Restaurant Order Blocks

RESTAURANT COMMAND BLOCKS: WHAT THEY ARE AND HOW THEY ARE PRESENTED

Today, as you well know, the technology in management of a restaurant has been optimized with the electronic control.

The technology in restaurant management has been optimized with electronic ordering.

A few years ago, people thought that computers would never replace humans, but today we are all too accustomed to this idea and embrace it wholeheartedly as more than just a thought - it has become part of us! With modern ordering systems like tablets or cell phones designed specifically for quick restaurant transactions across various networks (e.g., Apple Pay), you can place your order while waiting for another table, simply tapping away until everything from sandwiches to slices of toast arrives ready to go, so there's no need to go back to the ingredients.

It was introduced by the use of handhelds, at the beginning and minitablets later, but also smartphones.

The traditional order pads still used in small catering businesses are the notebooks. The waiters use them to take orders, but also to check thesupply of supplies in the warehouse.

These are the main characteristics that a command block must have:

• consist of a minimum of 25, 50, 75 to a maximum of 100. White self-tracing sheets tear-off printed only front and two cards, one rigid on the back and one removable internal.
• sheets can be 2, 3 or 4 cuts, which correspond to the number of copies. They can also have 2, 3, 7 coupons detachable or small boxes to divide and manage the course output order. This facilitates the readability and preparation time of the order.
• have a vertical format which allows the waiter to insert the customer's requests into an ordered list 
• looks like a small pocket notebook comparable in size to a notebook or notepad

RESTAURANT COMMAND BLOCKS: ORIGIN OF THE TERM COMMAND

Used in catering to communicate directly with the dining room and kitchen, the term “comanda” [from the French “commande”] derives from the verb “to command” in this case in the sense of “order, place an order, take an order”.

When a customer calls or texts to communicate their meal preferences, it is important that the staff knows exactly what they want. It is also imperative for restaurants to not only be able to recognize this demand, but execute those desires with as little fuss and headache as possible, in order to keep customers happy!

RESTAURANT CONTROL BLOCKS: WHAT FEATURES THEY MUST HAVE

The main characteristics that any command block must have are: 

• the sheets must be made of chemical paper (recycled white or standard white), better known as carbonless paper (in the sense of self-tracing). It is so called because it does not require the use of carbon paper. It halves the work of waiters and chefs by being able to create multiple copies of the same order on a single sheet.
• the presence of double or triple copy. Even if within the catering business there is only one waiter who takes care of writing down the orders communicated by customers.
• the presence of a removable internal rigid cardboard.

RESTAURANT COMMAND BLOCKS: WHAT INFORMATION MUST THE WAITER TRANSCRIBE

The command block is useful because it allows the waiter tonotewhat customers are willing to drink and eat.It also facilitates communication with the kitchen with the following information:

• detail of the order with shared abbreviations (acronyms/signs) with the staff, to avoid making the customer wait
• any indications relating to the preparation and cooking of the dishes [e.g. allergies or intolerances or requests for changes]    
• date of the day and time of arrival of the customer + number of the table, place settings and copies  
• estimate of the bill, through the calculation of the subtotal 
• the signature of the waiter who took the order [usually identified with a small initials in the margin]   
• the number of the room where the guest stays if it is a restaurant located within a hospitality context (hotel, farmhouse, b&b) 
• the name or customer's surname if usual 

MODEL AVAILABLE ON THE MARKET

• simple/classic: solely made up of a white space reserved for orders, the waiter's signature and the customer's name; it can be freely customized with the name and/or logo of the business and with/without the progressive numbering of the orders 
• in double copy or a 2 copies: one copy of the order is kept by the waiter or it can also remain attached to the pad and the other must be left in kitchen
• in triplicate or in 3 copies: often used in places such as restaurants and pizzerias with therefore independent management of the kitchen, the third copy must be delivered to the cash register as soon as the order has been placed: it is used to formulate a forecast of the account
• multi-copy or multipurpose: format of 100 sheets copying 
• lined 

Based on the catering business and kitchen management mode, there are also two other models of control block: 

• order block for 2 coupons: it is divided into two parts, a lower one dedicated to drinks and an upper one for dishes 
• 3 coupon order block: suitable for restaurants and pizzerias, has 3 separated sections by a line to distinguish the communications intended for kitchen/restaurant/bar or pizzeria: one for the drinks annotation, one for the restaurant menu and one if the customer wants to eat alone the pizza.

WHERE YOU CAN BUY 

Being stationery items, to purchase the command pads it is possible:

• go to specific stationery/shops such as Buffetti which sell office products 
• also purchase them online on specialized websites in the sale of items necessary for management of a restaurant business  

The command blocks are essential work tools for those who work in the catering sector together with the aid of a management software which simplifies and refines the waiter's work avoiding forgetfulness, inaccuracies and errors in taking of the order.

The order pad guarantees the customer an efficient service especially in high-traffic venues, where speed is the added value that affects the turnover.