From getting the right kitchen appliances and creating a menu, to designing your establishment’s interior, opening up a restaurant is a lot of work. When you start to plan the finer details for your restaurant’s opening, one of the first things that come to mind are the staff’s uniforms. These are important elements that contribute to the comfort of your staff and your restaurant’s appeal.
Why are Restaurant Uniforms Important?
They Make Your Staff Look and Feel Good
To have your staff perform their best when they’re at work, they will also need to feel good – and nothing makes you feel worse than low-quality tacky uniforms made from uncomfortable synthetic material. This being said, practical and stylish modern chef uniforms cheap in price yet comfortable to wear are a must-have option. You get this from quality 100% cotton material or cotton-poly blends.
While the popular hospitality uniforms tend to cause discomfort and irritation for the staff, these modern designs are breathable and soft to the skin. They’re anatomically designed to offer freedom of movement and contain useful pockets for storing any essential tools or instruments that your staff need.
In a food prep environment, the chefwear is constantly subjected to food stains. This means that you should choose uniforms that are durable and low maintenance. Cotton clothing is extremely easy to maintain – all it requires is a warm machine wash and line drying. As you know this type of clothing isn’t complete without a sturdy apron. Among the versatile workshirts, you can also find a few fashionable apron designs made from a durable, low-maintenance fabric and adjustable straps.
They Exude Confidence in Your Brand
Uniforms allow you to accurately represent your brand and the brand’s concept. They help you enhance the environment you’re working in, whether it’s a fun, playful, casual or sophisticated one. If you want to provide a more casual and laid-back experience for your customers, the ideal choice are denim and khaki pieces for your chef clothing ensemble. On the other hand, for a more upscale customer experience, it’s best to go for a neutral black and white uniform. Uniforms are one way to tell your customers who you are. They also indicate to the employees how they need to deliver their services to the customers.
They Create a Feeling of Equality
They serve to remind your staff that they’re on the same “playing field” while they’re at work. No matter what background or history each employee has, they should all be treated equally when they’re part of the same work team.
They Create a Cohesive Team
Apart from helping to solidify your brand and exuding equality, when your work crew wears uniforms, they look and feel more committed. Working on the same team requires that all employees own the same core values. Uniforms help the team members feel like a unified team of individuals.
They Help the Customers Identify the Staff
In every hospitality establishment, it’s important that the customer receives his service in a fast and efficient manner. This is sometimes difficult when customers don’t know who to approach for help. When your staff is equipped with uniforms, this almost never happens.
How to Choose the Right Restaurant Uniform?
Include a Brand Logo
As I mentioned, your uniforms play an important role in the branding of your business. Including your logo on the staff’s uniforms makes a large impact on the image of your restaurant. For this reason, you should consider creating custom uniforms that contain the restaurant’s name and logo.
When creating your custom cook uniform, make sure that the design complements your preferred aesthetic and the design scheme of the restaurant. Try to coordinate the uniforms across all the staff positions, which will give your restaurant a cohesive and professional look.
Make Sure That They’re Comfortable
Apart from being stylish and professional, the ideal restaurant uniforms need to provide comfort and functionality as well. When the staff members feel comfortable while wearing their uniforms, they will also work with more efficiency, and they will feel more positive.
When it comes to chef uniforms cheap options can also be comfortable and breathable. Commercial kitchens tend to often get hot and steamy. This is why the ideal uniform needs to be light and moisture wicking, so that it absorbs sweat. Materials like nylon often cling to the body and offer little to no ventilation. Additionally, short sleeved uniforms are much more comfortable and provide more mobility when your staff is cooking in these conditions.
Mind The Appearance of the Uniform
Stains are the worst enemy for any restaurant owner. Even though they are inevitable, they can ruin your restaurant’s image if you have your staff walking around with stained uniforms. There are a few precautions you can take to avoid stains ruining your reputation:
- The first step is choosing uniforms in a fabric that’s easy to clean. Materials like cotton are sturdy and durable, so they won’t get damaged even after numerous washes.
- Pick a darker colour for your uniforms and opt for a certain pattern or texture. A good option are the workshirts with charcoal and denim print.
- Lastly, consider purchasing uniforms in bulk. This is a move that ensures your staff always has a clean uniform, and it can save your business money over time.
