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Restaurant Front of House Definition

Restaurant Front of House Definition

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In a restaurant business, the “front of house” refers to the part of the restaurant where customers are received, seated, and served their food and drinks. This can include the dining area, host stand, bar area, and any other spaces where your guests interact with your restaurant staff.

The FOH is essentially the customer-facing side of the restaurant, as opposed to the “back of house,” which includes the behind the scenes parts of a restaurant like the kitchen, dishwashing area, back office, and more. 

What parts of a restaurant are considered front of house?

The “front of house” in a restaurant encompasses all the areas where customers interact with restaurant staff and where dining service takes place.

Here are some of the main functions considered part of the front of house:

  • Reception or Host Stand
  • Dining Areas
  • Bar Areas
  • Waiting Area
  • Service Stations
  • Point of Sale (POS) Stations
  • Restrooms

What restaurant staff are considered front of house?

Front of house staff in a restaurant typically includes employees who directly interact with customers and manage the dining experience.

Here’s a look at some of the main roles considered part of the front of house:

GUIDE

Hiring and Retaining Restaurant Staff

How Does the Front of House Impact Restaurant Profitability?

The front of house (FOH) significantly influences restaurant profitability in a variety of ways including… 

  1. Upselling and cross-selling
  2. Table turnover time
  3. Guest experience
  4. Brand reputation
  5.  Customer retention
  6. Beverage sales


Optimizing your front of house operations is key to maximizing the profitability of your restaurant. It directly influences customer satisfaction, sales volume, and cost management, all of which are critical factors in driving revenue and profits.

Restaurant365 bridges the gap between accounting and operations by centralizing all data, helping restaurant operators to become more efficient, accurately forecast, and tackle any challenge or opportunity with speed and accuracy.