Public catering is considered one of the most important components of the national economy. Food is still the first vital necessity of a person, be it an employee, employee or student. In recent years, catering enterprises have begun to steadily increase the pace of their development.
Catering concept
Public catering is understood as one of the important sectors of the economy. It is a rich collection of enterprises that produce culinary products and organize their consumption.
Catering establishments are traditionally divided into three types:
- catering establishments themselves;
- procurement enterprises;
- finishing enterprises.
The activity of the enterprises of the first group consists in the production of culinary products (for example, confectionery) and their subsequent sale.
Procurement companies manufacture culinary products and convenience foods, after which they supply stores and retail businesses with them.
Preparation enterprises prepare various dishes based on culinary products and semi-finished products and deliver them to the organizations where they are consumed. This group includes:
- restaurants;
- bars;
- Cafe;
- canteens;
- snack bars;
- beer.
Certain types of catering establishments
A restaurant is a company that offers an extremely wide assortment of various dishes of complex preparation. A distinctive feature of any restaurant is a high level of service, which is often combined with the organization of leisure and pastime of visitors.
In the bar, the range of products is more limited. All kinds of drinks, desserts, snacks, bakery and pastries are sold through the bar counter. In the working rooms of bars, it is usually not provided for the preparation of complex dishes and washing of greasy dishes.
In a cafe, the range of products is also more limited in comparison with a restaurant. It also organizes food for visitors and their rest. These catering establishments are divided into several categories depending on the range of products and the composition of the visitors.
The dining room remains the most affordable and democratic type of catering enterprises. It produces and sells products of the culinary type, but the quality of customer service is inferior to that of a restaurant.
One of the most popular types of catering establishments is snack bars. Here you can find a wide assortment of dishes that do not require complex preparation. The snack bars are distinguished by fast service of unassuming customers. This category includes:
- pancakes;
- dumplings;
- barbecue;
- sausage;
- pastry;
- cheburek;
- lush;
- tea rooms.
Pizzerias are very common and in demand in modern cities. They combine the features of a restaurant and a cafe. The pizzeria menu usually has a wide range of pizzas.
Hot dogs, shawarma and other similar products are usually sold in specialized pussies. They may well be both stationary and mobile.
Recently, culinary production complexes have become widespread, which may include a restaurant, cafe, snack bar, and a cookery store.
Usually catering establishments are located in places that are accessible to citizens. There are also closed catering networks that serve employees of certain enterprises and organizations.
Features of the development of the mass catering industry
The requirements for the quality of services provided by the catering industry remain extremely high. Catering services must be safe, timely and accurate. Service should be aesthetic and comfortable. Information about the range of products and services should be stated clearly and in a form accessible to the consumer.
In the modern world, visiting bars, cafes and restaurants is becoming an integral part of the life of the townspeople. When visiting such establishments, a person seeks to get maximum pleasure and comfort. The staff's ability to correctly lay the table, decorate drinks and food are all very important. However, success in the restaurant business is still determined primarily by the peculiarities of the cooking technology and the skill of the staff.
Foodservice enterprises attach particular importance to quality control of culinary products. Spoilage of products, the use of low-quality raw materials affect the prestige of the establishment and affect its profitability. In combination with the general culture of customer service, all this determines the success of a particular catering enterprise.
The mass catering industry makes special demands on the level of training of specialists working in this area. Catering workers must have certain skills and abilities, be able to apply their knowledge in professional activities. The professions related to public catering remain one of the most demanded in the labor market. By far the best job opportunities are for those with the best training and work experience.
Industry development prospects
The main function of public catering is the fullest possible satisfaction of the needs of people in food outside the home. This type of social production originated and developed along with the division of labor. Being one of the oldest forms of economic activity, public catering is successfully developing in new forms.
In Russia, public catering has developed as one of the areas of trade. Back in 1917, a decree was adopted, according to which the rights of city self-government bodies in the food business were expanded. According to this decree, city councils received the right to create public canteens.
As the industry developed, it underwent comprehensive transformations. The production volumes grew, the list of services rendered to the population expanded. The level of service increased. In the conditions of the socialist economy, most of the catering enterprises had the status of state enterprises. Many catering establishments were departmental.
Since 1991, the country has undergone a transition to a market economy. In these conditions, non-state forms of catering enterprises began to grow. This area has been and remains very attractive for entrepreneurs and investors. The reasons for this popularity: the ability to quickly turn around significant capital, stable demand for the products of these enterprises.
For a number of reasons, market relations have been most extensively developed in catering enterprises. Here, a mechanism for the fullest possible satisfaction of the needs of various categories of the population began to form. Today's catering is consumer-oriented. Leisure and recreation of citizens is widely organized at enterprises of this type: this approach almost always ensures the growth of the popularity of such establishments.
Every year, mass food penetrates deeper into the life of the general population. In recent years, there has been a boom in restaurants and elite cafes in large centers of Russia. This is due to the rapid growth of hotels and clubs. The catering industry is in its infancy: not only the number of catering establishments is growing, but also the range of services and the quality of service.
Expansion of catering networks allows for more efficient use of food resources. Timely and high-quality nutrition expands the possibilities for maintaining and maintaining the health of the general population. Organization of meals for workers at enterprises contributes to the growth of labor productivity, improves the quality of education.
Catering enterprises have become an important factor in the social development of public catering enterprises also because they enable the population to more actively use their free time.
Public catering services for the organization of leisure and entertainment include: music service; organizing concerts and watching video programs; providing visitors with printed materials, board games, slot machines, billiards.
The range of services that catering enterprises are able to provide is constantly expanding. It may include rental of dishes and cutlery, packaging of culinary products, and sale of souvenirs. The list of such services and their quality is usually determined by the class of the institution and the characteristics of the audience visiting it.
A good restaurateur always remembers a simple rule: the client is always right. It is necessary not only to feed the visitor, but also to leave him with a good impression of the establishment.
