Front of House vs Back of House Restaurant

A restaurant is the combination of the front and back of the house. The front of the house sets the stage, and the back of the house creates the magic. One is incomplete without the other. When the front and back of the house restaurant are in perfect combination, magic happens in the hospitality industry.

There is a strong bond between the front house and back house, and they build on communication and trust. Every hospitality industry, especially the restaurant, needs a proper understanding of front of house vs back of house restaurants. 

Here, we will provide brief and detailed information. So, walk with us and make the teamwork a dreamwork.

What Is Front Of House Restaurant(FOH)

Are you looking for one? What is the meaning of foh? Or What is the front of the house restaurant? FOH stands for the front of the house. It is an area visible and accessible to guests in a restaurant or hotel. Moreover, the front house represents the face of your restaurant to the customers or the general public. 

Front of the house restaurant refers to all the areas involved in providing the best customer experience. As a restaurant business owner, you must remember that FOH is where the first impression is created. 

Remember that good front house sets can change the entire restaurant's reputation. The front of the house includes a lot of stations in a restaurant. It depends on the restaurant types and sizes.

Suppose you have a candle light dinner restaurant; the setting and stations will be different. On the other hand, if you have a fine dining or fast-casual restaurant, the setting and themes will vary.

It is important to manage a strong communication system among the FOH staff. It helps to maintain the restaurant standard. So, a standard front of the house is important for a restaurant to succeed.

Restaurant Front of House Areas

As we know, the front of the house is the first visible area of a restaurant that customers face. When all the staff and regions of an FOH work together, it is possible to deliver a memorable customer experience.

Every restaurant staff should know functional areas for restaurant details to get the best output.

Here is a list of Restaurant Front of House Areas(FOH).

• Entryway/ Entrance
• Dining Room/Hall Room
• Waiting Room
• Restroom
• Outdoor Seating
• Host Station
• Bar

In this article, we will discuss the front-of-the-house areas in detail for more information.

1.   Entryway

As we know, the first impression is the best. So, when customers enter your restaurant, the first impression is formed. To create the best impression, you must create a unique restaurant entrance theme to attract customers.

Moreover, make sure the entrance of your restaurants is neat and clean. And the outlook of your restaurant is attractive enough to the customer's eye.

2.  Dining Room

The dining section is the most critical area of a restaurant. It is the area where the magic happens. Customers spend most of their time in the dining areas when they visit a restaurant.

So, the staff must ensure the dining area is well organized. The table arrangement, customers, and staff movement should also be managed nicely in a restaurant. 

3.  Waiting Room

The restaurant waiting area is another important part of the FOH. Suppose customers visit your restaurant and no other seats are available. Then, the customers wait in the waiting rooms for seat availability.

Waiting in the room can be a boring task. The restaurant can arrange some entertainment or a comfortable seating system so that customers can enjoy the waiting rooms.

It is a crucial part of the front of the house that needs to be managed carefully. Creating restaurant party rooms can be a good option to make the customers feel comfortable. 

4.  Outdoor Seating

Outdoor seating allows customers to have their meals outside the traditional dining areas. It is a bonus for the customers and drives more sales. Most of the time, outdoor seating is decorated nicely to attract customers.

The outdoor dining spot is very popular in summer to enjoy the weather. So, creating an amazing outdoor dining establishment is a great business strategy. 

5.  Restroom

The restroom is one of the most important areas of restaurants. Most of the customers who visit your restaurant have used the restroom. It plays a crucial role in providing an outstanding customer experience.

Sometimes, it represents the restaurant's reputation. So, the staff must ensure the restroom is clean and hygienic. Moreover, it is also important to note that the restroom is well enough with the necessary products.

6.  Welcoming Area/Host Station

Welcoming or hosting stations are the areas where the host or hostess welcomes the customers. It is the first visible area when any customers enter any restaurant.

So, restaurants must ensure that their hosts welcome guests with good manners. It helps positively impact guests and encourages them to visit your restaurant again. 

