Tableware for hotels, restaurants and caterers: a buyer’s checklist

Start from the menu

• List every dish and how it is served: plated, in a bowl, on a sharing platter or on a buffet.
• Match each dish to a shape and size. Rice and curry dishes need soup plates or deep bowls; grills and sharing dishes suit oval plates and platters.
• Add side pieces: dip bowls, divided dishes, soup spoons and serving ladles.

Work out quantities

Base quantities on the number of seats or covers you serve at your busiest time, then allow extra for pieces in the dishwasher, pieces in storage and breakage. Every operation is different, so calculate your own ratio from your service pattern and wash cycle rather than relying on a general rule.

Choose materials for each use

• Melamine is light and comes in many shapes, which suits buffets, sharing platters and casual service. FDA advises against heating food in melamine dishes in a microwave, so heat food in suitable cookware and serve on melamine.¹
• Stainless steel suits cutlery, trays and serving bowls. For cutlery, 18/10 has the most shine and corrosion resistance, 18/8 is slightly less lustrous and more affordable, and 18/0 contains no nickel and is a budget option.²
• Opalware gives a clean white or printed look for plated service and breakfast buffets.

Check care and handling

• Ask for care guidance for each item, including commercial dishwasher use.
• Check that plates and bowls stack well for storage and transport.
• For buffets, check the weight of large platters and trays when full.

Plan for reorders

Pieces break and go missing, so you will need to top up. Choose designs your supplier can reorder, keep the item names or codes from your quotation, and ask how availability is confirmed for repeat orders.

FAMES supplies hotels, restaurants, cafés and catering companies in the UAE. See tableware for hospitality or send your list.