Prepare for the DECA Principles of Hospitality and Tourism exam with these practice questions and answers. This guide covers hospitality principles, customer service, and industry operations.
Q: amenity
Answer: hotel products and services designed to appeal to guest
Q: Americans with Disabilities Act
Answer: A federal law that governs civil rights protection including equal opportunities for disabled individuals in public accommodations
Q: average daily rate
Answer: the average selling price of all guest rooms for a given time period of time; Total Room Revenue / Total Rooms of Rooms
Q: back of house
Answer: refers to employees and/or departments who have limited contact with guests
Q: banquet
Answer: a food and beverage event in which all or some guests are served from a pre-selected menu
Q: Bed and Breakfast (B&B)
Answer: small properties owned and/or operated by person(s) who live at the location. One daily meal is often included in amenities
Q: Bell Stand
Answer: location where a guest can locate a bell person who will escort the guest and his/her luggage to his/her room
Q: Budget Hotels (Economy)
Answer: offer low priced guest rooms including limited amenities (ex: coffee or complimentary breakfast)
Q: buser
Answer: an employee who is responsible for clearing silverware, glassware and dishware for guests
Q: call ahead seating
Answer: a process that allows guest to put their name and number in the party on a wait list,so that when they arrive, they are already “in-line”
Q: casual service restaurant
Answer: a mid-scale or moderately priced restaurant that offers a full menu often with an ethnic theme or environment
Q: concierge
Answer: employee in a full service hotel responsible for providing guests with information local dining and attractions as well as assisting with guest requests
Q: conference center
Answer: a property that is designed for the needs of meeting for groups of 25-75 people
Q: food service contracts
Answer: agreements between meal providers and clients including public entities and private individuals
Q: Convection and Visitors Bureau (CVB)
Answer: an organization whose purpose is to increase the numbers of visitors to the areas they represent
Q: cruise
Answer: a voyage on a ship, typically for pleasure with stops at various ports
Q: emergency action plan
Answer: a formal document that an organization is required to have and which must be displayed at every job site with a certain number of employees (usually ten). The plans details step-by-step procedures to follow in emergencies such as fire, chemical skills, or a major accident
Q: executive chef
Answer: head of the house
Q: frequent traveler program
Answer: a program developed to reward a guest with free room nights, frequent flyer miles, and/or other awards as an incentive to book rooms at a property within the band
Q: front of house
Answer: employees and/ or departments who direct contact with guests
Q: full service hotel
Answer: a hotel that provides guests with extensive food and beverage products and services
Q: hostel
Answer: an establishment that provides inexpensive food and lodging for a specific group of people, such as students, workers, or travelers
Q: housekeeping
Answer: the department responsible for cleaning guest rooms
Q: layover
Answer: time spent by a passenger at an intermediate point while waiting for a connecting flight or other form of travel
Q: limited service hotel
Answer: a hotel without restaurant or banquet facilities
Q: Maitre ‘d hotel
Answer: the head waiter
Q: master accountant
Answer: the folio established by a hotel property that allows pre-approved charges by a meeting sponsor rather than individual incurring the charge
Q: night audit
Answer: the process of verifying and balancing the guests accounts
Q: off-peck
Answer: occurring or offered during a low demand period
Q: overbooking
Answer: a strategy in hotel and airline industry of booking 5-15% more rooms/ seats than are available in order to alleviate the loss of revenue from consumers who make reservations but who do not arrive
Q: per diem
Answer: a fixed amount per day that a traveler will be reimbursed for a hotel and/or meals. The amount is determined by the travelers employer and can change depending on location or other company properties
Q: quick service restaurant (QSR)
Answer: an operation with a limited menu and service at low prices
Q: recreation
Answer: activities that revitalize one’s mind and body away from work
Q: request for proposal (RFP)
Answer: document that incorporates the organizations needs for food services with detailed specifications. The objective is to define the needs for prospective bidders so they can develop estimates and proposal responses
Q: reservation
Answer: customers concluded arrangement with a goods or services supplier representing a completed sale
Q: resort
Answer: a full service hotel with additional recreation and entertainment that make it a primary destination for travelers
Q: rider (contract)
Answer: an amendment attached to a contract to modify it to avoid drafting the original document. In entertainment contracts, this specifies the needs for performer equipment, meals and drinks
Q: room service
Answer: food and beverage products served to guests in their rooms. Also can be defined as cleaning of a guest room and resupplying materials by the housekeeping staff
Q: safe deposit
Answer: strong container maintained in the vault area of a bank and rented to bank customers for safekeeping of valuables. Hotels often have safe deposit boxes available for guest use as well
Q: servers
Answer: employees who transfer food and beverages to guests
Q: timeshare
Answer: a lodging property that sells its room to guest for use during a specific time period each year
Q: tour operator
Answer: an agency that sells tour packages to groups of tourists an usually provides an escort for the tour
Q: turn-down service
Answer: hotel service in which a room is cleaned and refreshed, and bed linen is turned down for sleeping, usually during a period a guest is not the hotel room
Q: valet
Answer: a person employed to park cars