High Tea Service

We have just learnt what High Tea is and what is included in each High Tea package. Now we are going to learn the service sequence of High Tea. 

It's important that everyone has a clear understanding of the High Tea sequence so that we are able to prevent complaints about service.

Each High Tea booking goes for 2 hours within the two-hour session the following is required. 

High Tea Sequence

High Tea service starts well before the customers arrive. 

45 minutes before the session: 

Check and set tables with High Tea settings as per booking in Now Book It 

30 minutes before the session:

• Bring out milk, cream, and jam to tables 

• Light tea light candles in the tea warmers

• Put tea on the table

Start of session: 

• The door person (host) will direct customers to their table 

- they will also confirm dietaries and send the table to the kitchen once all guests have arrived. You must be doing introductions for your section as soon as your tables have been seated. 

• Commence introduction (see next page) and offer their welcome drink (see package inclusions)

• • Always take a bottle of sparkling to table- offer sparkling or alternative drink option 

• Non-alcoholic sparkling

• Other wines

• Beer 

• Juice

• Softdrink

• Large Coffee

• Run food

•  The kitchen will ring the bell to let you know when the food is ready. 

• Take the plates to the table, place savouries on the bottom, scones in the middle and sweets on top. 

•  Run customers through the menu starting from the savouries and work your way up to the top tier. 

NOTE: Running food is a TOP priority to ensure it arrives to the customers fresh and hot.

20 minutes into the session

• Ensure you have been to all your tables to introduce yourself 

• Check all tables have received their food 

Throughout the session (throughout the High Tea session you should visit your tables around 8 times)

• Refill Teas (when they’re almost empty or every 15 minutes, whichever comes first) 

• Dishes/ glassware are to be cleared from the table as soon as they are finished.

• When clearing drink glasses from Mary's package ask if they’d like to purchase another 

• Ensure that you offer scones at least twice throughout your session.

• ALWAYS check that there is enough jam and cream when doing a scone top up

• Offer fresh plates after savoury items. 

• Check bathrooms are clean and paper towel dispensers are full

• Fancy and Bottomless Brunch Tables only: top up drinks as necessary. These packages require customers to have a drink at all times. 

Last 1 hour of session

• Continue to offer bottomless tea and scones 

• Upsell coffees, cocktails and fruit and cheese boards

• Continue to float around your section to ensure you are available to tables

• Clear away any empty High Tea plates ect 

• Fancy and Bottomless Brunch Tables only: top up drinks as necessary. These packages require customers to have a drink at all times. 

30 minutes until session ends 

• Last call for bottomless drinks

10 minutes until session ends

• Thank guests and let them know they have 10 minutes left of their session and offer boxes to take home remaining food.

• Print out the bill for any extras (the person responsible for the table is to do this)

• Start to clear any dishes they are finished with

In between High Tea session times

• All toilets are to be checked, restocked and cleaned

• The floor is to be vacuumed around tables

• Wipe crumbs off seats

• Fix up cushions

• Reset tables