How to Choose the Best Style of Restaurant Uniforms for Your Restaurant

The restaurant uniforms your employees wear make a huge impact and first impression with your customers. Selecting the best style of uniforms depends on what type of message you want to send to your customers. It also depends on the type of customer you want to attract to your establishment.

Restaurant Style

Just like there is a wide variety of food-service uniforms to select from, there is also an array of restaurant styles. Does your restaurant cater to families, upscale dining experiences, or business people? The style of your restaurant should be reflected in the uniforms you select.

For example, for a fine dining, upscale restaurant, you want employees dressed-to-impress in formal-like uniforms complete with a vest and tie. On the other hand, if the atmosphere of your restaurant is family-style, then choosing a nice dark uniform top and pairing it with khaki pants or jeans may be more appropriate.

fast food worker serving a hamburger and french fries

Restaurant Branding

Branding is another factor to consider when selecting uniforms for your employees. Do you have a catch-phrase, logo, or particular menu item that is popular? You may want to have that wording or image embroidered on the uniforms like on the sleeve or back of the uniform shirt.

Restaurant Image

What image do you want to convey to your guests? One aspect of a restaurant’s image has to do with how easy it is to tell your employees apart from other customers. If there is a coffee shop or other restaurants nearby, take the time to find out what uniforms their employees wear. You want to set your restaurant apart by selecting uniforms that are different and easily identifiable with your establishment.

Restaurant Uniforms Color

Color is important when deciding what types of uniforms you want. For front-of-house staff, it can be a good idea to steer clear of white and light-colored uniform shirts. These easily show stains and can make your employees look messy and dirty.

Another option, if you want a light-colored uniform shirt, is to pair a light shirt with a dark-colored apron so that your employees always look their best when greeting, waiting on, and serving customers. For back-of-house staff, chef whites are appropriate, but you need to make sure your chef has extra chef jackets readily available so, when they go out front, they can change and look pristine.

Consider the Psychological Impacts of Color

Equally essential when thinking about the color of uniforms is the underlying messages behind different colors. For example, greens and blues can instill a sense of green-friendly practices, natural ingredients, farm-to-table meals, and healthy eating. Warm colors, like orange and red, can stimulate people’s appetites.

Form vs. Function

Team of waiter staff with wine glasses in a restaurant

You need to balance form with function when selecting uniforms. For example, in warmer climates and summer, you wouldn’t want your employees dressed in long-sleeved uniform shirts, as they can make them hot and uncomfortable.

Uniform Variations

Some restaurants use different variations of uniforms so guests can tell the difference between servers, hosts, bussers, cooks, chefs, managers, and so on. Other restaurants use uniform variations at different times of the day.

Choosing the right uniforms for your restaurant requires putting some thought into the type of dining experience you want to create for your customers that incorporates your brand and image and keeps your employees looking clean and presentable.

For help choosing the best stylish restaurant uniforms and to learn more about our restaurant uniform rentals, please feel free to contact Prudential Overall Supply at 800-767-5536 today!