Takeout Proves to be Strong Source of Revenue

Providing your consumers with the option for takeout could bring increased sales to your restaurant. A recent Technomic survey indicates that 57% of consumers recently surveyed say they purchase takeout once a week or more. Of those consumers who purchased takeout, 60% said that if they had not done so on that occasion they would most likely have made food at home and not purchased from a foodservice operator.

Takeout provides an effortless dining option for consumers focused primarily on convenience.

Creating Healthy Kid’s Meals

Healthy children’s faire seems to be on everyone’s minds these days, from meals prepared at home to school cafeterias to restaurants. Kids are notorious for being picky eaters, making it difficult to tempt their tiny palates with simply a plate of vegetables. However with a little creativity many meals can be made-over to be lower in calories and fat, without skimping too much on the tastes kids crave.

Did you know that Serv-U has an entire department on their website dedicated to school supplies? Visit our school supplies department to find everything you need to create healthy, fresh and flavorful meals in your school’s cafeteria.

What is your school or restaurant doing to ensure that children receive meals that encourage dietary variety and balance?

Stock-up for Fall

The fall season is upon us and to me that means cool, crisp weather, trees with beautifully colored leaves, trips to the local orchard for apples and pumpkins, tailgates and football games and evenings outside by the fire.

Make sure you are ready for this season by stocking up on a few restaurant equipment and restaurant supply items from Serv-U. Serv-U’s concession equipment and concession supply department has everything you need to stock the concession stand at your local school or park district. From popcorn poppers, to hot dog cookers, to nacho chip warmers – Serv-U can help you find the right concession equipment for you needs.

Don’t forget to pick up an insulated beverage warmer for seasonal beverages like hot apple cider or pumpkin spice coffee. Serv-U also has bakeware and pastry supplies for baking apple and pumpkin pies. 

It’s back to school time! At ServU-Online, you will find a large selection of School Supplies, and we even created a specific department on our website just for schools.

Inside of our School Supplies category, you will find items such as cafeteria supplies, concession stand supplies, disposables, food prep supplies, food storage, hot food equipment, janitorial supplies, pots and pans, serving line supplies and ware washing products.

Please call us at 1-866-817-3788 to speak to a sales representative with any questions.

Do You Have Enough Table Service?

Knowing how much restaurant glassware, bar glassware, china dinnerware and restaurant flatware to have on hand can be challenging. Fortunately Libbey Inc. has created a series of table service guides to help you estimate your needs.

Check out the links below to make sure you have enough table service for your restaurant or bar:

Libbey’s Bar Glassware Guide – http://www.libbey.com/content/view/101/181/

Libbey’s Restaurant Glassware Guide - http://www.libbey.com/content/view/102/182/

Libbey’s China Dinnerware Guide - http://www.libbey.com/content/view/103/184/

Libbey’s Flatware Guide - http://www.libbey.com/content/view/104/185/

Proper Handling of Glassware

Proper restaurant glassware handling can reduce breakage and damage. There are two primary types of damage to restaurant glassware – thermal shock and mechanical shock.

Thermal shock occurs when restaurant glassware experiences a sudden, drastic temperature change. Glass is known for holding temperature, and a rapid change in temperature can cause enough stress to result in breakage.

Mechanical shock in restaurant glassware occurs when a glass comes into contact with another object such as a spoon, a beer tap, another glass or a piece of china. This kind of contact can cause minuscule abrasions to your restaurant glassware, invisible to the eye, but over time these abrasions can cause permanent weakness to your restaurant glassware.

Below are some tips for extending the life of your restaurant glassware:

• Never pick up restaurant glassware in bouquets.
• Always use an ice scoop with your restaurant glassware. Never scoop ice with the glass itself.
• Never stack restaurant glassware.
• Before pouring a hot beverage into a glass, preheat the glass with hot water.
• Never let restaurant glassware come into contact with a beer tap.
• Always have an adequate back-up supply of restaurant glassware for rush periods.
• Avoid glass-to-glass contact, especially while stored in overhead glass racks.
• Always handle restaurant glassware gently.
• Be sure to inspect restaurant glassware often for abrasions, cracks and chips.
• Never put flatware into restaurant glassware.
• Never overload bus trays with restaurant glassware.
• Always remove each piece of restaurant glassware from bus trays one at a time.
• Always use correct dish racks for each type of restaurant glassware.

