The best tips to find the best hospitality workwear for your staff.
The hospitality industry consists of amusement parks, restaurants, hotels, and cruise ships, etc. They mostly deal in providing tourism-centred services to people. In an industry where you have to deal with outsiders all the time, making a good impression is extremely important to your business. So, needless to say, you need a good uniform to look presentable. However, when deciding what makes a good uniform for hospitality workwear you cannot make your decision based on appearance alone. Make sure to consider comfort and the fabric. If you are managing a hotel, your employees cannot wear the same sort of uniform that people working in restaurants wear.
Hotel Workwear vs Restaurant Workwear
Hotel and restaurant workwear are often perceived by people as the same set of clothes. Let’s learn the difference between the both to help you buy the right uniform for your staff:
Hotel Workwear
There are different positions in a hotel and every position or rank requires a different uniform appropriate to the role. Everyone has to be dressed according to their job description from the chamber maids to receptionists to other hotel staff. Having a unique uniform for everyone helps customers recognise people and know what their job is and who should they approach. For instance, front desk people are usually dressed in formal clothes because they are literally the face of your brand and its standards. So, for men opt for suits, suit vests, suit pants, and blazers and for women choose suit coats, pants, and A-line skirts.
Restaurant Workwear
Cooks and chefs make up a good majority of restaurants. Plus, restaurants also have cleaners and kitchen helpers to ensure hygiene and proper management in the kitchen. Then you have the front desk staff, concierge, and servers. When you are managing a restaurant, it is important that your team looks presentable and clean.
Important Elements of Restaurant Workwear
Jacket: Chefs have to wear a long-sleeved jacket which can be extremely uncomfortable because they have to work at a high temperature, but you can make it comfortable for them with the right fabric and material. Opt for cotton because it is breathable and good for jackets, or you can use polyester if you are looking for a durable material. You can include some additions such as buttons and a mandarin collar.
Headwear: Hats worn by chefs and cooks are more about their identity and status in the workplace rather than comfort and functionality. However, hats do serve the purpose of keeping hair out of cooks’ and chefs’ faces. As a matter of fact, a lot of changes have been made in hats to make them compliant with the standards of food hygiene. Make sure that headwear has anti-slip features like an elastic strap and is breathable.
Pants: The right pants can help to prevent contaminants from polluting food being served to people. Plus, the right pair of pants will also help your employees with movement and are also breathable. So, for breathability, make sure to choose at least 35% cotton and choose pants that are lightweight, durable, and tear-resistant.
Shoes: Shoes may not be considered by many people as a part of restaurant work wear, but they are equally important. Most of the staff in restaurants is always moving around, so the comfort of feet is non-negotiable. So, ask your employees to buy shoes that have the perfect fit and have anti-slip features.
Apron: The style of the apron varies with the rank of the employee. For employees working as waitresses, waiters, and house aprons you will need to buy waist aprons. They let them walk around comfortably because they do not provide upper-body coverage. You can also find longer waist aprons. They act for the same purpose as the shorter ones, but they provide more coverage that keeps the pants safe. For your kitchen staff and some of your servers, use bib aprons. Bib aprons offer space for wiping dirty hands and provide protection from accidental spills.
How to Choose Hospitality Workwear
The hospitality industry is one of the fasted-growing industries in Australia. So, in order to reach your customers, you have to make sure that you stand out. One way to do this is by buying suitable uniforms for your staff. Here are some tips that you need to follow when choosing hospitality workwear:
Examine Your Options
Consider your options. Make sure the fabric is durable, has professional colour, and style. You do not necessarily have to limit your options to traditional old-school uniforms. So, you can choose vibrant colours and eccentric patterns if they go well with your restaurant’s ambience. You can design fitted shirts in different colours including purple, navy, red, and orange, etc.
Determine Who Your Customers Are
Your customers determine what kind of workwear you need to pick for your employees. So, determine where you work. Is your restaurant in the middle of the city and your customers are mostly wealthy and influential people? What is your target audience? Do you want to target young individuals who like the ambience of beaches and resorts? When you are knowledgeable of your audience, it becomes easier to design workwear. So, if you are catering to luxurious businessmen design three-piece suits for your employees. Good colour palettes and high-quality materials are essential to reflect your brand’s image effectively without coming off as too loud to others.
Consider the Roles
As we have already established, above, that employees in restaurants have different ranks and responsibilities, so they cannot wear the same uniform. If some of your employees have more demanding jobs than others, make sure to make their uniform as comfortable as possible, so they can carry out their tasks without feeling restricted or uncomfortable.
Some of your staff will have to interact with people for example the front desk workers and the receptionists, so it is important that they look professional because they are the first impression of any brand. However, it does not mean that the employees working behind the scenes can wear anything they want. Your staff, no matter what their rank is, will affect your restaurant’s image. This also includes people who do not directly interact with people.
The Final Takeaway
Your restaurant’s uniform is a testament to your brand and its service. That is the reason why you need to design apparel that makes your employees look fresh and feel great. So, whether you want to design something fashion-forward or you want to stick to the classics, you will find something for yourself.
