Food service is a large industry that deals with food preparation and serving outside of the home. This service includes things like catering weddings, opening a restaurant, and running a cafeteria. Many people around the world take advantage of the variety of options provided this industry, which range from picking up a burger and fries at a franchise to eating a prescription diet while in the hospital.
Food service encompasses a wide range of goods and services, including companies that transport food and related products such as kitchen equipment, silverware, and so on. People who work in the food service industry include restaurateurs, waiters, bussers, chefs, and dietitians, as well as architects who design facilities where food is made and served, company representatives who travel the country selling products related to the service and sale of food, and consultants who help people plan events where food will be served.
Some people in this field receive specialized training in order to work in the food service industry. Some colleges and trade schools offer hospitality programs, which can include restaurant management and special training in topics such as nutrition for hospitalized patients or school-aged children. Others begin from the ground up, driving trucks for food distributors, waiting tables at restaurants, and so on, gaining experience in the industry while doing so.
Even for managers and executives, work in the food service industry can be arduous and demanding. The hours are frequently long and irregular, and people are frequently on their feet, dealing with a variety of situations. People in the hospitality industry, whether developing menus for a college dining hall or providing service at four-star French restaurants, must be acutely aware of the importance of customer satisfaction.
Work in this industry is considered demeaning or degrading in some parts of the world. People may choose to work in the food service industry while unemployed or attempting to make a living. Employees may have limited access to government benefits and protections, such as minimum wage laws, because their wages are heavily based on tips from customers. In other areas, food service is regarded as a respectable occupation everyone from waiters to restaurant owners.