There are numerous things to take into consideration when first opening up a hotel. One of its most important parts will probably be represented by its in-built restaurant or bar. That needs some further thought to be put into the design process, in order to make the place more appealing to potential guests.
And what do we usually think about when visiting a restaurant? For most of us, it's food. We'd like to pair our stay in a lovely hotel with a delicious meal, which could look even more inviting when set on the right plates.
1. Crockery Styles for All Numbers of Hotel Stars
Style choices for hotel crockery will vary thanks to numerous factors. Some will depend on the restaurant's theme, the manager's preferences, but also on the company's budget. That is why you might notice differences when visiting hotels with different numbers of stars.
First of all, four of five-star hotels will simply need more types of crockery, usually because most of them tend to set more elegant and formal dining spaces. For instance, casual hotels could rely less on details such as side plates or, in other words, plates for bread and butter. Also, fancier hotels will serve coffee in a porcelain cup placed on a saucer. Laid-back ones might go for the fashionable version of serving drinks in mason jars.
Hotel crockery that can be found in locations higher on the star scale will most likely have to look identical. Sets of hundreds of plates will be bought to set the standard for such places, which could make them difficult to find and replace later on if broken. In less pretentious places, the same food could be served on different plates at the same table, adding a bit of fun to the experience.
Material is also an important factor in differentiating hotel crockery. Those having higher standards will probably make a choice towards porcelain or bone China. Casual hotels normally set the budget lower. If they do want to go for an elegant vibe, glass plates might become an option. Otherwise, ceramic, clay, earthenware crockery will do the trick. Some could even go as far as serving food on wooden boards or melamine.
It is quite funny sometimes how elegant hotels go for serving light, fine dining types of dishes on heavy plates, while others serve large meals on plates feeling like feathers by comparison. Gladly, there is something out there to serve all tastes.
2.Crockery Styles for Different Hotel Locations
Hotel crockery, surprisingly or not, might differ depending on the geographical area where the business is set. This could happen thanks to the prime materials a specific country usually has on hand. It could also simply depend on cultural preferences and even more on traditional types of cuisine.
For example, when thinking about the North-American way of eating, burgers and ribs might pop in our heads, or any other sort of major barbecue event. In this case, large plates are definitely in order.
For cultures focusing more on pasta, soups or sea food, large bowls might be more appropriate. Some prepare dishes which should be enjoyed as a family or group, so immense trays or boards will appear on the table. Others prefer to keep their various meal components from touching each other, as they are to be enjoyed separately. In that situation, ramekins or tiny round or square plates could be brought together.
It seems that the fashion of colorful plates has been started by Scandinavian producers. Although it is widely said that chefs still prefer white porcelain, attention sometimes shifts towards other materials, shades, patterns, and at times people even going for a handcrafted touch.
3.Long Lasting Crockery Styles
By this point, you might have an idea of the design to choose in order to best fit your business idea. You might even know what size and how many types of hotel crockery you'll need based on your future menu. What is left to choose is the proper material, one that, besides looking pretty and doing its job, could stand the test of time as well.
We suggest taking the dishwasher aspect into consideration. While definitely bringing a rustic and interesting vibe, wooden boards are probably only washable by hand, which could threaten time management. Also, you need to check the crockery for patters that look like they might potentially chip during washing or simply rough handling.
Melamine crockery seems to be a good choice when you're on a strict budget. It's not affected by heat and can be safely washed automatically, without becoming scratched. Glass is also a cheap option, but not really advisable for a busy hotel restaurant. It can easily break into pieces and even hurt somebody in the process.
Ceramic dishes are probably the most common type that people use, they are normally affordable and prove to be a good investment. They are very resistant, unless, of course, having a serious encounter with the hard floor. But that applies to almost any object. Its variations are stoneware and earthenware, the last ones being covered by some sort of glaze. This allows them to be colored and painted in rather interesting ways.
Porcelain is one of the most resistant, but also higher priced, materials for hotel crockery manufacturing. The strongest version is bone China, which must have at least 45% animal bone powder in its composition. It's so resistant that it won't break easily even if made really thin. Bone China dishes are light, can also be colored and have a patterned design.
4.Crockery Company to Rely on for Your Hotel
Hopefully, by now you have decided on the ideal type of hotel crockery for your business. If so, we'd like to also add in some information which may be able to help you by actually manufacturing your desired plates.
Two Eight Ceramic is a company based in Chaozhou, China, which has been active in the ceramic production industry for 20 years. There is no need to worry about their location, as they collaborate with international buyers all the time and will be able to ship your products anywhere around the world. The company is specialized in fabricating all sorts of tableware, including bone China, porcelain or ceramic hotel crockery, but also glassware and cutlery. Just in case you haven't decided on those either. Furthermore, you can express your preferences as to certain designs or colors and they will mail some samples when you're ready.