Question: what are the advantages and disadvantages of formal and informal service

January 30, 2011
meal management

Answers

The Apprentice's picture

What exactly do you mean? Are you asking about the Hospitality industry or for dinner parties? Either way, they both have their advantage and disadvantages. From a professional standpoint:

FORMAL
ADVANTAGES
high profit
higher chance of repeat business
less marketing required (more word-of-mouth recognition)
more leeway with creative ingredients/techniques

FORMAL
DISADVANTAGES
high initial outlay
requires constant updating and maintenance to stay relevant
requires high-calibre (and expensive!) staff
extremely high wastage

INFORMAL
ADVANTAGES
higher turnover
more guaranteed business
less pressure
more opportunity to use offcuts/leftovers

INFORMAL
DISADVANTAGES
less recognition
likely to attract lower quality/temporary staff
more work for less profit

I hope this helps, and I hope I'm not answering an entirely different question to the one you're asking! :)