Food Service Systems I Quiz

Food Service Systems I - Background

• Food service is a $400 billion industry, the largest employer among retail businesses
• Over 11 million people are employed in food service, mostly women and 25% teenagers
• Food is served in various locations: homes, restaurants, schools, colleges, universities, health care facilities, clubs, social organizations, day care centers, and industrial/business/transportation enterprises
• Food service is available in various forms, from elegant dining to fast food in automobiles

Classifications of Food Service

• Food service establishments are classified into three categories:
  • Commercial: Food preparation and service is the primary activity
  • Non-commercial: Food preparation and service is a secondary activity
  • Institutional: Food preparation and service is a secondary activity

Contract Food Service

• Non-commercial operations often hire contract food service organizations to manage their food service departments
• Contract food service is managed by a third-party company, fulfilling departmental objectives while profit-oriented
• Contract companies may also provide clinical services and outsource other functions like information services or purchasing

Outsourcing and Self-Operation

• Outsourcing involves an outside company providing services the organization lacks the staff or equipment for
• Self-operation is the opposite of contract management, where the organization handles food service management and clinical components

Contract Management Advantages and Disadvantages

• Advantages: Expertise, economies of scale, service
• Disadvantages: Loss of control, expenses, divided loyalty

Role of Food Service in Health Care

• Provide a variety of nutritious and well-prepared food in a safe and sanitary environment
• Meet financial obligations while meeting customer needs and providing a pleasing and attractive service experience

Meal Planning and Service

• The food service department focuses on the social, cultural, religious, and psychological needs of customers for meal planning and service
• Food service department staff members are leaders in the organization, adhering to the overall mission, vision, and values
• The department aims to achieve outcome objectives, developing goals while working with other departments in a team effort for customer satisfaction

Managerial Ethics and Social Responsibility

• Food service directors face ethical challenges and social responsibility balancing organizational needs with employee and customer privacy and ethical behaviors
• Ethics guides individuals and businesses, focusing on principles of conduct, views on right/wrong, and moral standards

Personal Code of Ethics for Food Service Directors

• Include the avoidance of conflict of interest, honesty and trustworthiness in all activities, respect for the rights of others and loyalty to the employer, compliance with laws, responsibility for actions and honesty in credentials
• Include adherence to professional codes of ethics and the maintenance of confidentiality.

Stress in Food Service

• Food service is considered a high-stress occupation due to constant deadlines, demands, customer needs, and often uneven workload distribution
• A food service director acts as a buffer between the staff and external stressors.

Personal and Professional Development

• Personal and professional involvement is essential and a choice for effective food service directors
• Directors are responsible for maintaining and improving knowledge and skills through suggested methods, in several ways, to be competent in carrying out their duties