DECA Competitive Events

Hospitality Services

Glossary

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

à-la-carte menu A menu on which each item carries its own price.

accessibility The ease with which guests can enter, leave, and utilize a property, also applies to the ability of guests in wheelchairs or needing other assistance to utilize a facility.

adjoining rooms Two hotel rooms that are located next to each other, but not connected by a door.

airport hotel A hotel located near an airport, usually offering shuttle service to and from the airport, as well as meeting rooms, and early checkout.

all-inclusive resort A resort in which all amenities and services, including food and beverages, are included in the cost of the room. Example: Club Med.

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all-suite hotel A hotel in which every room is a suite, with a bedroom and living room, catering to business travelers.

a.m. room status report A report detailing the status of each room, created by a housekeeping supervisor from section housekeepers' reports, usually created by noon.

amenities Services or goods offered to hotel guests in addition to a basic room, such as soaps, robes, a game room, or a pool.

American plan A hotel pricing plan that includes three meals with the cost of the room.

back of the house The operational areas of a restaurant, especially the kitchen.

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bed and breakfast (B&B) A private residence that has been turned into an owner-operated commercial inn, usually with only four or five guest rooms, and in which breakfast is included with the cost of the room.

bed and breakfast inn A small inn, similar to but larger than a B&B (with as many as 30 rooms), which may also host weddings or other special events, and in which breakfast is included with the cost of a room.

bell hop The hotel employee responsible for carrying guests' bags to their rooms.

bell service A service offered by luxury hotels in which a bell hop carries customers' bags to their rooms for them.

bus staff The employees in a restaurant who assist the waiters and waitresses, especially in clearing tables and refilling water glasses and coffee cups.

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campground
A lodging operation offering guests either a place to pitch a tent or a space to park a recreational vehicle.

cashier A person in a restaurant or hotel who takes customers' money and gives them change.

central reservation system (CRS) A reservation system utilized by a hotel chain that allows customers to call one number, usually a toll-free number, to make reservations at any hotel in the chain.

check-out (C/O) Describes a room in which the guest is expected to check out that day.

cleaning caddy A portable organizer that holds all the supplies needed for cleaning the bathroom in a hotel room.

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commercial hotel Usually a large hotel designed for business travelers, offering dining service, and often meeting rooms, free breakfast, and other amenities.

complimentary room A room for which the hotel does not charge a fee, often offered to a group paying for a specified number of rooms.

concierge service A service provided by full-service hotels in which employees at a guest service desk provide information for guests, and sometimes secure restaurant reservations and theater tickets.

connecting rooms Two hotel rooms that are located next to each other and are connected by a door.

continental breakfast A light breakfast, usually consisting of muffins or sweet rolls, plus juice, coffee, or tea, often provided free of charge to hotel guests.

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corporate lodging operation A corporation that owns and operates one or more lodging operations.

corporate rate A special discount rate for hotel rooms offered to business travelers.

country inn A small commercial inn that offers lodging and a restaurant, usually with six to 30 rooms, and generally offering breakfast included with the cost of a room.

cumulative attraction A term for lodging located near other attractions such as amusement parks, convention centers, or well-known restaurants.

date- and time-stamping machine A machine that stamps a date and time on correspondence or forms; used to keep track of guest check in and check out, and hotel correspondence.

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destination market A popular tourist attraction, such as the Grand Canyon, that attracts a large number of visitors.

Do Not Disturb (DND) A sign placed outside a guest room indicating that the guests don't want to be bothered until after check-out time.

drive-up A room (usually in a motel) at ground level and directly off the parking lot, that guests can drive up to.

dry storage Storage for dry goods such as canned goods, boxed goods, napkins, and other items that do not need to be refrigerated or frozen.

du jour menu A restaurant menu that features the specials of the day.

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economy operation A hotel catering to a traveler on a budget, with very few services or amenities; also called a budget hotel.

entrée The main dish in a meal.

