Buying Guide To Restaurant Dinnerware

Buying Guide To Restaurant Dinnerware

Restaurant dinnerware is more than a means to deliver food to your customers. The right dinnerware and serving platters add to a meal’s overall presentation and set the tone for your front-of-house atmosphere. Restaurant dinnerware also needs to be tough: you need plates, ramekins, and cups capable of withstanding constant use, washing, and reuse. 

Chefs’ Toys carries a diverse collection of restaurant dinnerware, from beautiful China dinnerware to the durable functionality of melamine and stoneware, as well as a selection of serving platters and ramekin sets. Keep reading to discover the correct type of dinnerware for your business. 

Types of Restaurant Dinnerware

China Dinnerware

China dinnerware is made from chip-resistant ceramic and is oven, dishwasher, and microwave safe. While china is available in a dazzling array of colors and patterns, many restaurants prefer white china bowls, plates, and platters, which serve as a neutral background for food. China ramekins and souffle dishes also add an elegant touch to your dishes. 

Perfect for fine dining, china dinnerware is equally at home in casual settings. Look for commercial chip-resistant china to help your dinnerware withstand constant use. 

Melamine Plates and Cups

Melamine dinnerware is an economical choice for casual and family dining establishments. These sturdy plastic plates, bowls, and cups are stain, scratch, and break-resistant and are often found in cafeterias and buffet settings. Although made from plastic, melamine platters and serving dishes have an attractive appearance, and melamine’s durability makes it well-suited for busy food service environments. 

Melamine dinnerware does have one drawback. At high temperatures, the dishes can transfer melamine into food and drinks. Don’t heat melamine ramekins or other melamine dishes in ovens or microwaves. 

Glass Dinnerware

When you want to showcase your food presentation while adding elegance to your front-of-house, consider glass dinnerware. Glass might seem like an odd choice for commercial dinnerware, but it isn’t as fragile as you’d think. Commercial glass dinnerware resists chips and cracks and makes excellent dessert and salad plates.

Bamboo Dinnerware

Bamboo dinnerware has a warm, rustic feel that is ideal for casual and specialized dining. Bamboo dishes are sustainable and biodegradable and not manufactured using toxic chemicals. Bamboo dinnerware is not microwave or oven safe but can handle the heat of cooked food. 

Stoneware Dinnerware

Thicker and more durable than china, stoneware dinnerware is another ceramic dinnerware option. Restaurants using stoneware can choose various styles and designs, from modern contemporary to classic farmhouse and rustic themes. An excellent choice for farm-to-table restaurants, stoneware provides years of service. 

Mugs, Cups, and Saucers

Tea houses, cafes, and cafeterias need a supply of durable mugs, cups, and saucers. Commercial mugs and cups include tea cups, coffee mugs, and more specialized drinkware, such as cappuccino and espresso mugs. Matching saucers add elegance to your drinkware while making serving and cleaning up easier. 

Ramekins and Sauce Cups

Oven-safe ramekins allow you to serve creme brulee and souffle straight from the oven for the freshest and most memorable flavors. Sauce cups are invaluable for restaurants that serve dips and toppings with food or for serving food “on the side” at a customer’s request.

Serving Platters

Substitute your usual plates for serving platters to showcase your food presentation in a new and appealing way. Well-suited for indoor and outdoor use, serving platters complement various front-of-house atmospheres but are especially popular in casual and relaxed dining environments like pubs and family restaurants. 

Explore All Restaurant Dinnerware at Chefs’ Toys.

Chefs’ Toys offers everything you need to properly serve your customers. Check out our collection of restaurant dinnerware for inspiration, or contact one of our professional service representatives for help choosing the right dinnerware for your business.