The Use of Signals - An Explanation

It comes from the days of working in Banqueting at places like Marylebone Cricket Club, Battersea Park, Claridges Hotel, the livery company dinners and the pre-recession huge 5000 person Christmas parties. It also comes from working in kitchens and restaurants for the past 25 years.

It impressed me no end when I first saw the Claridges banqueting managers in action with a well drilled banqueting team and the signals they used on when to lay plates, when to clear plates, when to leave the room etc. Amazing.

That is, the method of communicating with other staff or managers from across a crowded room. Staff who have worked here before or currently work here will know what I mean as well. If you know us, you will know we get very busy and that in order to be able to provide efficient service in a busy environment, you need to be on the ball and communicating with your fellow staff members.

I will try to explain what is primarily a visual concept. Remember that as a manager, we are trying to communicate with staff who may be down the other end of the room e.g. the baristas. You do not need to call their name, just to get eye contact is enough.

1. Tap the ear and wave your hand in an upwards/downwards motion = turn the music up/down

2. Make a circular motion with your hand with your forearm in a vertical position = Clear the floor

3. Make a sweeping gesture with your hand over the other palm and then show five fingers = Clear table 5

We also use short verbal phrases to communicate

‘Door please!’ = Customers entered shop and need service

‘Behind’ = Coming past you with coffee/plates etc

‘Away please’ = Coffees are ready to be run to the tables

It’s fairly simple. Eye contact, a recognised signal that communicates to the other person what you as the manager wants to achieve, and the job gets done. If you think about it from a high end large banqueting point of view, where the staff are really there to do a job and not be seen or heard too much, communicating in this way is essential.

So if you ever sit in and watch us in action and notice (me probably) making funny hand gestures, you will now know what they are for.

Peter Dore-Smith
Director
Kaffeine Ltd
66 Great Titchfield st.
15 Eastcastle st.