Durability is one of the biggest issues in the food service industry. Whether catering, bartending or serving, the goal is an attractive presentation for your customer that can’t be broken in transport or storage. The solution to your durability dilemma? Stock up on plastic restaurant supplies.

The foodservice industry has made huge advances in plastic serveware—specifically Melamine, SAN and Polycarbonate. All three materials have unique pros and cons, but the most distinct is cost. Both SAN and Polycarbonate have a petrochemical base, Melamine does not. All three varieties are completely dishwasher safe, but won’t stand up to liquid chlorine bleach or abrasive scouring pads. Regular commercial dishwashing detergent or sanitizer easily cleans your plastic restaurant supplies.

The trend towards plastic drinkware is popular in pool, lake and beach settings, but equally appealing for your average bar or nightclub. Plastic is less of a liability than glass. Plastic pitchers, for instance, are just as attractive as their glass counterpart, but more durable. When your customers are pouring from plastic pitchers, you increase your profits by cutting your overhead equipment costs.

When it comes to storage of your plastic restaurant supplies, plastic tumblers can be stacked without worrying about chips or cracks. A rack of plastic plates won’t weigh you down the way that china, ceramic or glass will.

Plastic restaurant supplies aren’t limited to dinner and drinkware. Crocks and larger serving pieces are also available in Polycarbonate and Melamine. Plastic is a natural insulator for cold foods and also has excellent thermal properties. Though no plastic material can withstand an oven, most varieties are safe for the microwave.

When you need something completely unbreakable, cost effective and attractive, plastic restaurant supplies are the perfect option.

When it comes to saving energy in a restaurant, how your restaurant uses and maintains its restaurant equipment and restaurant supplies can be just as important as what type of restaurant equipment you use. Buying and using an energy-efficient oven, for example, is undoubtedly a good starting point and could trim hundreds of dollars from your annual utility bills—but saving the most energy and money will require energy efficient restaurant equipment along with good energy practices.

1. Cut idle time. Do you really need to leave all of your restaurant equipment on, or on standby, all of the time? Leaving appliances on standby costs you money, so implement a startup/ shutdown plan to make sure you’re using only the equipment that you need, when you need it. The savings can be substantial.

2. Cook wisely. Ovens tend to be more efficient than rotisseries; griddles tend to be more efficient than broilers. Review your menu and cooking methods to find ways to rely on your more efficient pieces of restaurant equipment.

3. Maintain and repair. Everyday wear and tear can quickly drive up your energy bills. A leaky gasket, clogged burner or loose oven-door hinge may not waste much energy on their own, but combine all three together and suddenly the waste is significant. Stop waste by staying on top of repairs.

4. Recalibrate to stay efficient. Over time and use the performance of your restaurant equipment will degrade. Thermostats and control systems can fail or fall out of calibration. Take the time to do an occasional thermostat check and recalibrate as necessary to ensure that you’re cooking at the right temperature. Repair or replace broken control panels on ovens, steamers, and other pieces of restaurant equipment that feature control systems.

5. Check pilot lights. Older gas-burning restaurant equipment typically feature pilot lights, which require a constant stream of gas to stay lit. Check pilot flames occasionally to make sure you’re using only as much gas as you need. A quick visual inspection is enough to tell if your pilot lights are over-fired. An over-fired pilot will have a tall yellow flame instead of a blue bullet shaped flame. If you do find that you’re pilot light is over-fired, you’ll want to adjust the pilot light back to a blue bullet shaped flame.

6. Buy energy-efficient restaurant equipment. Inefficient appliances increase your energy expenses in two different ways by having higher operating costs along generating more heat. This additional heat generated by an inefficient appliance forces the air-conditioning system of a restaurant work harder to maintain proper air temperature.

7. Buy with capacity in mind. Evaluate your food production needs and try to buy restaurant equipment that matches your needs on a pounds-per-hour basis. Oversized appliances can quickly cut a restaurant’s profits via higher capital costs as well as increased operating costs. An oversized appliance may be energy efficient but still cost additional money as you are basically paying to heat up the extra production capacity of the unit that you’ll never use.

Want to learn more about how Serv-U can help make your restaurant more energy-efficient? Be sure to visit the Energy Star section of our website or feel free to contact us via phone at 800-797-3788 or click the picture of the customer service representative at the top left corner of each page of the site to launch a live chat.

Crush, cubed or shaved, ice is a crucial part of any foodservice operation. Commercial ice machines work overtime to produce the best results, keeping your customers’ glasses chilled and fresh food iced. The best thing you can do to ensure reliable performance is to pay attention to the maintenance needs of your ice machine.

Controlling the temperature of the water flowing into ice-making equipment is crucial. The lower the water temperature, the greater the ice-making capacity of your machine will be. Generally, temperatures should never exceed 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Remember that drinking water must be used when making ice for consumption or food chilling and ice that is used to chill food or beverages should never be used as an ingredient.

Commercial ice machines require regular cleaning. You can save yourself some work by purchasing a model with Pure Ice antimicrobial protection built in to prevent bacteria and slime fungus growth. Frequently check your ice machine to make sure all wires are secure and keep the lines clean by purging them with water. A commercial ice machine cleaning solution will remove scale deposits from ice machines that use nickel or tin-plated evaporators.

Water filters that prevent mineral buildups, such as the Everpure water filter system, reduce the necessity for frequent cleanings. Taste can also be enhanced with the purchase of a filtration system that works to remove dirt, rust and sediment. The filter system also increases energy efficiency of your ice machine.

Ice should always be stored in a clean, sanitized bin. Over time the ice bin can absorb difficult-to-remove odors from the freezer. Serv-U recommends that you replace your ice bin whenever it seems to be transferring impurities to your cubes.

 Ice scoops can also be a culprit in making your ice impure. Store ice scoops outside of the ice machine in a protected holder. Serv-U offers a variety of ice scoops and scoop/holder combinations. Use the scoop to clear out your bin. Never let half frozen ice take up permanent residence in your ice bin!

Remember that cleaning out ice machines is a time-consuming task that requires the storage bin to be emptied. Foodservice operators should make sure a service agency will properly handle this. With these safeguarding tips you can make your ice machine more efficient, requiring less frequent service. Practice regular maintenance to keep this crucial piece of restaurant equipment producing quality cubes!