbridgeacademy.edu.za/courses/tourism-hospitality/types-of-hospitality-jobs/|title=Types of Hospitality Jobs – Oxbridge Academy|website=www.oxbridgeacademy.edu.za|access-date=21 February 2019}}</ref> The restaurant manager is responsible for recruiting, training, supervising staff, managing budgets, menu planning, greeting customer and handling the customers complaints and inquires.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-advice/job-descriptions/278839-restaurant-manager-job-description|title=Restaurant manager: job description|website=Target jobs}}</ref>

====Waiter/waitress====
Waiters and waitresses (also known as "servers") are responsible for setting up the hotel restaurant, delivering food to rooms, and making sure that guests have everything they need.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ift.edu.mo/EN/mors_task_list/Home/Index/338|title=Tasks List|website=www.ift.edu.mo|access-date=21 February 2019}}</ref> Their responsibilities often include greeting and escorting customers, presenting, understanding specials, the information on the menu, preparation of tables, utensils and glasses and communicating between the kitchen staff.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://resources.workable.com/waiter-or-waitress-job-description|title=Waiter or Waitress job description|website=workable|date=17 July 2013}}</ref>{{unreliable source?|date=September 2021}}

====Executive chef====
Executive chefs also known as head chef are responsible for overseeing the operations that occur in the kitchen. They monitor and maintain the quality of all dishes that are served to customers, create menus, invent new dishes, and supervise the kitchen staff. Their responsibilities tend to be administrative in nature.<ref name="oxbridgeacademy.edu.za"/> The executive chef is mostly coordinating the other cooks as well as inspecting the kitchen equipment for sanitary reasons to keep with sanitation policies, they can also hire and train, maintaining food ingredient stocks.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.besthospitalitydegrees.com/faq/what-does-an-executive-chef-do/|title=What Does an Executive Chef Do?|website=Best Hospitality Degrees}}</ref>

==== Kitchen staff ====
[[File:Room service trays in the kitchen (5515506545).jpg|thumb|right|230px|Room service trays stacked in the kitchen, waiting for delivery.]]
The kitchen staff is responsible for preparing the food according to service standards and work procedures. They assist chefs as they cook, evaluate the quality of ingredients, and place orders with suppliers. In addition, they schedule the delivery of food or beverages and supervise kitchen production as part of their duties.<ref name=":2" /> Kitchen staff usually have a large range of jobs within the fast-paced kitchen, though they are mostly used to assist head cooks and other staff members with the meal preparation. Basic food preparation includes organizing the kitchen and ingredient preparation to make cooking and presenting the meal as efficient as possible, though it also includes washing, cutting and peeling. They also properly store the ingredients in the kitchen, storeroom and cold storage even moving supplies if necessary, proper cleaning and sanitizing of equipment, dishes, floors, counter-tops and cutting boards to maintain sanitation and health standards.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.jobhero.com/kitchen-staff-job-description/|title=Kitchen Staff Job Description|website=JobHero|date=26 September 2023 }}</ref>

==== Housekeeping manager ====
The housekeeping manager, similar to other manager roles, is responsible for planning, organizing and developing the housekeeping departments. They oversee staffing, training of the staff and scheduling. They manage daily activities such as the cleaning, seating areas, washroom, restaurants, suites and all public areas, guaranteeing customer satisfaction through effective planning and organization of team members, supervision of housekeeping and grounds keeping staff, maintaining supplies, equipment and budget, recruiting and training staff and even conducting inspections of public areas.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://coyotes.nhl.com/ext/pdf/Job%20Description%20-%20Housekeeping%20Manager.pdf|title=Job Description Housekeeping Manager|website=Coyotes|access-date=28 April 2019|archive-date=1 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191101073636/http://coyotes.nhl.com/ext/pdf/Job%20Description%20-%20Housekeeping%20Manager.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==== Housekeeping supervisor ====
A housekeeping supervisor role is to oversee the activities of the staff that clean the facilities to make sure of the sanitation, orderly and appeal of the rooms is up to high standard in the hotel but can also include other establishments such as hospitals and anything in a similar regard. they may also assist in the duties of other staff members and inspect the work, they also address the complaints and inquires about the housekeeping service as well as recruit and train new staff members.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://job-descriptions.careerplanner.com/Housekeeping-Supervisors.cfm|title=Housekeeping Supervisor|website=Career Planner}}</ref>