Sunshine and warmer weather mean that, for much of the country, outdoor dining season is about to begin! If you provide outdoor dining to your patrons, now is the time to get the deck, sidewalk, or patio in condition. Buying appropriate supplies to utilize your space can vastly increase your restaurant’s seating space and, if the weather plays along, your income for the summer. Serv-U offers the equipment and furnishings you need to transform your outdoor space into a seasonal money-maker.

To get your deck a summertime atmosphere, you will need furniture that is durable while giving a seasonal vibe. Our inventory includes a wide selection of outdoor seating in a variety of textures and weather resistant materials such as teak wood, melamine, polypropylene, aluminum and resin. These pieces are specifically designed and constructed to withstand the damaging effects of sunlight and moisture. Another popular choice is our wrought iron collection which can easily transition from outdoor to indoor use thanks to its versatile design aesthetic.

To shield your customers from the hot summer rays, a market umbrella may be a wise investment. Portable patio fencing is another option to consider for customer comfort. Bordering your patio can create a more private and secure dining experience in the open air environment.

Flow pattern and space considerations that were important to the design of your indoor dining area are still important to outdoor areas, however you may have more flexibility to experiment. Use the spring season to figure out what works. Opening up your outdoor space early pays off when customers are seeking destinations to dine in the early spring sunshine!

You are probably aware that stainless steel restaurant equipment is high quality, but do you know why?

Stainless steel is an iron-carbon alloy with at least 10.5% chromium content. Stainless steel does not stain, corrode or rust as easily as ordinary steel because of its chromium content. Oxygen reacts with the chromium to form a tough, invisible layer of film on the steel surface that gives the metal durability. If you care for your stainless steel restaurant equipment properly, it can last for many years, making it a great investment for operators.

Another key to the value of stainless steel is the ease of sanitizing this metal. Cleanliness is essential to every foodservice operation so investing in metal that does not have pores or cracks that can hold bacteria, grime and dirt makes sense. Serv-U sells special stainless steel wipes for optimum polish and protection.

Now you are clear on the benefits, but do you know what the terms 18/10 and 18/8 mean?

Understanding is key to buying the right grade of stainless! These grades specify the amount of chrome and nickel in a stainless steel alloy. Chrome is an important ingredient for resistance to corrosion, while nickel gives stainless the soft, silver-like luster for which it is known. 18/10 means the metal is 18% chrome and 10% nickel. 18/8 has approximately 18% chrome and 8% nickel. Weight is judged by the gauge or thickness of the metal. For example, 18/10 and 18/8 stainless are the highest quality premium flatware lines.

With this knowledge you can shop with confidence for kitchen appliances, cooking equipment and table top items, knowing that stainless steel is a high quality investment.

Infants and restaurants don’t always mix, but by making your restaurant baby-friendly, you can please parents and their little ones. Having appropriate seating for the children visiting your establishment is crucial. In today’s economic environment, many families are less inclined to foot the bill for a babysitter, but you can still encourage customers to dine out. Increase your profits by being accommodating to patrons who are parents.

Whether it is a high chair, infant carrier stands, or booster seat, making your youngest customers comfortable will put parents at ease. Keeping the kids happy in their seats also has an added benefit—preventing them from roaming around the restaurant. Parents and other diners are sure to enjoy their visit more if children stay in their seats. Proper seating also benefits the wait staff, by allowing them to service a table more efficiently.

Without the availability of youth seating, parents are forced to place car seats on the floor which can block access to the table or aisle areas. One unsafe solution seen in some restaurants is placing infant carriers in overturned high chairs—this places your youngest customers in great danger! Instead, consider purchasing an infant carrier stand. Parents can place their infant seat on the secure base, rather than risking a wobbly high chair or cluttering the floor. The possibility of customers and staff tripping is eliminated.

Beyond efficiency and customer satisfaction, appropriate child seating also has the advantage of making the environment safer. Children are protected when strapped into suitable chairs, rather than balanced on adult seats.

Investing in a range of child seating will pay off when your customers come to recognize your restaurant as a kid-friendly environment. Families are sure to frequent any location that has a seat at the table for their toddler.

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.