frontofhouse

Frontofhouse, usually written as front of house or FOH and abbreviated as FOH, is a term used in live performance venues, cinemas, and hospitality to describe the parts of an operation that are accessible to and interacted with by the public. It sits opposite the back of house (BOH), which covers production, kitchen, offices, and other areas not ordinarily seen by customers. The FOH is tasked with guest experience, service delivery, and information.

In theatres and live venues, FOH includes the lobby, box office, ticketing, concessions, restrooms, ushers, cloakroom, and the general area where staff manage seating and audience flow. The front-of-house staff operate under a house manager or FOH supervisor, who oversees safety, accessibility accommodations, audience services, and handling emergencies.

In hospitality and dining, FOH encompasses the dining room, bar, host/hostess station, servers, bussers, bartenders, runners, and FOH managers. They coordinate reservations, seating, service style, guest relations, and communication with the back of house to ensure timely, accurate service and a consistent guest experience.

Common FOH responsibilities include welcoming guests, guiding seating, answering questions, processing payments, maintaining public areas, enforcing safety and accessibility standards, and ensuring brand or venue service standards. Roles and titles vary by industry but share the goal of optimizing customer experience and workflow between guests and the organization’s backstage operations.