Ask any restaurant owner what their top five concerns related to the operation of their business is and you’ll most likely hear food safety come up as one of those items. So why is food safety so important? The obvious answer is; so the customers don’t get sick. While that is one of the main reasons that food safety is so important but making sure health inspector visits go smoothly is also toward the top of the list. Food safety may seem like an overwhelming task, but with these eight easy suggestions you’ll quickly be on the right path:

1. Store cooked and ready-to-eat foods above raw food

2. Prepare food in batches

3. Replace or sanitize buffet utensils every 1/2 hour

4. Never thaw at room temperature

5. Use products such as blast chillers and cooling paddles to cool food, not freezers and refrigerators

6. Create a daily cleaning and maintenance checklist and schedule

7. Have frequent employee training sessions on food safety

8. Ask your foodservice equipment and supply dealer for help. Many dealers have received formal training on food safety. They can provide cost-effective products that support a HACCP program as well as valuable information on constantly changing safety rules and regulations

If you have additional questions regarding food safety, 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.

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.

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