Term	Definition
F & B	See – Food & Beverage
Family Group	A family group is a type of classification group used to track the totals of specific menu items within a Major Group. If a major group has been defined as “beer”, examples of family group items may be domestic, imported, non-alcoholic, drafts, bottled, etc.
Fast Transaction	A sales transaction that is started by pressing a menu item key, rather that by using the 'Begin Check' function. A fast transaction is usually tendered immediately.Example: A cash bar atmosphere in which guests are required to pay for their drinks as they go.
FAT	File Allocation Tables (FAT) - File Allocation Table (FAT) An area on a hard disk or floppy disk where information is stored about the location of each piece of every file on the disk. A table that defines each cluster on a disk as free, or allocated to a file.
FIFO	First In First Out (FIFO) - A method of stock rotation whereby new stock is put behind stock already on the shelf, causing the older stock to be used first. Putting the date on products as they are received usually controls this.
File Allocation Table (FAT)	File Allocation Table (FAT) An area on a hard disk or floppy disk where information is stored about the location of each piece of every file on the disk. A table that defines each cluster on a disk as free, or allocated to a file.
Fire Item(s)	Allows an operator to send any orders that were “on hold” in the computer system at any time they wish. Also See – Hold Item(s).Refers to menu item orders being sent to the remote devices when a check is service totaled.
First In-First Out (FIFO)	A method of stock rotation whereby new stock is put behind stock already on the shelf, causing the older stock to be used first. Putting the date on products as they are received usually controls this.
Fixed Assets	An establishment’s property and/or equipment that have an estimated useful life of longer than a year and, therefore, is subject to depreciation.
Fixed Disk	See – Hard Disk.
Fixed Price Meals	A menu item that usually includes several courses of food items for one, preset price
Floating Cashier	A type of cashier which is able to settle guest checks and bank money for multiple outlets from one cashier terminal.
Floor Limit	The highest possible amount the bank will allow the merchant to accept a charge payment for without getting authorization from the bank first.
FOH	Front of the House (FOH) - The physical area of a restaurant normally seen by the guest. Usually consists of the Bar, Dining Room, Restroom and Phone areas, and Wait Staff Service Stations.
Food & Beverage (F & B)	Food & Beverage tracking system.The Food & Beverage accounting package helps large restaurants track and control their food costs.
Food Auction	This is when a server has to ask the guest who ordered what items. Some restaurants feel that the food auctioning should be avoided in the interest of good service. This is possible by using seat numbers.
Food Cost	The percentage of an establishment’s total gross food sales, that is used to purchase inventory. The formula for calculating this the food cost is: Beginning inventory (or last inventory) dollar amount, plus purchases since last inventory in dollars, minus new inventory (the one you are doing now) in dollars, equals the amount of dollars spent on food items between your last inventory and today’s inventory. This dollar amount divided into the total gross food sales accumulated by the establishment over the same period gives the food cost percentage.Example: Robert’s last inventory showed that he had $10,000.00 worth of food related products. Since, he has purchased $4,000.00 of product, and today’s inventory is showing that he has $4,000.00 worth of food related products. His food cost dollars are, therefore, $10,000.00. In other words, for this time period, the restaurant has spent $10,000.00 of it’s total food sales on purchasing food related products. Since his last inventory, the restaurant has done about $30,000.00 in total food sales. By dividing $10,000.00 by $30,000.00, Robert knows that his food cost percentage is 33%. So for this period, the restaurant has spent 33% of all it’s food sales on the purchase of food related products.
Front of the House (FOH)	The physical area of a restaurant normally seen by the guest. Usually consists of the Bar, Dining Room, Restroom and Phone areas, and Wait Staff Service Stations.