Crockery Buying Guide
It goes without saying that the number one product you will need for your restaurant is excellent crockery. This means plates, serving platters, bowls, dishes and other serve-ware. Take into account replacement items as there is bound to be breakage and damage so select durable, practical crockery sets. There are a number of important points to remember when choosing your crockery:
- White crockery is the most popular as it is very easy to co-ordinate but some restaurants like a colour to reflect their branding or décor
- Price: When buying bulk crockery it’s wise to look at something competitive for replacement purposes and something that is readily available when you want to order more rather than having to replace an entire set
- Pattern: Be aware that choosing anything with metallic design will not be suitable for microwave use
- Timeless: Be careful not to be seduced by high fashion unless you are looking for a very trendy finish because crockery, like anything else, dates so it is sensible to select a style which has timeless appeal
There are many different types of material to choose from as well but it is wise to invest in something very hard-wearing unless your restaurant caters for fine dining, in which case bone china is the right choice because it is strong as well as beautiful.
Here are the different types of materials available, click here to see what Alliance stocks
- Porcelain is a tough, resilient ceramic with a gentle sheen
- Bone China Perfect for haute cuisine and fine dining, it looks delicate but it is actually hard wearing
- Stoneware: Made from clay it is resilient and chip resistant
- Semi-porcelain (or Ironstone) is thicker than porcelain and a practical tableware solution, similar to stoneware it is a less expensive product than porcelain
- Polycarbonate this is a plastic dinnerware which will not break and is dishwasher safe (top rack only), perfect for young diners!
High-end restaurants often use dinnerware with pattern and colour. Sometimes, dinnerware with intricate design needs to be hand-washed particularly if it has an ornate metallic design, so remember this when making your selection. Additionally, this style of dinnerware is more expensive. Fun and funky restaurants often mix and match colours, choosing one base material such as porcelain but using two colours, this has great visual appeal when a table is dressed.
Of course, crockery doesn’t end with a cup, plates and saucers, a restaurant needs matching serving-ware too. When choosing your crockery make sure you include a matching set of serving platters, serving dishes, large bowls, accent plates, salt and pepper pots, tea pots, sugar bowls, milk jugs and other essentials.
Quality
Always look for quality. Check for marks, holes, spots and bubbles. You should make sure there is no colour differentiation and that everything sits well on a table, no rocking and uneven bases for example. Always check cups and mugs too – make sure they are comfortable to hold so your diners can grip them with ease.
For further information on buying crockery visit the Tableware pages or contact the Alliance customer care team on 01270 252 333