7.  Bar

A bar is a place where different types of alcohol and other drinks are served. So, if any restaurant has a bar, they must ensure the bar sections are perfectly visible to the customers when they dine. Moreover, the bar area should be neat and clean and have some entertainment system to make customers comfortable.

Front of House Positions in a Restaurant

What is front of house staff in a restaurant? In restaurants, you will find different types of staff and they are assigned for front of house jobs. Front of the house duties and responsibilities are also different according to their positions.

Here is a list of some common Front of House Positions in a Restaurant.

• General Manager
• FOH Manager
• Servers
• Bartender
• Hosts
• Bussers
• Headwaiter
• Sommelier
• Barback
• Food runner

We will discuss the front of house positions in a restaurant, their duties and responsibilities and more detailed information.

1.  General Manager

A general manager is the most important front of house team members. A front of house restaurant manager must supervise all restaurant sections, including FOH and BOH. However, the general manager spends most of the time at the dining area to oversee the dining services.

In addition, the general manager continuously ensures the restaurant is running smoothly. Another important duty of the GM is to make an overall report and keep updating the owner about the restaurant's business.

General Manager Duties:

• Overseeing Daily Operations
• Staff Management and Leadership
• Financial Management
• Ensuring Compliance and Safety
• Guest Experience and Customer Service
• Marketing and Business Development
• Inventory and Supply Chain
• Problem-Solving and Decision-Making

2.  FOH Manager

One of the most important staff members in a restaurant is the front-of-house manager. They are responsible for overseeing the other staff of FOH and reporting it to the general manager. Moreover, they have also hired new restaurant employees. Along with these, they schedule staff duties and resolve customers' queries.

FOH Manager Duties:

• Guest Experience and Service Quality
• Staff Supervision and Leadership
• Daily Operations Management
• Sales and Revenue Support
• Cash Handling and POS Control
• Health, Safety and Compliance
• Reporting and Communication

3.  Servers

In a restaurant, the server is the person who interacts most with the customers. They should be very polite while dealing with guests. It helps to enrich the customer experience. In addition, servers should have enough knowledge about menus to suggest to customers about the food and taste. The server should be dressed well to create positivity among the customers and increase the restaurant's reputation.

Server Duties:

• Greeting and Interacting with Guests
• Presenting Menus and Making Recommendations
• Taking Orders Accurately
• Serving Food and Beverages
• Checking on Guests
• Processing Payments
• Maintaining Table and Station Cleanliness
• Team Coordination
• Handling Special Situations

4.  Bartender

The bartender is a position who makes drinks for customers. It is the main bartender responsibilites. They take orders directly from customers and serve them. Moreover, a bartender is also responsible for making and selling other soft drinks.

Bartender Duties:

• Drink Preparation and Service
• Customer Service
• Bar Operations
• Inventory and Stock Control

5.  Hosts

Hosts or hostesses are the first staff customers face while visiting any restaurant. Their position is just at the beginning of the front of the house. Generally, their main responsibility is to greet customers. Moreover, they also receive phone calls, provide information, take reservations, and solve customers queries. 

Host Duties:

• Greeting Guests
• Managing Reservations and Waitlists
• Seating Guests
• Answering Phones and Handling Inquiries
• Maintaining the Entrance/Host Station
• Coordinating with Team
• Additional Support During Service

6.  Bussers

Busser are the position in a front house as a helping hand of a server. They help the server to provide food to customers. In restaurants, bussers have multiple responsibilities. They are responsible for cleaning the tables, filling water glasses, polishing, etc. Working in the front area, they should wear clean clothes and maintain a positive attitude.

Bussers Duties:

• Clearing Tables
• Cleaning and Sanitizing
• Resetting Tables
• Refilling Beverages and Supplies
• Assisting Servers and Team
• Maintaining Dining Area
• Adhering to Safety/Sanitation

Restaurant Front of House Technology

In restaurants, you will find different types of advanced technology. These technologies are being used to manage or improve restaurant operations. Here, we will discuss those technologies in detail.

