Floor & Table Service: the full procedure

Defines how staff greet, serve, check back, and reset tables so guests feel attended to without being rushed.

• Applies to: Servers, floor staff, bartenders covering the floor
• Frequency: Continuous during service
• Scope: Covers guest greeting, order taking, delivery, check-backs, and table reset on the floor. Decisions about continued alcohol service defer to your liquor authority and responsible-service certification.

What you need

• Order pad or handheld POS
• Tray and bar caddy
• Table numbering / seat map
• Bus tub and sanitizer cloth
• Menus and specials sheet
• Check presenters

The procedure, step by step

1. Greet within the standard — Welcome guests within the target time (commonly under two minutes) and offer water and the specials. Note the guest count and any obvious accessibility needs.
2. Take the order accurately — Record drinks and food by seat position, confirm modifiers, and call back the order before entering it in POS.
3. Fire and time courses — Enter orders so drinks land first and food courses pace correctly. Communicate timing to the bar and kitchen.
4. Deliver and announce — Serve from the guest's side per your standard, announce each item, and place it by seat number without auctioning ("who had the IPA?").
5. Check back on time — Return within the first sips/bites to confirm quality and offer the next round. Monitor pace and intake as input to responsible-service judgment.
6. Maintain the table — Clear empties, refill water, replace napkins, and keep the table uncluttered throughout the visit.
7. Pre-bus and reset — As guests finish, pre-bus glassware and plates, then reset the table fully for the next party once they leave.
8. Close warmly — Thank guests by name when possible, confirm they have a safe way home if intoxication is a concern, and invite them back.

Quality check before you finish

• Guests greeted within the target time standard
• Orders taken by seat position with modifiers confirmed
• Drinks delivered before food unless specified
• Items announced and placed without auctioning
• Timely check-back within first sips/bites
• Table kept clear of empties throughout
• Table fully reset before next party seated

This is a free, source-anchored standard operating procedure (SOP) you can print and hand to staff. It documents the work sequence for a Bar & Pub business — not safety or regulatory rulings, which defer to the cited authorities, the applicable code, and your own health-and-safety plan. Open the tool above to print it, toggle ink-saver, or (with a free ToolFluency Business account) edit it to match your own workflow.

Sources

• National Restaurant Association (https://restaurant.org)
• TIPS (https://gettips.com)
• ServSafe Alcohol (https://servsafe.com)