European plan A lodging pricing plan in which no meals are included in the price of the room.

executive chef The restaurant employee who plans the menu, purchases food and beverages, and supervises the kitchen staff.

familiarization tour (FAM) A tour provided by a lodging operator to familiarize travel agents with the facility, its location, and its amenities.

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family plan A discount rate often offered on the weekend by hotels that specialize in corporate business, used to attract budget-conscious tourists when rooms are not in demand by business travelers.

FIFO First in-first out; a method for rotating inventory to make sure that the items that arrive first are used first.

folio The account for a hotel guest during his or her stay.

folio tray A metal tray that holds folio cards for each guest in the hotel, usually organized by room number.

front of the house The customer service area and dining room of a restaurant.

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full-service hotel A lodging property that offers a full range of services and amenities including recreational services, food and beverage services, a bell staff, a concierge staff, a housekeeping staff, a front desk, and maintenance.

global reservation system A computerized reservation system in which guests can make hotel reservations at the same time they make airline and car rental reservations.

government rate A discount room rate offered to government employees which tries to match the per diem offered to government employees.

group rate A discount room rate offered to someone reserving a block of rooms at the same time, usually requiring a minimum number of room reservations.

guaranteed reservation A reservation in which the guest has presented a credit card, advance payment, or direct billing to ensure that the room will be held for a guest who arrives late, and ensures that the hotel will be paid for the room even if the guest does not show up.

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homestay A private home in which the owners accept paying guests, and usually include breakfast with the cost of the stay.

hostel An inexpensive lodging (usually a small inn) for students and other youth who are traveling on foot or bicycle, usually very inexpensive.

hotel A large commercial lodging establishment offering overnight accommodations, a restaurant, meetings rooms, and other amenities.

house limit A pre-set limit on the amount guests can charge on a credit card before additional authorization from the credit card company must be received.

independent reservation system A computerized, toll-free reservation system provided to smaller hotel operators by an independent company for a fee.

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interception Describes the ability of a lodging facility to intercept travelers going to or from an attraction, such as a business district or recreational facility.

inventory log A record of all items that go into or out of a storage area.

key rack A rack that holds keys for each room in the hotel.

leisure travel Any travel undertaken for pleasure, rather than for business reasons.

limited-service operation A hotel targeting budget-conscious travelers that offers guest rooms and limited guest services and few amenities.

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line chef A chef in a smaller restaurant who is responsible for cooking everything on the menu to guests' specifications.

lower tier Describes a full-service hotel that offers several services and amenities, but caters to a frugal customer.

maid cart A cart stocked with all the supplies a housekeeper will need for the day, including a vacuum cleaner, duster, cleaning supplies, clean towels, and trash bags.

mail rack A rack that stores and organizes mail intended for hotel guests.

maintenance log A written record of what repairs have been made and when, including scheduled and unscheduled repairs.

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maintenance work order A request, usually made by a housekeeper, to have maintenance or repairs performed on a room.

maitre d'hotel A greeter in a restaurant, usually a man who seats customers at their tables.

mid tier Describes a full-service hotel that caters to business travelers, usually with meeting rooms, some in-room services and amenities, a pool, and shuttle service to an airport or train station.

modified American plan A hotel pricing plan that includes two meals a day with the cost of the room.

motel An inexpensive, single-story hotel near a highway with guest rooms facing and directly accessible from the parking lot.

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motor inn A lodging similar to a motel, inexpensive and located near a highway, but with more than one floor and more services.

non-guaranteed reservation A lodging reservation for which the guest has not offered guaranteed payment, usually held until some set time in the evening, and then given to someone else if needed.

occupancy rate The number of rooms that are occupied in a lodging facility on average.

open house An event sponsored by a lodging facility in which prospective guests are invited to tour the facility, meet management, and usually enjoy refreshments.

out-of-order (OOO) Describes a room that cannot be used because of a maintenance or other problem.