1.  Point of Sale(POS) System

A point-of-sale system is a combination of hardware and software used to simplify the restaurant's operation. It can successfully perform all the restaurant managemental activities.

The Pos system has made a revisionary change to the accounting or billing system. A pos system is equally important for all types of restaurants. It includes full-service restaurants, fine dining, quick service, fast food, and food trucks.

So, we can say that the restaurant POS software is the most advanced technology every restaurant should use to increase productivity.

2.  Kiosks and Table Ordering System

Kiosks and table ordering systems are very popular technology. Now, most restaurants use this technology and are involved in online systems. The kiosk system allows the guest to see the menu and place their order. On the other hand, table reservation or ordering is a technology that helps customers order at the table using their devices.

3.  Customer Relationship Management(CRM)

Customer relationship management is a system widely used in the restaurant business. It helps to improve your business operations and services. CRM software collects and analyzes customers' data. By analyzing customer data, restaurants take initial steps to improve customer loyalty and sales.

4.  Digital Payment System

The digital payment system is another popular technology widely used in restaurants. It reduces the difficulties of handling cash payments and ensures a smooth transaction. There are multiple digital payment systems, including e-wallet and mobile payments. These payment systems are very secure and fast.

What is Back of the House Restaurant (BOH)

What is the meaning of boh? BOH stands for the back of the house. The restaurant back of the house is where the actual work is done. It includes storage, food preparation, cooking, processing, serving, washing, and other tasks.

The kitchen or back of the house is not visible to the customers. However, the BOH's hard work can be felt through the taste of the food. The main task of BOH is to convert ordinary ingredients into extraordinary menus or meals.

One of the most important responsibilities of the back of the house is to maintain the food quality, food safety and hygiene. The restaurant owner admires the great back of the house meaning as the backbone of a restaurant.

No matter how attractive the exterior of a restaurant is, if the food is different from what is expected, the restaurant will be shut today or tomorrow.

So, every restaurant staff should have clear concepts of the back of a house. Otherwise, they can not maintain consistency and creativity while preparing food.

Restaurant Back of House Areas

As we know, the back of the house includes the kitchen, washing, storing, and other sections. It is the heart of any food business. Good food comes from a good kitchen.

The BOH represents the front-of-the-house services. So, knowing the definition of back of the house before opening your restaurant is necessary.

List of common areas found in Back Of House(BOH)

• Kitchen
• Storage Room
• Washing Station 
• Administrative Areas
• Staffs Room

Now, we will go into details and discuss every part of the back-of-the-house areas for better understanding.

1.  Kitchen

The kitchen is the main area of the backside of the house. It is the section where the actual magic happens. A kitchen is not only used for cooking. It is also used for food preparation and serving.

The kitchen must be very clean and hygienic. It will take a lot of work to maintain food quality. The kitchen should follow the food safety rules while preparing, cooking, and serving the food.

Moreover, the kitchen should be large enough for the chef and other members to move around smoothly. 

2.  Storage Room 

A restaurant is where customers visit and try different food and beverages. So, restaurants have to store a variety of food ingredients and raw materials. It makes it possible to deliver food according to their menus.

The storage area is a section where restaurants store their ingredients. In addition, the storage area should be kept clean and dry, and the inventory should be regularly checked. So, it is important to know how to organize restaurant storage. 

3.  Washing Station 

A washing station is an area where the washing process is done. It is another important section of the back house. Different types of plates, glasses, spoons, and other utensils are used in restaurants.

As a result, the constant washing process is continued in the restaurant. Restaurant staff must focus on the utensils they use for food serving, which are properly clean and hygienic.  

4.  Administrative Areas

An administrative area is where all the official or administrative work is done. Most of the time, this job is done by the restaurant managers. But in big restaurants, you will find specific staff for administrative tasks. In general, administrative areas are located in calm and quiet places.

