If you are looking for dinnerware that is inexpensive, durable and has a classy appearance, look no further than Serv-U’s melamine dinnerware selection. Melamine tableware is the premium choice for high-traffic operations. Restaurants, schools, cafeterias and hospitals all benefit from the durability of melamine dinnerware.

Melamine is a natural insulator, but lighter weight than stainless steel or ceramic. Melamine serveware will survive the trip from kitchen to table, while keeping your cuisine hot. In fact, melamine dinnerware can withstand temperatures up to 212°F, making it dishwasher safe—though it cannot be used in the microwave or oven!

Melamine plate sets are available in a wide variety of styles and colors. White melamine dinnerware gives the illusion of china for a lower price tag. Melamine is available in a wide range of colors from bright melamine bowls to pastel melamine mugs, and even popular black melamine plates. If your melamine does chip, rest assured that the color is solid through the entire piece.

Because melamine dinnerware isn’t produced with a petrochemical base as raw material, it is a more affordable option than other plastics, such as SAN and Polycarbonate. Melamine tableware also requires less energy to manufacture than china or glass. It requires less packing material, meaning more melamine dining sets can be shipped per box and delivered to you!

As temperatures climb and hours of daylight begin to stretch later and later, the heat is on for outdoor dining season. Our last outdoor dining blog emphasized the importance of furnishing your outdoor space. Another key to the success of your patio space is a stock of seasonal restaurant supplies and tabletop items.

When doing business outside, keep in mind that sidewalks and patios will be much harder on your glassware than indoor dining areas. Consider investing in durable melamine dinnerware to help prevent breakage. Serv-U carries the Durus line which showcases sunny yellow, coral and ocean blue pieces to give your outdoor dining space a warm vibe.

If you are expanding your serving area, make sure you have a dishroom is equipped to handle clean-up. More customers ordering drinks on your deck means more demand for your dishwasher. Disposables are a great solution to this dilemma! Serv-U offers disposable shot glasses and drinkware to meet your needs. 

To get the most bang for your buck in outdoor dining areas, create a twist on your indoor environment that can appeal to a broader base of customers. The beer drinkers that frequent your restaurant to watch sports in the winter may come back in the summer to enjoy a bucket of beer on the patio. Those customers that order from your extensive wine list while dining inside may be attracted to special pitchers of house sangria in the sunshine.

Seasonal restaurant supplies and special summertime offers are a great way to entice customers to your outdoor dining space. Use your patio to add liveliness and action to an otherwise sedate storefront and reap the rewards of an expanded customer base!

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.