In the hospitality industry, customer satisfaction is your lifeblood. It’s vital that you meet guest expectations with every dish you serve, every time.
The food you serve is, no doubt, innovative and exceptional, but have you considered whether your dinnerware pulls its weight on your tablescape? Your dinnerware affects how your guests experience your food, so even the most exciting meal can be underwhelming if it’s served on the wrong dinnerware.
We’ll look at studies that show a direct link between dinnerware and guest satisfaction. Then, we’ll explore how chefs can spot the high-quality dinnerware design that will make their guest journey delicious and distinctive.
The connection between dinnerware quality and guest satisfaction
Whether you’re a chef in a restaurant, golf club, or hotel dining room, you already know that guest satisfaction is linked to the quality of food you serve and the service you provide.
But did you know that science has proven the link? This ground-breaking study draws a direct line between the quality of the plates and flatware diners used to eat their meal and the satisfaction levels they reported with their food.
Guess what? Guests enjoyed their food more with better quality plates and cutlery than with paper plates and plastic dinnerware.
What’s more, this study suggests that diners experience an emotional response to the design of their dinnerware, with the more adventurous designs eliciting stronger emotional reactions.
These fascinating results prove that there’s a measurable link between the quality of your tableware and your guest satisfaction levels.
Why you should invest in quality dinnerware
Here’s what you gain when you invest in exceptional dinnerware:
Earn an excellent first impression
As a dish arrives at a table, your guests watch it closely. They’re hungry, and they’re anticipating great things from your kitchen. The server places the dish on the table, and within seconds, your guests begin forming an opinion of the meal based solely on its appearance and presentation.
The dinnerware you use to plate your food is part of your guests’ overall first impression of their meal. High-quality dinnerware will lend an air of excellence to your culinary creation.
Improve the look, texture, and taste of your food
As we’ve learned from the studies above, your guests enjoy their food more when they eat from quality dinnerware. No matter what you serve, guests will find it looks, smells, and tastes better, thanks to a sensory boost from well-chosen dinnerware and cutlery.
Encourage positive reviews
Dining room details like superb dinnerware help solidify guest loyalty and encourage them to share their positive opinion online and via word-of-mouth. Don’t forget to ask for guest feedback from your happy diners.
Tips for choosing quality dinnerware
Here’s how you know you’re buying top-notch dinnerware for your restaurant or club.
Porcelain only, please!
If guest satisfaction is a priority in your dining room, skip the melamine dinnerware. It feels cheap and unsatisfying in hand, and it warps and cracks under the extreme temperature fluctuations of a commercial kitchen.
On the other hand, china dinnerware is a joy for chefs and guests. Porcelain is another name for china, and it’s been a popular choice for centuries, because it’s both beautiful and durable. The Onda collection is a great example of attractive porcelain dinnerware.
Stoneware dinnerware is another acceptable option. For example, we think Bandera looks brilliant in a rustic or homespun dining room design, and it’s great for keeping big bowls of comfort food piping hot. But due to its niche aesthetics, stoneware doesn’t look right in every dining room.
Twice-fired for added strength
Check that the dinnerware you chose has been twice-fired at high heat. This manufacturing process creates a more robust porcelain product, a must-have in a busy commercial kitchen.
Get an edge on durability
Commercial dinnerware is exposed to temperature extremes and endless knocks and bumps. Look for a rolled-edge design (like Raio’s) that will make your dinnerware extra durable.
Finish matters
Every finish plays differently with the lighting in your dining room. A bright white finish makes your dinnerware look crisp and sparkling. Satin and matte finishes feel luxurious and add depth to the dinnerware design. Before you buy a dinnerware set for your restaurant, explore which finish will look best on your tables.
How to enhance guest satisfaction with dinnerware
A thoughtful approach to choosing dinnerware is yet another way you can offer deeply personalized service to your guests.
Consider your dining room design
When you’re buying dinnerware, you’ll want a pattern that complements your dining room decor. An upscale restaurant might choose something trendy, like Bistro. In a country club dining room, you might prefer a traditional rim design like Synergy instead.
Think about your guests
Guest satisfaction starts with meeting their expectations. What do your guests expect from your dinnerware? What expectations have you set with your restaurant name, dining room decor, menu items, and price level? Select your dinnerware to match.
Find the right dinnerware pattern
Keeping your dining room ambiance and guest experience expectations in mind, search for a dinnerware pattern that can balance the two.
It’s not enough to find a pretty rim pattern or an edgy, asymmetrical plate shape – your guests want quality, too. Start by choosing a commercial dinnerware vendor that’s been known as a quality brand in the restaurant and hotel industry for decades – like Corby Hall!
Talk to Corby Hall about quality dinnerware
If you’re committed to making guest satisfaction important in your club or restaurant, Corby Hall can help! We’ll walk you through our gorgeous, high-end dinnerware patterns that will earn your dining room a rock-solid reputation for elegance. Talk to our sales team to learn more.