5.  Staffs Room 

The staff's room is also known as a break area. It is commonly found in the BOH. This area is used for staff to rest or keep their belongings while on duty. Most of the restaurant staff room also contains an attached bathroom for freshening. It creates a positive working environment.

Back of House Positions in a Restaurant

In restaurants, back of house jobs are the most challenging jobs. If someone looks for back of house careers, they have to know the back house position and their responsibility.

Here is a list of some common back of the house positions.

Kitchen Manager

A kitchen manager is a position that manages and oversees all the back-of-house activities. They have lots of responsibility in the kitchen or back house area.

It includes maintaining food safety standards, fire safety standards, ensuring food quality, helping the kitchen staff, hiring staff, etc. So, kitchen manager positions should be chosen smartly for the best output. It is considered the most important back of house duties and back of house manager jobs. 

Kitchen Manager Responsibilities:

• Supervising and Managing Kitchen Staff
• Ensuring Food Quality and Consistency
• Inventory Management and Ordering
• Cost Control and Financial Oversight
• Food Safety and Sanitation Compliance
• Menu Execution and Kitchen Efficiency
• Equipment and Facility Maintenance
• Training and Development
• Problem-Solving During Service

Head Chef

The back of the house includes many staff members with different job positions. Executive chef or head chef is one of the positions considered to be the most senior kitchen staff and heart of house. Head chef plays a vital role in back of house operations.

An executive chef's responsibility is creating good menus, providing special offers, determining the cost, etc. An executive or head chef looks after all the administrative tasks.

Head Chef Responsibilities:

• Menu Creation and Development
• Overseeing Food Preparation and Quality
• Leading and Managing Kitchen Staff
• Ensuring Food Safety and Sanitation
• Inventory, Cost Control, and Purchasing
• Kitchen Operations and Efficiency
• Budgeting and Financial Oversight

Sous Chef

Sous chef is another important position in a restaurant kitchen. They assist the head chef in supervising the kitchen and other activities. Moreover, the sous chef supervises the other kitchen staff and trains new employees.

Sous Chef Responsibilities:

• Assisting the Head Chef
• Supervising Kitchen Staff
• Overseeing Daily Kitchen Operations
• Maintaining Food Quality and Consistency
• Inventory, Ordering, and Cost Control
• Ensuring Food Safety and Sanitation
• Training and Development
• Hands-On Cooking
• Kitchen Organization and Efficiency

Line Cook

In the restaurant kitchen, line cooks work in various cooking stations. It includes grill, fry, salad, and other stations. However, you will find a line cook in every station, and they do their work diligently.

Line Cook Responsibilities:

• Preparing and Cooking Menu Items
• Station Setup
• Executing During Service
• Maintaining Quality and Consistency
• Sanitation and Cleanliness
• Inventory and Waste Control
• Team Coordination
• Following Recipes and Standards
• Safety and Equipment Care

Expeditor

Expeditors are the important staff at the back of the house in restaurants. They help maintain the workflow in restaurants. Regarding communication between the FOH and BOH, expeditors are the ones. They also support the server in serving food and organizing the orders and tables.

Sous Chef Responsibilities:

• Supporting and Substituting for the Head Chef
• Supervising and Leading Kitchen Staff
• Managing Daily Kitchen Operations
• Ensuring Food Quality, Consistency, and Presentation
• Inventory, Ordering, and Cost Control
• Food Safety, Sanitation, and Compliance
• Training and Staff Development
• Hands-On Cooking and Execution
• Kitchen Organization and Efficiency

Dishwasher

Another important back-of-house staff is the dishwasher. They wash all the dishes, including plates, bowls, glasses, pans, and other utensils. While doing their duties, they must ensure all the utensils are washed properly. The dishwasher plays an important role in maintaining hygiene while serving food.

