Glossary
Restaurant glossary
Plain-language definitions of the terms you hear every day on the floor and in the kitchen. Short, clear, with a worked example — and a link to go deeper.
Allergens (EU Reg. 1169/2011)
EU Reg. 1169/2011 requires restaurants to inform guests about allergens in dishes. Learn the 14 allergens and the legal obligations.
Average check
The average check is the average spend per guest or per table. Learn what it means, how to calculate it and how to raise it without raising prices.
Burnout in hospitality
Burnout is exhaustion from chronic work stress. Learn what it is in hospitality, how to spot it and why it fuels staff turnover.
Conversational search (AI booking)
Conversational search lets guests find and book a restaurant with natural language and AI. Learn what it is and why it's reshaping bookings in 2026.
Coperto (cover charge)
The coperto is a small fixed per-person charge Italian restaurants add to the bill. Learn what it covers, how much it costs and when it's legal.
Expediter (pass)
The expediter coordinates dishes at the pass between kitchen and floor. Learn what it is, what it does and why it's the control point of service.
Floor plan
A restaurant floor plan is the map of tables used to assign seats and run service. Learn what it means and why it matters for revenue.
Food cost
Food cost is the share of a dish's selling price taken up by ingredient costs. Learn what it means, how to calculate it and what it should be.
Food waste
Food waste is the food a restaurant buys or makes but doesn't sell. Learn what it is, how it hits margins, and how to cut it with reservation data.
Gen Z in hospitality
Gen Z is the generation now filling restaurant floors. Learn what they want from work and how it changes retention and staff management.
Guest CRM (guest profile)
A guest CRM stores preferences, history and notes on customers to personalise service. Learn what it is and how it turns data into hospitality.
Hospitality vs service
Service is doing things well; hospitality is how you make the guest feel. Discover the difference that separates a correct restaurant from a memorable one.
Inventory management
Inventory management is the control of a restaurant's stock. Learn what it is, why it drives food cost, and how it prevents waste and stockouts.
KDS (Kitchen Display System)
A KDS is the kitchen screen that receives and organises orders instead of paper tickets. Learn what it is, how it works and why it speeds up service.
Labour cost (%)
Labour cost is the share of revenue taken up by staff. Learn what it means, how to calculate it and how much it weighs in a restaurant.
Menu engineering
Menu engineering is the strategic design of a menu to maximise margins. Learn what it means and how it crosses popularity with profitability.
Mise en place
Mise en place is preparing everything needed before service. Learn what it means in the kitchen and on the floor, and why it's the base of smooth service.
No-show
A no-show is a guest who books a table and never turns up, without cancelling. Learn what it means, what it costs a restaurant and how to limit it.
Online booking widget
A booking widget lets guests reserve a table from the restaurant's website. Learn what it is and why it captures direct, commission-free bookings.
Overbooking
Overbooking means accepting more reservations than you have seats, betting on no-shows. Learn what it means, the risks and how to manage it.
Pay-at-table
Pay-at-table lets guests settle the bill from their phone, no waiting. Learn what it is and how it speeds up service.
Pre-shift briefing
A pre-shift briefing is the short floor meeting before service. Learn what it is, what it's for, and how to run it in 15 minutes without boring the team.
PWA (Progressive Web App)
A PWA is an app you install from the browser, no app store needed. Learn what it is and why a PWA restaurant system works like a native app.
QR menu (digital menu)
A QR menu is the digital menu a guest opens by scanning a QR code at the table. Learn what it is, the benefits and the limits to watch.
Real-time multi-device
Real-time multi-device means every change syncs instantly across all devices. Learn what it means for running the floor.
Reservation system (booking system)
A reservation system is the software that collects and organises a restaurant's bookings. Learn what it is, what it does and why it replaces the paper book.
Reserve with Google
Reserve with Google lets guests book a table straight from the restaurant's Google listing. Learn what it is and why it captures ready-to-book customers.
Revenue management (yield management)
Revenue management optimises income by managing price, capacity and demand over time. Learn what it means applied to a restaurant.
RevPASH
RevPASH (Revenue Per Available Seat Hour) measures the revenue each available seat generates per hour of service. Learn the formula with an example.
Service recovery
Service recovery is how a restaurant handles a mistake or complaint to win the guest back. Learn what it is and why it can build loyalty more than flawless service.
Staff retention
Retention is a restaurant's ability to keep its employees. Learn what it is, why it matters more than hiring, and how to improve it.
Staff turnover
Staff turnover is the rate at which employees leave and are replaced. Learn what it is, how to calculate it and why in hospitality it's a huge hidden cost.
Stay interview
A stay interview is a conversation with employees who stay to learn what keeps them. Learn what it is, how to do it and why it beats the exit interview.
Surprise & delight (memorable gesture)
Surprise & delight is the unexpected touch that turns a dinner into a memory. Learn what the memorable gesture is and how to apply it on the floor.
Table turnover
Table turnover measures how many times a table is reused in a service. Learn what it means, how to calculate it and why it matters.
Waitlist
A waitlist is the ordered list of guests waiting for a table. Learn what it means and how to manage it so you don't lose covers.
Walk-in
A walk-in is a guest who arrives without a reservation. Learn what it means, why it's valuable and how to manage it to fill your tables.
WhatsApp Business
WhatsApp Business is the professional version of WhatsApp for managing bookings and guests. Learn what it is and how it cuts no-shows and phone calls.
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