==== Continental breakfast attendant ====
The [[continental breakfast]] attendant's main role is to provide a hot and cold breakfast buffet service throughout the morning. A continental breakfast usually includes coffee, juice, jam, fruit, and baked goods such as bread and pastries, items chosen because they are shelf-stable, and can be served in portion sizes that are appropriate for large groups of people. The attendant cleans the serving area during the breakfast, refills empty serving dishes or jugs and supplies (e.g., napkins), ensures equipment such as toasters and coffeemakers are functioning well, and answers patron questions. After breakfast, the attendant cleans and prepares the area for the next morning. The attendant may also prepare ingredients, refill beverage dispensers, clean and replenish utensils. Attendants may even do duties similar to a waiter for customers that have special needs. Attendants may have to do paperwork or record-keeping.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://careertrend.com/about-6712559-breakfast-attendant-job-description.html|title=Breakfast Attendant Job Description|last=Gerlach|first=Jenna|date=31 December 2018|website=Career Trend}}</ref>

==== Food runner ====
They can serve multiple roles, but the main function is the food runner acts as the "middle man" between the customer and the kitchen staff, both delivering food to the correct table as quick as possible, assisting staff with the priority of orders and addressing any customer issue that suddenly arises. Generally any business that serves food to customers have food runners such as bars and coffee shops and even room service, being able to switch between front and back of the house. Food runner's duties are to deliver food, identifying customers questions and complaints and addressing those appropriately, greeting guests, providing and explaining the menu, inspecting the food, clearing and cleaning tables.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.jobhero.com/food-runner-job-description/|title=Food Runner Job Description|website=Job Hero|date=29 May 2024 }}</ref>

==== Hotel security ====
Hotel security monitor the security system in the restaurant and communal areas of the hotel. They establish and maintain emergency procedures, and identify and implement risk management programs on order to be prepared for an unlikely emergency situation such as food poisoning.<ref name=":2" />

===Advantages and disadvantages===
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[[File:Trump Hotel dinner room service.jpg|thumb|right|230px|Trump Hotel dinner room service]]

==== Advantages ====

* Guest can eat and drink within their own private room in the hotel.
* Guests can order meals whenever they want.
* Room service can reduce food wastage.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.slideshare.net/Frankenstein111/room-service-43618012|title=Room Service|date=17 January 2015|website=Slide Share}}</ref>
* Convenience for guests with children and babies.
* Promotes safety, as guests are able to stay inside their hotel.

==== Disadvantages ====

* Food and drinks are much more expensive than average.
* Hot food can become cold before delivery to the room.
* The guest may be less likely to experience local food.
* Guests cannot observe the food being prepared.
* Room service menus are often limited so that items can be cooked at all times by cooks on different shifts with common skills.<ref name=":0" />

===Hospital room service===
Some hospitals have started to provide room service for their patients' convenience.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/nutrition/food-service.aspx|title=Patient Food Service}}</ref> Patients are able to order the food of their choice from a menu at a time that is suitable for them. Hospital staff may need to assist patients to ensure that they comply with their dietary restrictions. Visiting guests may order from the room service for a fee.{{Citation needed|date=April 2019}}

==== Advantages of room service in hospital ====
*Improved patient satisfaction.{{Citation needed|date=April 2019}}
* Additional meal trays and unwanted food plates is reduced.
* Improved meal accuracy.{{Citation needed|date=April 2019}}
* The opportunity for increased revenue by serving patients' family and visitors.
* Food service workers may enjoy more contact with patients, boosting their morale.{{Citation needed|date=April 2019}}
* Fresher food is provided with better quality and temperature.{{Citation needed|date=April 2019}}
*Hospital can play a role in providing meals for those with food insecurity, and reduce hunger.

==See also==
* {{portal-inline|Hotels}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Commons category}}

{{Hotel}}

[[Category:Hotel terminology]]
[[Category:Customer service]]
[[Category:Serving and dining]]
[[Category:Hotel rooms]]