Informal service is a style of food and beverage service that is more relaxed and flexible, and requires less skill and training from the staff. This type of service is usually used in casual dining restaurants, cafes, pubs, or buffets, where guests are looking for a friendly and comfortable atmosphere. It can also vary in types such as self-service, counter service, or family style. Characteristics of informal service include staff wearing casual clothes and using informal language and gestures, guests choosing where to sit and having different servers throughout their visit, tables set with minimal utensils, glasses, and plates for the main course and beverage, food served in any order depending on availability and preference of the guests from any side of the guest, beverages served by the same server who brings the food with guests able to refill their own drinks, staff clearing the table only when asked by the guests or when they are finished, staff being friendly and helpful but not intrusive, and responding to the guests' requests.