Picking the Best Uniforms for Your Restaurant or Cafe

If you want to run a restaurant that looks professional, you need a staff that looks neat and presentable. While you can certainly promote a dress code, there are still many variables that can make your team look not as cohesive as you would like. Employees may shop at different stores or have different budgets for clothing, which can make self-selected uniforms look mismatched.

Make things easier on your employees by providing them with custom business branded uniforms. Not only are these great onboarding gifts, but they give your employees a sense of pride and belonging right away. With so many styles to choose from, which kind of uniforms are best for your restaurant or café? Follow this guide to find out which pieces would best fit your needs.

Custom Uniforms: Worth the Investment

While providing uniforms is an extra expense, the benefits outweigh the initial cost. First of all, everyone who comes onboard your company will have access to the same quality uniforms. Therefore, whenever anyone enters your restaurant, whether they are new customers, secret shoppers, or health code inspectors, they will immediately get a good impression of your establishment. When the staff looks neat, uniform, and orderly, the restaurant looks cleaner and more professional.

Custom uniforms like custom work polo shirts also boost a sense of cohesion when everyone wears the same outfits. There are no differentiating factors to set someone apart. Restaurant uniforms also make it easy for your staff to get ready for work because there's no guesswork about putting together an outfit. When the clothes are already decided upon, it’s just a matter of getting up and ready to go.

Consider Activity Levels

The needs of a hostess who stands at a podium for most of the shift are going to be different from that of a busser or kitchen staff. The main difference is in their activity level. This may mean that certain divisions of your staff will need different uniform pieces to accommodate a broader range of movement. For example, a hostess may feel comfortable in a button-down shirt and work slacks, while a dishwasher or someone on the kitchen staff will need to wear more stretchy, moisture-wicking tops and bottoms.

Also, giving work aprons to individuals with the messiest jobs can preserve their uniforms more effectively. Providing aprons for chefs is standard good practice. To keep the logo of your business front and center, be sure to customize these items with your brand’s image. To make sure these uniforms still look consistent even when they're of different styles, select the same color scheme and apply the same logo to all the apparel that you order.

Consider Their Footwear

Working in the food industry requires many hours on your feet in a fast-paced environment. This is why you should consider footwear as one of the predominant factors to help you decide what uniforms to buy. For example, most of your staff will need to wear comfortable, slip-resistant shoes. These types of shoes are usually sneakers with specialized non-slip soles. The only members of your crew that can wear heels and loafers are managers and the hosting staff.

Keep in mind that the uniform should match the different types of footwear your staff wears. For example, hostesses can wear custom uniform work dresses and some short-heeled pumps, while hosts can look great in formal slacks, a button-down shirt, and penny loafers. Meanwhile, servers, bussers, and kitchen staff need outfits that match their sneakers, so stick to the typical waiter uniform with a custom shirt and comfortable slacks that allow freedom of movement and a more casual appearance.

Get the Accessories They Need

Help your crew feel prepared for every shift by providing all the tools they need to succeed. Servers need portable storage to keep track of pens, notepads, and personal items. Give them short aprons so they can comfortably keep everything in one place. Employees also appreciate some swag items to decrease their out-of-pocket expenses for work accessories. For example, provide custom logo pens, small clipboards, notebooks, hats, and drawstring backpacks to make their job more convenient. By showing small gestures like this, you express how much you appreciate them and care.

Get the best uniforms and accessories for your waitstaff and watch your company’s sense of cohesion grow.