How to Choose the Perfect Dinnerware for Your Restaurant

The plates and bowls you choose for your restaurant are so much more than holders for food. Everything from their perception of your brand down to exactly how much they'll enjoy your dishes affects each little thing your guests do. Good dinnerware can make a simple meal a memorable meal. In this guide, we have discussed what matters in choosing the perfect dinnerware for your restaurant. You will come to know how you will make such choices that are going to please both your customers and your business.

Dinnerware as a Functional Tool

Your dinnerware needs to be functional, not just pretty. Here's what to consider when choosing plates and bowls:

Durability

Restaurant dishes are put through a high volume of use-they get stacked, carried, heated, and washed continuously. They need to be resilient for such tasks. Make sure that your choice is chip- or scratch-resistant; for instance, good-quality porcelain. These items might be more expensive at the outset, but they will not need to be replaced as frequently.

Also, check whether the dishes are resistant to rapid changes in temperature. This becomes important if you are serving dishes that undergo extreme temperature fluctuations-from hot to cold, or vice versa-end.

Easy to Clean

Clean dishes are a must. Find dishes that have flat surfaces and lack depressions where food can get stuck. This will make them easier to clean.

Most restaurants favor dishwasher-safe dishes. They save time and will become highly clean. If you are going to wash some dishes by hand, keep in mind how this can be quite time-consuming and labor-intensive.

Right Size and Shape

Your dishes should fit your food. A plate that is too small for food can make the food appear too big. A plate that is too large makes the food seem minuscule.

Here are some common sizes:

• Main dish plates: 9 to 11 inches across

• Salad plates: 7 to 8 inches

• Soup bowls: hold 8 to 16 ounces

The shape of your dishes can make your food look better too.

Easy to Stack

Most kitchens do not have room to waste. Dishes that stack well save space and are easier for your staff to use. Look for designs that stack securely without wasting too much space.

Dinnerware as a Marketing Tool

Your plates and bowls can do more than just carry food. In fact, they can promote your establishment themselves.

Matching Your Restaurant's Style

Your dishes and bowls should match your restaurant style. A high end restaurant would be white plates with gold rim. A casual cafe could have colored mismatched dishes. Farm to table may use rustic plates. Having dishes that match the style of your restaurant will make it so the customer has an overall good experience.

Making Food Look Good

A nice plate elevates the look of food. A lighter-colored plate tends to make the colors in the food pop. Shapes can enhance presentation in giving certain foods a specific shape. Size is another factor as well, too large of a plate make the food look less than desirable. The more pleasing the food looks, the happier the customer will be and more than likely share images on their personal social media platforms.

Special Dishes for Popular Foods

If you have some famous dish, you may use special plates for serving it. It could make the dish more memorable. That's a very easy way to make your restaurant a bit different from others.

Helping with Social Media

Many people take photos of food for social media services. Nice plates can improve the look of such photos. And if your customers are ready to share these photos, that means free ads for your restaurant. This can help bring new customers in.

Your dinnerware is part of the image of your restaurant. Make sure you choose dishes that will present your food well and go along with the style of your restaurant.

Sustainable Dinnerware Choices

Restaurants also have the ability to make a positive environmental impact with their dinnerware choice. Smart decisions in this area can reduce waste but also help attract customers who appreciate sustainability.

Eco-Friendly Materials

When ordering dinnerware consider eco-friendly materials. Porcelain and stoneware are very resilient and long-lasting thus reducing waste. These products are most of the time produced from natural ingredients and can be recycled. Sometimes restaurants also use bamboo or palm leaf plates, which are renewable resources.

Green Options for Takeout

If you offer takeout, seek out greener-for-the-planet disposable containers. Compostable and biodegradable types decompose far more quickly than plastic. Some are made from plant-based materials such as corn or sugarcane. Such options can help lessen plastic waste, and perhaps entice customers who care about the Earth.

Appealing to Eco-Minded Customers

Many of today's consumers are aware of and concerned about the environment. Providing eco-friendly dinnerware would be a plus for this consumer segment. You can also promote your green choices by including it in your menu or website. Some restaurants go as far as gaining certification as green businesses. This can make a person just feel good about dining at your establishment.

Practical Aspects of Choosing Dinnerware

Choosing the right dinnerware involves more than just appearance. There are quite a few practical issues that may affect not only your restaurant operation but also your customers' comfort.

Weight of the Dishes

The weight of your plates and bowls is a consideration to be sure for both servers and diners alike. Plates and bowls that are too heavy will quickly wear down your staff, while very light dishes may feel cheap to your customer. You'll want to find a middle ground that feels substantial, yet not burdensome.

Safe for Ovens and Dishwashers

Check if your dinnerware is oven and dishwasher-safe. Oven-safe dishes allow you to heat food right on the plate. It is useful for some kinds of dishes. Plates that are safe to put in the dishwasher make cleaning easier and faster. This can help ease the running of your kitchen.

Easy to Stack and Store

Plates and bowls that are excellent for stacking to save space in your kitchen will not fall and break easily. Design your plates and bowls to have a stable bottom and rim that would give them secured stacking, enabling you to keep your storage area organized and reduce breakage.

Types of Plates for Different Dishes

Different dishes often require different types of plates. Having an appropriate assortment of plates will allow you to present the food the way that it should be.

Flat Plates

These are your basic, all-purpose plates. They suit most main courses very well and are good for neat, organized displays of food. Flat plates come in different sizes for various portion sizes.

Soup Plates

Soup plates take the form of wide shallow bowls. You don't have to serve soup on them, but they will also be good for dishes served with sauces and foods that would run all over the plate if you use a flat plate. This can add some visual appeal to your presentation.

Pizza Plates

Pizza plates should be large and of a round shape. This is because of giving enough room for the pizza and sometimes a side salad or even dipping sauces. Some of the plates used for pizzas have a raised edge to prevent toppings from falling off of the plate.

Pasta Plates

The pasta plates are wide and usually come with a depression in the middle. It is ideal for curling long pasta and even keeping sauce in its place. These can also serve salads and some desserts.

Steak Plates

Oval plates with a large, flat surface work best for steaks. They offer ample space for the meat, sides, and sauce. The shape helps make it easier for your customers to cut their steak without running out of room.

Burger Plates

Square or rectangular plates go great with burgers and sandwiches. They provide room for the burger, fries, and any extras that can come with it, like coleslaw or pickle spears.

Pick the Dinnerware for Your Restaurant!

There are so many things to consider when selecting plates and bowls for your establishment. From a functional standpoint, the dinnerware selected may affect the presentation of your food, the efficiency of your crew, and the perception of your brand. Dinnerware could reflect well on food presentation, support a restaurant brand, or even contribute to an environmentally friendly ambiance. Think about the material to be used, how the dishes look, whether they are easy to use, and whether they are good for the planet. The right choice will make your restaurant differ and work effectively. Take due time while choosing your dinnerware-this little thing can at times create a huge difference.