So far in this eight part series on revamping the décor of your restaurant we’ve covered everything that goes on the table like linens, glassware, china, and flatware. So the next logical topic to cover is… you guessed it; the dining table.

Before we can talk specifics about table selection it is important to know what type of seating requirements are going to be needed for the dining area. There are several factors that have an influence on dining requirements, some that are controllable and some that are not.

One of the areas outside of management’s control is the influence of the economy and the changes in behavior it causes within patrons. Ask any restaurant owner how the economy has affected their business and I’m sure they’ll say the same basic thing; people are not dining out as much as they used to and are entertaining guests at home rather than going out for dinner. However, in recent months there as been a growing trend toward dining out in large parties for special occasions like a birthday or anniversary. This trend requires restaurants to be able to accommodate larger parties more frequently than they may have in the past and part of that accommodation is having the ability to arrange for a large enough table.

An example of an influence that is completely within the control of the restaurant is the menu selection. What does the menu have to do with seating you ask? Different types of menus require different types of table space. Take for example an ethnic menu that requires the use of several large platters along with a plate for each diner, a regular table for two might not be big enough and make the diner feel crowded and uncomfortable while dining. To ensure that the diner has a pleasant experience a larger table than normal is in order.

Now that we’ve covered some of the influences that need to be considered let’s look at some of the solutions. For restaurants that frequently have large parties it is somewhat impractical to rearrange the dining area by pushing together several table tops. Enter the drop leaf table, with the ability to be reconfigured for additional dinners. This table makes perfect sense for restaurants with the space and need for them. Throw a linen table cloth over the top and you’ve got a beautiful dining area that is a combination of form and function.

However, maybe pushing tables together for larger parties works for the dinning area in question; then perhaps a laminated tabletop with a wood edge should be considered. This type of table offers many benefits to the restaurant owner because it is easy to clean and durable to wear.

Finally, one simply can not talk about table tops without talking about the solid wood table top. With a natural finish and availability in many different sizes, this beauty works great in a range of applications from a contemporary setting to a steak house. Featuring an inch and a half thick ash wood construction, these tables are finished in a catalyzed commercial grade medium gloss sealant for a final product that can hold up to the wear and tear of a busy restaurant.

If you have questions regarding the different table options available here at Serv-U, 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 and one of our customer support staff will be happy to answer all of your questions.

Next time we’re going to move on and start talking about chairs, so be sure to check back for the seventh installment of our series on revamping the décor of your restaurant.

Welcome back to the Serv-U eight part series on refreshing the décor of your restaurant. In part five, we’ll be covering linens. If you were to do an exit survey on your patrons, what do you think they would say was the most memorable aspect of their dining experience? It is a safe bet that not one single customer is going to say that it was the napkin. Linens are one of those items that nobody really pays attention to, but helps establish the ambience of the restaurant and can turn an ordinary dining experience into an extraordinary one.

At the high-end scale of restaurants, linen is a staple and almost demanded. However, at the mid-level where patrons don’t expect to find linen it helps to move the patron’s opinion of the establishment up a peg. It’s one of those finer touches that they’ll remember, but doesn’t take center stage.

Normally, when one thinks of restaurant linens they immediately see crisp white napkins and tablecloths. However, many interior decorators are shifting to an unobtrusive color palette that matches and enhances the décor of the entire restaurant. Now it should be noted that the crisp white linens could be just the thing to enhance the overall décor but if it is not, there is a wide range of color choices to choose from.

With all the color choices available the desire to mix several different colors of table linen can start to creep into the mind. While it may sound like a good idea to jazz up the look of a dinning area, it is generally not as the space becomes too busy. A better approach to establishing contrast would be to use one color of table linen and a different color napkin or use the color in your china to establish contrast.

An alternate option to linen table clothes would be a vinyl table cloth. While a vinyl table cloth doesn’t have quite the same level of refinement as a linen one, it can still be a quick way to refresh your restaurant. The same rules for color and style that apply to linen also apply for the vinyl counterpart.

Look around the linens and vinyl tablecloth sections of Serv-U and you’ll be sure to find the perfect thing to refresh your restaurant’s décor. If you have addition questions, 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.

Now that we’ve touched on the linens, next time we’ll cover tables.

So now that you’ve got your new dinnerware sitting on the table it is time to move on and bring the flatware in line with the rest of the décor revamp that we’ve been talking about. As with most of the topics we’ve covered in this series, we could talk for weeks about flatware and still not even scratched the surface of what goes into flatware, so let’s talk about the key points regarding flatware that you’ll need to know when choosing a set to go along with your dinnerware.

