What is a Full-Service Restaurant (FSR)

By Rajib Hasan -- Tuesday, 10 Dec, 2024
what is a full service restaurant

In the culinary and hospitality industry, we have heard many restaurant names (commercial restaurants, fast casual, fine dining, cafeteria, and others). But what is a full-service restaurant? It is a type of commercial restaurant. If a restaurant offers food serving in dining and table arrangements for different types of restaurant customers. And they have a food takeaway service which is called a full-service restaurant (FSR). A FSR contains a comparatively large space due to the placement of restaurant tables, different counter points, kitchen areas, etc.

In most cases, FSR restaurants have many employees, such as waiters, chefs, restaurant managers, cleaners, and others. Can I consider FSR to be a commercial restaurant? Of course, it is a type of commercial restaurant. It can include fine dining restaurants, family restaurants, ethnic restaurants, casual dining, and others. So, this type of restaurant is more familiar around the world.

Indeed restaurants are an extensive industry in the world. It is also a profitable business. For this reason, people also ask different types of questions like what are the best ways to open a full-service restaurant. Is that profitable? How much should I invest to open a FSR restaurant? And many more. So, let’s discuss many more things about FSR. Hopefully, we will have much fun and we can share and gather many things that we have never thought of before.

What is a full-service restaurant?

FSR is a type of public restaurant where customers are seated and restaurant staff or food servers serve food to the table customers. A full-service restaurant is a complete dining restaurant or commercial dining restaurant. People can come here with their family members, friends, colleagues, and other persons to spend time and get delicious food. What type of food is cooked in an FSR restaurant?

It is a type of commercial restaurant that’s why diverse items of foods are cooked like pasta dishes, stone-baked pizzas, seafood meals, savory dishes, salads, soups, desserts, and others. Do they provide lunch? Yes, full service restaurants provide lunch, snacks, and dinner as well. However, the full service restaurant menu is massive. Most of the restaurants offer extensive menu items for different types of customers.

Can you show some full-service restaurant lists in the United States? Of course, there are more than thousands of FSR restaurants in the USA. They are chained with other franchise restaurants also. Let’s see some FSR restaurant lists in the USA:

  • BJ's Restaurants Inc.
  • Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Inc.
  • Bloomin' Brands Inc.
  • Brinker International Inc.
  • DFO LLC

Many giant full service restaurants are available in the United Kingdom. There are more than 23,115 full service restaurants in the United Kingdom. So, realize how big and popular the FSR restaurant chain is. However, let’s see some popular FSR restaurant companies in the UK:

  • Whitbread PLC
  • Mitchells & Butlers PLC
  • Nando's Group Holdings Limited
  • The Azzuri Group
  • Prezzo Holdings Limited

Restaurant business enthusiasts show their interest in opening an FSR restaurant due to its numerous privileges. Although its opening cost is higher (around $175,000 or more in the USA and £175,000 or more in the UK), the profit is remarkable.  

Types of Full Service Restaurants

types of full service restaurants

The FSR is a chain of other restaurants. There are two main types of full service restaurants but these are subdivided. However, let’s see the main type of FSR or full-service restaurant list.

  • Full-service casual dining restaurant
  • Full-service fine dining restaurant

Full Service Casual Dining Restaurant

A casual dining restaurant is a full table or seat establishment restaurant. A casual full service restaurant has dozens of food items in its food menu, restaurant staff, multiple order-taking areas, and others. A dining restaurant is a combination of a large number of restaurant components. However, restaurant design or decoration and environment play a crucial role in such a type of restaurant.

Casual dining restaurant is a massive chain in the world. The global fast casual dining restaurant market size was around 168.1 Billion USD which is projected to be 301.6 Billion USD by 2032. So, the current and predicted result is here. However, this type of restaurant is comparatively large in shape and can be located in city areas.  

Full Service Fine Dining Restaurant

Fine dining is defining a dining or table establishment restaurant. It is a type of modern restaurant that contains elegant design and decoration that creates an aesthetic environment. Most fine-dining restaurants offer an elegant dining experience that charms the people to come and get meals. Fine dining restaurants have diverse menus. They offer breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks with different types of menus.

So, how many people can sit at a fine dining restaurant? Although it relies on the restaurant's shape or size. There are different ranges of fine dining restaurants. In most cases, 50 to 100 people can sit at the fine dining restaurant. 

So, how big should a fine dining restaurant be? It depends on a restaurant's start-up budget. However, it may be 2153 to 5382 square feet or 200 to 500 square meters. It is noted that this type of restaurant shape can be bigger or lower than such areas.

Best POS System for Full Service Restaurants

Many commercial restaurants use restaurant management tools to reduce their working stress, save time, and reduce overall restaurant costs. FSR is a commercial-type restaurant. Does the full service restaurant use a POS system? Of course, all restaurants can use restaurant POS software for managing their restaurant management. 

Indeed, full service restaurants use POS systems for managing restaurant tasks. So, let’s see some of the best restaurant POS software that is used more for FSR and it can be used at all types of restaurants.

