Salad plates to pasta bowls, every piece of commercial dinnerware needs to withstand extreme kitchen conditions. If your restaurant’s dinnerware can’t take the heat (or freezing, or washing), it’s time to get it out of your kitchen and replace it with a superior collection.
But what’s the best dinnerware material? The one that will last – and look fantastic – for years? Let’s take a look at the most popular materials for commercial dinnerware sets and see which ones are likely to work hardest in your kitchen.
Why dinnerware quality matters
When you’re trying to stay within budget, it’s tempting to choose the cheapest dinnerware set on the market. Plenty of cut-rate commercial kitchen outfitters will sell you lightweight plates and bowls, but while initial costs might be lower, cheap dinnerware is a short-term investment. They’ll wear fast, and you’ll need to replace them – an ongoing line item that’ll eat away at your operational budget (and profits), costing more than their high quality counterparts in the long run.
By buying a better-quality dinnerware set, you also buy longevity; the value lasts, so you don’t have to purchase a new set next year.
Plus, purchasing top-class dinnerware gives your diners a top-class dining experience. Nothing says “bad restaurant” like chintzy dinnerware and flatware, and the converse is true, too. The quality of the tablescape impacts how diners perceive the tastiness of your food and the reputation of your restaurant.
Hallmarks of low-quality dinnerware sets
Bad dinnerware won’t withstand the pressures of a commercial kitchen. Most of it would barely withstand everyday use in a home! Under the constant temperature fluctuations and less-than-gentle handling of your restaurant’s kitchen, low-quality dinnerware sets will soon show signs like:
- Chipping and cracking, especially around the plate and bowl rims. That’s a problem because they make your tablescape look haphazard, and those cracks can also harbor bacteria.
- Warping or losing their shape, which often indicates that the dinnerware isn’t dishwasher safe (or freezer and microwave safe, either).
- Discoloration or loss of finish. If your dinnerware begins to look scratched or discolored, it probably isn’t very well made.
Best dishware materials for restaurant dinnerware
Once you’ve established a few basics (like prioritizing dishwasher safe materials), it’s time to decide which is the right dinnerware material for your restaurant. Consider the price points, durability, and impact on the dining experience as you make your decision.
Melamine dinnerware
Melamine is plastic dinnerware. It’s hardy and comes in an array of pretty styles and colors at a discount price, making it attractive to establishments that need to feed lots of people in a hurry, like cafeterias, or for casual restaurants that offer outdoor dining.
But it’s not microwave safe – heating melamine in the microwave can cause toxic chemicals to leach into food. And even though melamine dinnerware promises extreme durability, it can’t deliver it. Melamine can’t be used in ovens or under heat lamps. It’s prone to scratches, and low-quality brands might not be approved for food use.
End-of-life melamine dishes can’t be recycled or repurposed, either. They’re simply tossed in the landfill, where they’ll never biodegrade.
Ceramic dishes
“Ceramic” is an umbrella term that includes porcelain china, stoneware, and bone china. All types of ceramics are made of clay that’s been shaped and then fired at extremely high heat.
Ceramic dishes are famously chip resistant and they’re far more visually appealing than melamine.
If you’re choosing between ceramic materials, it helps to know the pros and cons of each:
Stoneware dinnerware sets
Stoneware makes durable dinnerware sets, ideal for outdoor events or restaurants with an honest, down-to-earth vibe. It’s microwave, dishwasher, freezer, and oven safe, and its dense, chunky texture offers excellent scratch resistance.
Stoneware dishes usually come in earthy colors, with flecks visible throughout each piece. They’re perfect for serving hearty meals, like soups and stews, or for adding rustic authenticity to your tablescape. Our Bandera Stone collection is a brilliant example.
China dinnerware
“China” can refer to either porcelain or bone china, though they’re slightly different materials. Porcelain is made from fine kaolin clay and fired at the highest temperatures, while bone china uses a mix of kaolin clay and bone ash, and it’s fired at slightly lower temperatures.
Both bone china and porcelain dinnerware are prized for their bright white, seemingly delicate forms which deliver surprising strength and durability. Bone china is translucent when held to light, and it’s most commonly found in 5-star restaurants or at formal occasions.
But high-quality dinnerware isn’t just for fine dining establishments. Porcelain dinnerware offers the ideal mix of strength and beauty. It tells diners that you’re committed to quality, and it ensures your dinnerware investment will last for years to come.
We offer a range of porcelain dinnerware styles to suit any restaurant’s decor. Take a look at Onda, Bistro, and our range of custom dinnerware designs.
Bring the best dinnerware materials and manufacturing to your tables
Savvy chefs turn to us for all their dinnerware needs, from traditional plates and bowls to specialty dinnerware pieces, like soup bowls and dessert plates. Our decades-long reputation in the industry is built on:
- Manufacturing in Portugal, so each dinnerware piece meets US and EU standards for quality and safety
- A twice-fired kiln process which gives our dinnerware collections remarkable strength and chip resistance
- Forward-thinking design, which offers restaurants top-notch dinnerware in a variety of different styles
Whether you need distinctive place settings for special occasions, or simple-but-strong cereal bowls for your hotel breakfast buffet, we design, make, and sell quality. Talk to our sales team (973.366.8300) to learn more or request a catalog to see our latest collections.