The first step in understanding flatware is to understand the nickel finish, how it is noted, and what means for you as a restaurant. Stainless Steel flatware is listed as being 18/0, 18/8, or 18/10. The eighteen denotes the metal content while the second number denotes the amount of nickel in each piece; the higher the amount of nickel the brighter the finish is going to be. So an 18/10 piece is going to have a better luster on the finish than an 18/8, and that 18/8 in turn will have a better shine than an 18/0. So more nickel is better right? The answer is, “maybe”. First, if your restaurant is currently using a flatware retrieval system the 18/10 and 18/8 flatware will fly right by the magnet since nickel is non-magnetic. In this application a heavier, high-end 18/0 will be the better solution. Second, nickel is much more expensive than iron so the high nickel content 18/10 and 18/8 is more expensive.

Just as we discussed previously with dinnerware, the object of choosing flatware is to find a set that complements the rest of your décor and lands in that sweet spot between not being over bearing or being so mismatched to the rest of the set that it breaks the flow of your décor. A good set of flatware will also be sized appropriately to the dinnerware that it will be used with. What this means is if you have wide rimmed plates that are fairly large, you want to pick a flatware that looks like it matches in size. The opposite is also true, if you have smaller plates, you will want to have flatware that doesn’t look oversized when sitting next to the dinnerware.

Another item that will factor into your choice will be the weight of the flatware and the style of restaurant you are trying to portray. A fast casual restaurant can use a medium weight fork or knife and the customer will accept that since the meal cost $10. If you have a steakhouse or finer dining, the customer will need a heavier fork and maybe some specialty pieces or a steak knife. Imagine cutting into a 1 ½” ribeye medium temperature with a dull knife and flimsy fork. The customer will perceive the steak as tough rather than the tools are inappropriate. A sharp knife and substantial fork will improve the customer’s perception of the steak.

We’ve covered size and weight, now we’re going to touch on style. When you look at different styles of flatware you are going to want to look for something that complements the dinnerware that you’ve already picked out. A general rule of thumb is to use more ornate flatware with simple dinnerware designs and use cleaner lines with more ornate dinnerware so they don’t compete. A piece of flatware with a nice architectural band on the handle will blend in well with many of the dinnerware suggestions we made in our previous installments, as it has nice clean lines, doesn’t overpower the setting, and generally appears contemporary in terms of design style. Another contemporary example would be something with a flowing form and a sleek appearance like this piece from Onedia. Browse around the flatware sections here at Serv-U and you’ll be sure to find a flatware style that fits into the over all décor plan of your restaurant.

If you have addition questions, 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.

In part five of our eight part series we’ll cover linens.

In our previous two sections we discussed specialty and quality glassware and their benefits to our restaurant refresh project. Now, lets move on to dinnerware. What does your dinnerware say about your restaurant? If you answered; “Nothing, it’s just how I get to the food to the customer” you may be missing huge opportunity. Dinning is as much about atmosphere as it is about service & quality food, your dinnerware can be a huge part in that.

So let’s look at some options on how to take those standard white round plates and update those with a fresh new look. You’ve heard the expression that green is the new black? Well in the restaurant world square is the new round. In recent years the trend of square dinnerware has exploded onto the restaurant scene. Personally, I believe this has a lot to do with the fact that Asian and sushi style foods have been absorbed into the popular American culture. Take a look at some of the large restaurants chains, there has been a clear move toward the square plate in recent years. I know what you’re saying, “I don’t want to be like a chain restaurant”. Which is a very valid thing to say, but chains do have large market research budgets so it won’t hurt to let them do a little bit of the research legwork for you.

However, if you want to go completely different perhaps something a little wild is in order. Triangle dinnerware can really spice up the feel of your décor, but there is a down side as it can possibly become and over-powering design element. The goal you want to hit is a dinnerware that gets noticed but also doesn’t become the center of attention. Now the triangle style may fit right into that goal, but you’ll need to give it some careful thought as the line between over-powering and just right can be a bit of a grey area.

So what happens if you don’t want a square or triangle style dinnerware, you just want to update the look of your standard white round dinnerware that you currently use? The answer here is to add a splash of color. By selecting a dinnerware with a colored trim, you can easily achieve the balance between refreshing but not over-powering.

Now after all this you still have your heart set on a set of white dinnerware, then I would suggest that you look at different rim styles. The rim choice along on a piece of dinnerware can drastically alter the perception of the customer. A rim can make portions look bigger, allow your chef more options for presentation, or a host of other things.

Serv-U has a large selection of dinnerware to help you refresh the décor of your restaurant. If you have addition questions, 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.