  • Square POS system
  • Restora POS
  • Bhojon
  • SpotOn Transact LLC
  • Epos Now
  • CAKE POS
  • 7shifts POS
  • Loyverse POS
  • Toast POS
  • Clover Network

Different types of restaurant management software are compatible with Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS, etc. These are also used to manage many FSR restaurants. I have referred here some of the best based on a few crucial factors like customer reviews, starting date, quality, number of users, etc. So, choose the best software and manage your restaurant conveniently.

Characteristics of Full-Service Restaurants

Restaurant characteristics are its environment, interior decoration, menus, table service, and others. But what should an FSR restaurant look like? Indeed, full-service casual dining restaurants should be well set up with restaurant tables, decorations, paintings, ambiance, and others. However, take a look at what type of essential characteristics may have in an FSR.

Create A Good Restaurant Environment: Why should a restaurant be a good environment? Creating a good restaurant aesthetic ambiance is an essential thing because people love the aesthetic environment to pass their time and get food. Restaurant design attracts people, lets them remember about the environment and obliges them to come again.

Customer Welcoming: Restaurant staff should be customer-friendly to welcoming customers. In that case, restaurant customers feel better and remember this welcome. This strategy enhances the restaurant's reputation, customer appearance, and drives the revenue wheel as well.

Mind-Blowing Table Service: Table service relies on restaurant staff. Restaurant employees should be friendly with seating customers and serve food by following good manners.

Payment System: The payment system is a pivotal thing for all types of restaurants. Payment should be as easy as possible. In that case, restaurant POS may be the best choice for an easy payment system. The point of sale system is the best one for the overall restaurant management tool as well.  

Difference Between Full Service Restaurants and Limited-Service Restaurants

FSR and LSR both are restaurants and provide food to the people. But what is the main difference between full service restaurants Vs limited service restaurants? They have some dissimilarities in food serving. However, let’s see full service Vs limited service restaurant dissimilarities with a table chart.

Full Service Restaurant (FSR)

Limited-Service Restaurant (LSR)

Restaurant staff provide a complete dining service.

Limited table service with limited cost.

Customers pay after eating any food items.

In most cases, customers pay before eating.

They have diverse menus or food items.

They have limited food items compared to FSR.

FSR often allows a table reservation system.

In most cases, the reservation system is not allowed.

In FSR staff get orders from customers

Guests order at the counter or kiosks as well.

It allows a long dining time.

It allows short dining time.

FSR may be Fine dining, family-style restaurants, and casual dining.

It may be fast food, cafes, takeout outlets, etc.

What Type of Food Is Served In a Full Service Restaurant

What does full service restaurant mean? It is a restaurant dining hub where restaurant staff provide a full service dining experience for the customers. Different types of food are served in the FSR like Pizza, Pasta, Deserts, Seafood, Chef Salads, Soup, and others. 

Indeed, FASR offers full-service dining establishments. It is a type of commercial restaurant. FSR is a thousands of people gathering zone in a day. For this reason, this type of restaurant provides a very wide range of food menus.

  • FSR provides Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and snacks as well.
  • This type of restaurant also offers different country-wise seasonal dishes (such as Italian food, American food, Arabian food, etc.).
  • Varieties of drinks are available in FSR restaurants.

New Technology Integration System

new technology integration system

If I define a full-service restaurant then I will probably say that it is an extensive menu and table-based commercial restaurant where different types of people come to get food and spend time. 

For this reason, technological interference is necessary due to some reasons like billing, managing inventory, reporting, kitchen management, and others. However, have a look at why you should adopt and evaluate a new technology integration system in your FSR restaurant.

POS Payment: For an easy, secure, and smart payment, you can use a POS system. That will reduce payment time and customer stress.

Online Ordering System: To get more online orders, use a POS system that can drastically change low orders to a high online order chart.

Table Reservation: Many people want to reserve a table before coming to the restaurant. The POS reservation system makes it easy.

Report Generating: Restaurant management software offers numerous benefits of generating reports like sales by date (daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly).

Stock Management: Stock management systems allow you to manage your stock or inventory. This method also helps to follow the LIFO and FIFO methods that are essential for stock and food waste management.

It is noted that there are dozens of reasons that can oblige a restaurant to use restaurant management software. However, this tool can change your restaurant's overall performance.

Future Trends in Full-Service Dining Restaurants

FSR restaurant business growth is progressing rapidly. Many FSR restaurants never transform yet from a manual process to a technology-based restaurant management system. They are transforming and coping with the new technological revolution. Different advanced processes are running and some others may come in the future for different restaurants such as

  • Robotic automation system for food serving and.
  • Third-party food delivery system.
  • Digital and advanced table booking and menu selection.
  • Online order and food delivery or takeaway system.
  • Minimize restaurant's overall cost.
  • Remote restaurant management system.

Final Thought

There are different types of restaurants around the world. All the restaurants (fine dining, café, LSR, food truck, ghost kitchen, and others) are profitable. Full service restaurants (FSR) is a pillar of the culinary industry. FSR is also a profitable one in the restaurant's history. Most of the restaurants are included in FSR. 

In most cases, this type of restaurant becomes a full full-service commercial restaurant. Due to the wide range of menus, a good ambiance, and a long-time sitting environment, the FSR restaurant business is growing around the world. So, take your decision, select a location, and open a restaurant business