[Excerpt] Much like the "hard sciences," hospitality laboratory-based education is a frequently required component of academic programs due to the applied nature of the concepts taught. Laboratory courses in hospitality education are typically designed around foodservice based activities, such as operating a restaurant or components there of; lodging-based activities, such as running a front desk or housekeeping department; or gaming-based activities, such as running games and entertainment processes in a casino. While the activities mentioned above may not be present in all hospitality programs, it safe to say that the majority of well-rounded hospitality education programs offer some form of laboratory instruction consistent with their educational mission and specialty. In this investigation foodservice laboratories will be used as a frame of reference and focal point to examine team interaction. It is likely that these concepts could be applied equally well in a number of laboratory settings both in and outside hospitality education.