Create a Memorable Dining Experience with the Right Flatware

June 9, 2017

According to Will Rogers, “you will never get a second chance to make a first impression.”

In a restaurant, flatware is a small but essential part of making a great impression. Flatware is a particularly important design element because customers won’t just look it; they will actually use it for arguably the most important thing they can do at your restaurant: eating. That gives your customers a lot of time to form an impression of the flatware. You can bet it will play a significant role in the way your restaurant is received.

From basic to elegant, the type of flatware you provide your guests says a lot about your restaurant. It’s important to choose the right flatware based on the kind of establishment your restaurant is. This way, you will create the best possible dining experience for your guests and give them a good, lasting impression of your restaurant. In choosing your next set of flatware, there are two important things to take into consideration.

Flatware Style

The style of flatware you choose should mainly be based on the tastes of your guests. Think about the style of your restaurant and the types of people who frequent it. Is your restaurant a high-class establishment warranting classic or modern flatware, or do your customers prefer a more simple style? Decide which style of flatware is right for your restaurant, depending on the kind of restaurant you run.

Put yourself in your customers’ shoes when they pick up the flatware for the first time. Does your flatware match your tableware? Does it match the style you are looking to create? Is it too fancy or too dull for your particular restaurant?

Type of Material

The type of stainless steel you choose for your flatware is important because it is a big factor in the flatware’s appearance.

However, the mix of metals in stainless steel do improve its durability and resistance to rust.  In choosing flatware, the chromium and nickel are most important metals to pay attention to.

Chromium is a tough, stain-resistant metal, while nickel is rust-resistant and gives the flatware more shine. There are several types of stainless steel used for flatware: 18/10, 18/8 and 18/0. The first number indicates the percentage of chromium in the steel, while the second number represents the amount of nickel.

All three types of stainless steel can easily last a lifetime, so your choice will again depend on the appearance that will best complement your restaurant. For the highest shine, choose 18/10 flatware, which has the largest proportion of shiny nickel. For a matte appearance, 18/0 is the type to go for.

Take some time to reflect on the kind of mood you want to set and the impression you want to make on your customers. Every detail is important. By carefully choosing the right style and material for your flatware, you will have perfected one more element of an amazing dining experience.

Preventing Dine and Dash in Your Little Rock Restaurant

Preventing Dine and Dash in Your Little Rock Restaurant

There’s nothing more frustrating to a server – and a manager – than realizing that a table has left without paying for their meal. It costs everyone money, and it can be insulting as well. Sometimes dine and dashers are young people who think it’s a funny prank. Other...

read more
Renovations: Keeping Your Restaurant Supplies & Costs in Check

Renovations: Keeping Your Restaurant Supplies & Costs in Check

Every restaurant owner has to face the reality of renovations at some point. Usually, this is good news – your restaurant is growing, or is successful enough that you can expand. Sometimes it’s just a matter of keeping up with the times, replacing old and damaged...

read more
Build Up Your Employees with Fun Perks

Build Up Your Employees with Fun Perks

Your employees do a lot for you. You depend on them to follow protocols, serve customers with kindness, and keep your commercial kitchen in top shape. Of course, you provide them with a great working environment. But why not thank them in additional ways – with fun...

read more
Commercial Kitchen Fun: Almost a Dozen Ways to Cook Eggs

Commercial Kitchen Fun: Almost a Dozen Ways to Cook Eggs

Cooking an egg might be one of the most basic kitchen skills around, but that doesn’t mean there’s only one way to do it. If you serve breakfast, you’re probably familiar with quite a few of them.   But almost a dozen? That’s worthy of its own egg-only menu!   Don’t...

read more
Holiday Marketing for Your Restaurant

Holiday Marketing for Your Restaurant

It’s never too early to think about how you plan to market your restaurant for the holidays. Your strategy will vary a lot depending on what type of establishment you have. The restaurant supplies you’ll need will also depend on the type of marketing campaign you...

read more
Things to Instagram About Your Restaurant

Things to Instagram About Your Restaurant

A picture is still worth 1,000 words, especially when it comes to marketing. While customers taking endless pictures of their food to post online may frustrate your staff, the truth is it gets the word out about your restaurant. However, you don’t have to rely on your...

read more
Choosing the Right Refrigerator for Your Commercial Kitchen

Choosing the Right Refrigerator for Your Commercial Kitchen

People who buy refrigerators for their homes often spend weeks researching different models and finding exactly what they need. It’s a major investment for many homes, and it pays to get it right! In your commercial kitchen, you may feel that you don’t have that kind...

read more
Tips for Managing Restaurant Inventory

Tips for Managing Restaurant Inventory

Does the thought of keeping track of every ingredient and piece of kitchen equipment in your restaurant make you want to hide your head under a pillow? You’re not alone. Keeping track of everything is time-consuming and often overwhelming. And you know how much your...

read more
Restaurant Supplies: Getting Started With a Food Truck

Restaurant Supplies: Getting Started With a Food Truck

While restaurants grow slowly, the food truck industry has been rocketing with 7.3% growth between 2012 – 2017.  Food trucks are great for entrepreneurs because they have a relatively low startup cost and annual overhead compared to other businesses.   Customers who...

read more
Commercial Kitchen Fun: Restaurant Bloopers

Commercial Kitchen Fun: Restaurant Bloopers

Making mistakes is part of being human. However, sometimes these mistakes are pretty funny and deserve to be shared with others.   There are many things that may not have been funny at the time, but in retrospect give you a smile and reason to be more gentle with...

read more
Kitchen Supplies: Should You Go Local With Ingredients?

Kitchen Supplies: Should You Go Local With Ingredients?

If you own a restaurant in Little Rock, you’ve certainly heard of the trend toward going local.  Local kitchen supplies, local ingredients, even local art as décor. There are a lot of great reasons to buy local – your money will stay in and support your community, for...

read more
Commercial Kitchen Fun: Why Salty & Sweet?

Commercial Kitchen Fun: Why Salty & Sweet?

All cooks who consider making desserts know that salty and sweet is a winning combination. Salted caramel shows up in hundreds of recipes. Candy bars combine salted nuts with chocolate. We dip French fries in ice cream. We put pineapple on pizza. People even put salt...

read more