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overstay Describes a room in which the guests have decided to stay longer than originally intended.

par level The amount of supplies needed to stock the hotel for one night.

peak season The time of year when demand for rooms is highest.

per diem A sum of money allowed to government and business travelers by their employers to cover their food and lodging expenses.

p.m. room status report A report detailing the status of each room, created by a housekeeping supervisor from section housekeepers' reports, usually created at the end of the day.

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post Apply a charge to a guest's folio.

posted voucher rack A rack where vouchers for hotel charges such as telephone calls and restaurant meals are stored after the charges have been posted but before they are checked by the auditor at night.

preventive maintenance Ongoing repairs to a facility's buildings and equipment that prevent breakdowns, slow deterioration, and maintain the quality of the facility.

production chef A restaurant employee who actually makes the food, usually responsible for one portion of production, such as vegetables; also known as a station chef.

rack rate The standard rate for a room in a hotel; also known as the walk-in rate.

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remind-o-timer A machine that sounds a loud alarm to remind the front desk clerk to make wake-up calls to hotel guests.

reserve key drawer A drawer at the hotel's front desk that holds extra keys for each room, in addition to the keys on the key rack.

resort hotel A hotel with a number of onsite recreation facilities, offering a complete vacation in one location; often located near a beach, golf course, or popular recreation destination.

retail travel agency A company that sells travel arrangements, including lodging, to customers, either through packages or direct communication with a hotel.

room block A given number of rooms that are held in reserve, to ensure that overstays and clerical errors do not result in overbooking.

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room rack A large display found at a hotel's front desk that tracks the status of each room in the hotel.

room status report A report listing the status of each room for the day; given to the housekeeping manager to determine which rooms need to be cleaned or changed.

rotary information rack A round, rotating piece of equipment found at a hotel's front desk that is used to alphabetically keep track of registration information for guests.

section housekeeper's report A report made by a housekeeper to keep track of the status of the rooms to which he or she is assigned.

section master key A key that opens all rooms in a section assigned to one housekeeper.

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senior living service A lodging for elderly guests that combines a health facility, luxurious rooms, and food and beverage service.

senior rate A discount room rate offered to guests over a certain age, usually 55 to 65.

short-order cook A cook who prepares food such as hamburgers and French fries, often supporting a line chef.

shoulder season The time of year when demand for rooms is at its lowest.

shuttle service Guest transportation from a hotel to an airport, train station, and sometimes local attraction, usually provided for free by full-service hotels.

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sous chef A restaurant employee who supervises production chefs and oversees the actual production of food.

specialty rate A discount rate offered to airlines, employees, or other pre-approved groups.

standard resort A resort where guest rooms are priced and paid for separately from activities, some services, and food.

station chef A restaurant employee who actually makes the food, usually responsible for one portion of production, such as vegetables; also known as a production chef.

stayover (S/O) Describes a hotel room in which the guest is expected to stay another day.

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suite A hotel room with a bedroom and living room.

table-d'hote menu A menu on which a complete meal or a few courses are offered together at a fixed price.

telephone printer A printer attached to the hotel's phone and accounting systems that keeps track of outgoing calls made by guests.

tour operator A company that provides travel packages, either to travel agents or directly to customers.

transient consumer market Travelers.

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travel agent discount A room rate discount offered to travel agents for their personal use.

understay Describes a room in which the guest checked out before they were scheduled.

upgrade Sell a guest a room with additional features or amenities (and usually a higher price).

upper tier upper tier

vacant (V) Describes a room that was not occupied the night before and is ready to be rented.

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vacant and ready (V/R) Describes a room that the guest has checked out of and the housekeeping staff has cleaned.

valet service A laundry service offered to hotel guests.

waiter or waitress The person who provides table or counter service to customers in a restaurant.

walk-in Someone who wants to stay in a lodging, but does not have a reservation.

yield management A pricing strategy in which the price of rooms is adjusted based on consumer demand, rising in periods of peak demand and falling in the "slow season."

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youth camp A camp, usually open in the summer and operated by an organization such as the YMCA, where children spend a set period of time learning activities in a relatively primitive setting.