Be sure to check back for part four of eight in our easy ways to refresh the look of your restaurant series where we’ll cover flatware.

In our last blog we talked about specialty glassware and its benefits. Now let’s take a peek at the top shelf and see what we can do there. So what is it that a customer expects when ordering top shelf liquor? I can tell you for sure that it isn’t a Dixie cup.  

Your choice in glassware can add that final touch to your bar drinks that increase a customer’s enjoyment and keep them coming back for more. For instance, when choosing glassware for beer you’ll want to decide if you would like an increased perceived value in a mug where there appears to be a larger amount of beer due to the way the base is shaped, or would you rather have an hourglass pilsner that allows for a larger head. Restaurant guru tip: always make sure you account for the head when choosing glass size.

When it comes to wine glasses there is not only the visual appeal of the glass to consider but also what type of rim is on the glass. Talk to any wine connoisseur about the importance of the rim on a wine glass and you’ll most likely end up in a conversation about the advantages of a sheered rim glass. A sheered rim won’t make a bad wine taste like top end, but it will make a quality wine taste even better. The sheered rim allows the customer to taste the wine more than they taste the glass and it also directs the wine in a more precise manner toward the correct area of the tongue. Another benefit of a sheered rim is by increasing the amount of oxygen one draws into the mouth, volatilizing the wine and directing the flavor up into the nasal cavity for increased taste perception.

So now that we’ve covered specialty glassware and top quality glassware, let’s talk about storage of your newly expanded glassware selection. You could store them under the bar but that is really counterproductive to what we’ve been trying to accomplish. Perhaps it is time to invest in an over head glass rack so your glasses can still be generating customer interest and conversation even if they aren’t currently in use. Has anyone been to a pub which has a yard glass hanging on the wall behind the bar? How many ales do you think the bar is really selling in that yard glass; probably not many, but I will say for sure that somebody asks about the glass at least once a night.

You can find all of your glassware needs here at Serv-U. If you have questions regarding glass size for your beer or if sheered glasses are right for you, 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 and one of our customer support staff will be happy to answer all of your questions.

Be sure to check back for part three of eight in our easy ways to refresh the look of your restaurant series where we’ll be discussing dinnerware.

Over the next couple of weeks, we’re going to discuss some simple and cost effective ways to refresh the décor your restaurant while making a conscious effort to increase sales. In this first part in the series we’re going to be discussing specialty bar glassware.

When trying to decide what type of glassware you want to use your bar the “fun factor” has to be part of the consideration. Who wouldn’t want to have a margarita served in an awesome looking cactus glass? A piece of glassware like this serves as conversation starter that draws in and encourages others to take part in the fun. We all know that customers will want to share and experience things that others around them seem to be enjoying and this isn’t just limited to people in the same party. How many times have you heard this while walking the dinning room or bar of your restaurant, “Waiter, what is that person over there having?”

Another good example is a football glass. Imagine that its game day and you’re running a beer special; go that extra mile and serve the beer special in football glass. Now tell me, who is going to want to be the odd man out when everybody around them is drinking out of a football mug? That’s right; nobody.

One simply can not talk about specialty glasses without talking about the martini. Your bar isn’t serving just one type of martini, so why is it serving them all in the same glass? Mix it up a little with different style glasses for different martinis. Someone orders an appletini put it in a z-stem martini glass; lemontini gets a curved martini glass. Have fun with it!

Here at Serv-U we feature a wide range of specialty glassware that is sure to fit any style. If you have addition questions, 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.

Be sure to check back for part two of eight in our series: Easy ways to refresh the look of your restaurant: part two - quality glassware

With the slumping economy and people being more careful with how they spend their money restaurants are having to come up with innovative ways to bring in customers. One method being tried out across the country is to gear the theme of their restaurant toward their target audience.

An article earlier this month in The Dallas Morning News discussed a local restaurant that had changed its theme to one that catered to people (mainly men) who wanted to relax and have a good time with their friends.

The restaurant in the article had a lodge-type feel, which was accomplished by putting animals on the walls and serving a heavily meat themed menu. The owner also put television sets all around the restaurant to broadcast games and other big events on, which he believed would help to draw in men during busy sport seasons.

Other restaurant owners follow the same pattern when trying to draw in their target audience. Whether it is a seafood restaurant with fish nets on the wall or an Italian restaurant with red and white tablecloths, restaurant owners know that the looks of their business are important to their customers and can help bring them in again and again.

It’s easy to cater to your target demographic if you have the right furniture, decorations, table settings, and menu items. If you think your business could use an update to help get your target audience call your Serv-U representative today. They can help you get everything you need to have the restaurant you want.