Choosing Supplies and Vendors

Finding a company to supply you with everything from paper cups and napkins to salt shakers and sign holders requires research. While there are a lot of choices out there, you need to shop around and get the lowest prices possible. Fortunately, the internet makes this task easier than it used to be.

The cost of miscellaneous supplies can add up quickly and affect the bottom line. That double cupping of coffee or too many packets of ketchup put in a take out order is money down the drain. In a business where margins are thin, successful restaurateurs are those that control costs and watch every penny.

Be aware, too, that many companies will offer a low price on items to attract new business and will gradually hike up the prices on future orders, hoping that no will notice or care enough to switch suppliers. Remember, the restaurant business is a competitive one, and if you don’t have vendors on your side, it’ll be harder to succeed in the long run.

Tableware

The plates, flatware, glasses, napkins and other items on the tables will be the items that customers look at the most. They need to fit the décor of the restaurant and the style of the menu. They need to be in good condition and enhance the dining experience.

5 Common Tableware Mistakes

1. Plates that are too large for the size of the table.

2. Plates that are too large for the portion size; they make the entrée and other dishes appear smaller than they are.

3. Keeping chipped or cracked plates in service.

4. Using a pattern or color that is jarring and doesn’t accentuate the mood of the restaurant or the color of the foods being served. Imagine being served Indian food on hot pink plates or a corned beef sandwich on floury French porcelain.

5. Using flatware that is so modern in design that it loses functionality. Similarly, using glassware that is so ultramodern that most people’s noses bump into the rim of the glass!

Linens and Laundry Service (Uniforms Too)

Here too it’s important to find a service that offers a competitive price and that will promise not to raise prices for a set period of time. Make sure that the laundry service you choose to wash your linens has reliable deliveries and pays attention to detail.

For informal restaurants it may make sense for one of the owners/managers or reliable employees to wash the restaurant’s aprons and towels at home or at a commercial laundromat once a week rather than paying for a regular laundry service. Since employees will be responsible for washing their own uniforms and there will be no washable napkins or tablecloths, washables will consist mainly of aprons and kitchen towels.