Glass tableware for restaurants (6)
Glass tableware is a practical solution for the professional catering industry, particularly where tableware is used intensively during multiple serviceings each day. Plates, salad bowls and cups made from glass are ideal for restaurants, hotels, canteens, buffets, catering services and other catering establishments serving large numbers of guests.
At Fine Dine, you’ll find, amongst other things, Arcoroc tableware, including Everyday plates and salad bowls, and Evolution cups. Simple shapes and neutral colours make these items ideal for use at breakfast, lunch, dinner and buffet service. The same products can also be used at home by those looking for practical tableware inspired by solutions used in professional catering.
What is glass tableware?
Glass tableware comprises items intended directly for serving meals and drinks, such as plates, salad bowls, bowls and mugs. It should not be confused with barware, wine glasses or cocktail glasses, which serve a different purpose and form separate categories of catering equipment.
In a professional establishment, the material of the tableware should be selected not only on the basis of appearance, but also in terms of the intensity of use, the method of washing, the organisation of the back-of-house area and the number of service cycles carried out each day.
Glass tableware in professional catering
In a restaurant, hotel or canteen, tableware is constantly circulating between the kitchen, dining room, washing-up area and re-serving. This is why standardised tableware sizes, the ability to easily assemble sets and adapting them to the team’s daily workflow are particularly important.
Glass catering tableware can be a good choice wherever functionality and versatility are a priority. The neutral design of the plates and bowls means they can be used for many different types of menu without having to change the entire set.
Glass plates for the catering industry
Glass plates can be used when serving breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks and desserts. Flat plates work well for main courses and starters, whilst deeper plates can be used for soups, dishes with sauce and other dishes requiring greater capacity.
When choosing a plate, it is worth paying attention to its diameter, depth and height. In establishments serving a large number of guests, limiting oneself to a few well-chosen sizes can make the work of the kitchen and waiting staff easier and help organise the storage of tableware.
Salad bowls and serving bowls for buffets and canteens
Glass salad bowls and serving bowls are ideal for serving salads, side dishes, desserts, snacks and small portions. In hotel breakfast buffets, canteens and staff canteens, they can form part of a uniform tableware system used for different parts of the meal.
It is worth choosing the capacity to suit the actual method of serving. Smaller dishes can be used for side dishes and desserts, whilst larger sizes are suitable for full portions or for serving dishes intended to be shared at the table.
Cups for catering and breakfast service
This category also includes catering cups, which can be used for coffee, tea and other drinks served at breakfast and during everyday service. The versatile capacities are well suited to the needs of canteens, cafeterias, hotels, self-service bars and catering services.
Limiting the number of different mug sizes can simplify back-of-house organisation and speed up service, particularly in places where a large number of similar orders are prepared daily.
Arcoroc Everyday tableware
One of the ranges available in this category is Arcoroc Everyday. It includes, amongst other items, shallow and deep plates as well as salad bowls with simple, versatile designs.
This type of tableware is well suited to the needs of establishments where it is important to be able to set the table consistently and to use a single set for a wide variety of dishes. It is particularly suitable for use in canteens, hotels, buffets, cafeterias and mass catering.
Opal® as an alternative to traditional porcelain
The current range in this category includes tableware made from Opal®. Although it may resemble light-coloured porcelain in appearance, it is a glass material designed, amongst other things, for professional food service.
When comparing tableware, it is therefore worth paying attention not only to the appearance of the items, but also to their material, functional properties and the manufacturer’s recommendations. This allows you to choose a solution that suits the actual working practices of the establishment.
Glass tableware for canteens and mass catering
School and staff canteens, cafeterias and other mass catering facilities require tableware that enables the efficient serving of large numbers of similar meals. In such places, standardisation of the tableware and a simple way of organising the service are particularly important.
A basic set comprising several sizes of plates, a bowl or salad bowl and a versatile cup can cater for a significant proportion of the daily menu without the need for a large number of different items of tableware.
Glassware for hotels
In hotel catering, tableware can be used for breakfasts, group lunches, conferences, catering for tours and other forms of group service. In such applications, neutral tableware is practical, as it can be easily combined with other table and buffet furnishings.
Light-coloured plates also provide a neutral backdrop for dishes, ensuring they do not visually compete with the food being served and can be used for a variety of menu types.
Glassware for catering and events
Catering companies require tableware suited to recurring events and serving larger numbers of guests. When selecting tableware, it is therefore worth considering how it will be transported, stored, prepared for service and subsequently washed.
Simple and standardised designs work well at conferences, training sessions, corporate functions, events and other occasions where a uniform table setting needs to be prepared for large numbers of people.
Glassware in self-service bars and lunch venues
In venues with a high turnover of guests, the efficient circulation of tableware is crucial. Plates and bowls should be suited to the most commonly served portions, and their quantity and sizes should match actual demand during peak hours.
Versatile tableware can be used from the morning breakfast service through the lunch menu right through to dinners and desserts, which helps to reduce the number of different items of crockery stored in the back of house.
Glassware versus porcelain – which to choose?
Catering porcelain offers a very wide range of stylistic possibilities and is often chosen by restaurants where the plate is a key element of creative plating. Colours, textures and irregular shapes allow the head chef to have a greater influence on the visual character of a dish.
Glass tableware, on the other hand, can be a good solution in places where functionality, consistency and the ease of organising large numbers of place settings are more important. Both types of tableware can also be used in parallel in different areas of the same establishment.
How to choose glass tableware?
It is best to start by analysing the menu. It is worth determining which plate diameters correspond to portion sizes, what capacity of bowls is required, and whether a single type of cup can be used for several types of drinks.
When comparing products, pay attention to the diameter, height, capacity, material and intended use of the tableware. A well-planned set can streamline the work of chefs, front-of-house staff and the washing-up team alike.
Tableware and the organisation of work in a professional kitchen
The choice of tableware should not be determined solely by appearance. The head chef must have sufficient surface area for serving portions, chefs should be able to easily recognise the format intended for a specific dish, and waiting staff need tableware that can be efficiently set out and cleared from tables.
In high-volume establishments, standardised sizes can simplify mise en place, dish service and the training of new staff.
Glass tableware for the home too
Solutions used in professional catering can also be practical at home. Glass plates, salad bowls and cups work well for everyday breakfasts, lunches and dinners, particularly when the user is looking for simple and functional tableware.
The neutral design makes it easy to combine the tableware with other table elements, whilst the various sizes allow you to create a set suited to both everyday use and gatherings with family or guests.
Glass tableware from Fine Dine
Compare glass tableware for the catering industry and choose plates, salad bowls and cups that suit the needs of your establishment. The available products can be used in restaurants, hotels, canteens, cafeterias, buffets, catering and at events.
These same solutions can also be used in home kitchens and dining rooms, particularly by those looking for practical tableware modelled on professional food service equipment.
