White Tablecloths

White tablecloths are a hot topic this year for restaurants and dining establishments. One hospitality review and survey carried out in the USA found that between December 2008 and December 2009, persons visiting restaurants with white tablecloths has risen by over 40% compared to last year.

Regarding the use of white tablecloths in restaurants and dining establishments. One hospitality review and survey carried out in the USA found that between December 2008 and December 2009, diners visiting restaurants with white tablecloths has increased by over 40% compared to last year. AND! To drive the point home, these same diners are spending more on their meals when dining out than they did a 12 months ago. This makes it very clear that in the restaurant business, good white tablecloths do make a big difference in the guests eyes which helps take care of the establishments business and ultimately the bottom line income of the business.

So, the big question is… what makes a really good linen tablecloth? Well for a start we need to know what we want from a white tablecloth as each establishment is different and has different requirements. We would like the tablecloth to be and look super clean and crisp, yet still soft to the touch. However, the tablecloth must not only look and feel good, our white tablecloths also need to be highly practical which means that the tablecloth protects the table from heavy use damage, the tablecloth fabric must absorb the spills and accidents that will occur.

With this in mind some basic considerations need to be made… white tablecloth materials are very important as the fabric will affect the way the tablecloths hang accross the table, the way they feel to the touch, the way the light reflects off the cloth surface etc. There are various fabrics such as polyester, cotton, and poly-spun, and they all have their advantages and disadvantages depending on what the occasion calls for. If you are a small cafe that serves breakfasts or fast foods then polyester are probably more appropriate, good quality and durable standard polyester tablecloths are available are very low cost at several internet websites.

Visa polyester is crisp, soft, and durable, will go with any dining no matter what cuisine is being served. Visa polyester also rests nicely on the tables, in fact if you are  starting a new restaurant I would like to recommend that buy your tablecloths before you buy your table furniture, as good quality polyester tablecloths will conceal any unsightly table tops or furniture that you may have in your dining establishment and you may be able to get a much better deal when buying dining furniture for your new restaurant business.

From a heavy use tablecloth point of view, stain resistant and free visa polyester is the clear winner in this area without doubt. I agree that it takes more effort and has higher costs in terms of the tablecloths themselves and the cleaning costs than not having tablecloths, but in terms of the return in dollars and in what patrons expect, stain and wrinkle resistant visa polyester will not be beaten.

In terms of colors, white is usually the best way to go especially for a restaurant geared towards formal dinners. It is a safe bet and proves to the customer that you have a clean kitchen with nothing to hide. White is also the color that exudes style and taste. If white is not a possibility and you would like to dare to be different, then you could always have a base tablecloth underneath with a different color. The size of the tablecloth will of course depend on the dining table dimensions, so be sure to ask your tablecloths supplier what sizes you will need for your tables.

Finally, not all restaurants need stain and wrinkle resistant visa polyester tablecloths, as excellent dining room furniture is often a an expression of the restaurant and food served. However, if you are going to use tablecloths in your restaurant then consider the advice here, use 100% visa polyester, and don't take any shortcuts, it's your restaurant and you want it to be a success!

Article by Rhonda McDowell, www.White-Tablecloths.net
Rhonda is an interior design professional who provides white tablecloth dining ideas and trends to retailers such as www.White-Tablecloths.net click the link for further information about table  linens.