Dishwasher Responsibilities:

• Operating the Dishwashing Machine
• Washing Dishes, Utensils, and Cookware
• Maintaining Cleanliness and Sanitation
• Sorting and Storing Clean Items
• Removing Trash and Recycling
• Assisting with Kitchen Support Tasks
• Monitoring Supplies
• Ensuring Safety and Proper Handling
• End-of-Shift Cleaning

Restaurant Back of House Technology

A restaurant's back-of-house activities involve cooking, storing, serving, and many other things. It needs to be very effective and updated. When any back of the house is well equipped with advanced technology, it becomes more able to provide services.

Here, we will find those technologies in the back of the house.

Inventory Management Software

If you are involved in a restaurant or food business, you know the importance of inventory management. A restaurant inventory software can track all the inventory. 

It includes monitoring ingredients' stock level, supply and purchase, waste calculation, food cost calculation, etc. An effective inventory management software can reduce your restaurant's operating costs and increase profits. 

Kitchen Display System(KDS)

The kitchen display system is a digital screen. It has replaced the traditional tickets, which are used on paper. The KDS system displays the orders in the kitchen and provides kitchen updates to customers. It is a great system that balances the back house and front house.  

Recipe Management System

Recipe management software is an essential part of any restaurant. It helps to calculate the recipe cost and set the menu prices. With an advanced recipe calculator, you can accurately calculate the recipe cost and set the price. 

It helps in restaurant business growth. Moreover, recipe management software also helps with cost control. The recipe cost calculator provides food preparation plans, menus, and others.

So, you must ensure your back house has effective recipe management software for better performance.

Employee Scheduling Software

Employee or staff scheduling is a task that should be managed smartly. In that case, using advanced employee scheduling software is a wise decision.

Employee schedules help the staff roaster manage their duties. Employee management software can reduce labor costs and determine the staff's availability.  It helps to reduce the restaurant's overall operational cost.

Front of House vs Back of House: Key Statistics & Benchmarks

Earlier, we provided every detail of the restaurant's front and back of house. But now we will go through the statistics of recent data that will cover Front of House vs. Back of House. These key statistics are very important for understanding the restaurant part by their space, labor cost percentage, staff turnover rates, etc. 

Let's get into details and find the industry benchmark and key statistics of front of house vs. back of house. 

1. Space Allocation

Space allocation in a restaurant means planning and assigning different areas to be used in the restaurant. Here is the space allocation of the restaurant, which is broken down by square footage. 

Front of House (FOH) — (60–70%)

In restaurants, the front of the house covers 60-70% of the space of your total restaurant space. It includes dining areas, waiting areas, host areas, restrooms, and a bar or counter.

Here is the industry-standard seating space per guest. You can use the statistics based on your restaurant.

• Full-service/casual dining: 12–15 sq ft per seat
• Fine dining: 18–20 sq ft per seat
• Fast-casual/fast food: 10–14 sq ft per seat 

Back of House (BOH) — (30–40%)

In restaurants, the back of the house covers 30-40% of the space of your total restaurant space. The back of the house includes the kitchen, preparation area, storage, dishwashing area, staff area, etc.

Example:

So, suppose you have a restaurant of about 5000 sq ft; as per the statistics, Front of House (FOH) covers ~3000 sq ft, which is 60%, and Back of House (BOH) covers ~2000 sq ft, which is 40% of the total space. This is how you can get the idea of front of house vs. back of house. 

2. Labor Cost Percentage

A restaurant's overall labor cost percentage of total sales targets 25-35% of revenue. It is ideal for fine dining, fast casual, and buffet restaurants. On the other hand, the percentages are lower for the quick-service restaurant, fast food restaurant, etc.

• FOH: ~8–10% to 15% of sales
• BOH: ~13–20% of sales
• Management/Salaries: ~8–10% of sales

How to Improve the Front and Back of the House Restaurant?

Restaurant businesses are continuously changing. As the front and back of the house represents your business reputation, you must improve your restaurant operation. You may apply different strategies to enhance your front and back of the house restaurant operation.

Here, we will discuss how to improve the front of the house. 

Online Reservation

Now, people are comfortable with online systems. So, it is important to have a strong online reservation system. Suppose customers visit your restaurant and have to wait for dinner. It seems very frustrating for both customers and staff.

However, customers do not have to wait for dinner using online table reservations. They come and sit at their reserved table. It is a great way to make your customers happy. Additionally, online ordering systems help organize restaurant activity.

When a table is reserved, staff can decorate and prepare it before the customers arrive. As a result, customers find an organized and decorated table, which enhances customer loyalty. So, it is a great way to improve the restaurant's front-house performance.

Welcoming The Guest

Properly welcoming your guests is a great way to make your customers comfortable. It is the first thing you can do to improve your front house services. In that case, you must train your staff to welcome guests properly.

When customers enter the restaurant door, your host or hostess has to greet them warmly. After that, customers have to provide a guide to where they can comfortably sit.

But remember that while talking with customers, your staff should use a soft tone. Moreover, the staff should properly dress, have an attitude, and maintain eye contact while dealing with customers.

Organization

Organization is important in any business. A restaurant business is not out of these. When the front of the house is well organized, it is much easier to manage the restaurant's operation.

So, you must hire a well-fit-out conductor while designing your restaurant interior. A well-fit-out conductor can create an awesome restaurant front-house design by making the best out of your space.

Here, we will discuss how to improve the back of the house. 

Be Transparent

A restaurant's success starts from the back house. So, the BOH staff should be very careful about their duties. Most of the time, back house staff spend their time on specific areas. Transparency is important for business success.

The restaurant owner has ensured that BOH staff knows the FOH's duty to manage the situation in an emergency. Moreover, arranging monthly meetings also helps to make business more productive.

You can arrange regular meetings for a transparent working environment as a restaurant owner or manager. It helps to improve the back house restaurant activity. 

Staff Check In

Staff check-in is important. In a restaurant, a head chef or kitchen manager checks how the back of the house is working. It should be checked more frequently during busy hours.

So, the kitchen manager should focus more on busy shifts to see how the staff handles the situation. Moreover, along with the staff's working activity, it is important to check their health.

It helps to create a good bonding atmosphere with the staff. Staff check-in also helps to know that staff have everything necessary for their work. It boosts kitchen and BOH service. So, every restaurant manager should make a regular schedule for checking the staff's performance. 

Rewards Employee

The employee reward program is a great way to improve restaurant back-house activity. As we know, the back of the house is a busy area where all the food preparation, cooking, and other work is done.

The back of the house is a hard area where the staff works in heat and high temperature. So, if you arrange for rewards for your BOH staff, it will motivate them. You can use this strategy to cheer up your kitchen employees. It will positively impact your restaurant's overall activity.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What Is the Main Difference Between Front of House (FOH) and Back of House (BOH) in a Restaurant?

The main difference between front of house and back of house is in the areas. FOH refers to the area that the customer faces, and BOH refers to the areas that work behind the scene. In a restaurant, the front of the house sells the experience, and the back of the house creates the value. 

Can Technology Help FOH and BOH Work Better Together?

Yes, advanced technology like POS, KDS, and KOT can help FOH and BOH work better together. For that reason, restaurants are looking forward to advanced restaurant POS software. 

What Are Common Back of House Mistakes?

The most common back-of-house mistake is poor communication between the kitchen and front-of-house staff. It is one of the major reasons that a restaurant fails to succeed.

Can a Restaurant Succeed with Strong FOH but Weak BOH?

No, a restaurant cannot succeed with strong FOH but weak BOH. Success comes with combined work. So, restaurants should ensure they have both strong FOH and BOH.

Final Thought

An unforgettable dining experience in the restaurant begins at the back of the house and ends at the front. Both are equally important for any restaurant's success. So, understanding the boh and foh meaning,  contribution and duties of the front and back of the house restaurant is key. To produce the best output, the restaurant owner has to create strong communication between the staff members.