All restaurants and bars take care of the professional wear for their staff, buying uniforms and accessories suitable to their needs.

The selection of uniforms and accessories that constitute the professional wear for restaurants and bars isn’t improvised, but complies with specific features, strictly connected with the type of structure where the staff operates.

If you are the owner of a restaurant or of a bar, and are going to order the uniforms for your staff, we recommend you keep on reading this article, since we are going to provide you with a series of essential information to help you making the most effective choice.

Professional wear for restaurants and bars: different needs to evaluate

Before buying the uniforms for the staff of a restaurant or of a bar, the real needs of the place should be considered, as well as the mood that you want to create and the style of furniture.

More than being a mere work cloth – oriented to practicality and comfort – the uniform of a restaurant is also a way to transmit to the customers the concept of the place, and enhance it in the best possible way.

This is not only the purpose of the owners of the trendiest places or of top restaurants, it’s definitely a transversal concept, and concerns also the bars destined to a more heterogenous mass of people or the big fast food chains.

Let’s see how the needs on professional wear change depending on the type of restaurant and bar.

  • Professional wear for top restaurants and bars

    With “top” restaurants and bars we mean the exclusive places, starred restaurants, awarded by critics and appreciated by the public, which offer high level gastronomic experiences.

    In these places, as you can imagine, the professional wear should be elegant, serious and sober.

    For the staff of top restaurants and bars, the classic jacket is used for waiters, next to the special jacket for maîtres and the uniforms for sommeliers, a professional figure that cannot be missing in such places.

  • Professional wear for modern restaurants and bars

    The trendy places are the ones where the intervention of an architect and of an interior designer can be noticed already during the design stage, and not only during the execution stage.

    In these cases, environments are strongly characterized and customized, through the choice of special unconventional colours and the employment of iconic elements, such the logo.

    These elements influence the choice of the uniforms for the staff of the restaurants or modern bars, through a deeper study while choosing the colours and the models.

    Often, with the due exceptions, a more modern and agile wear is chosen, with dark shirts and, in some cases, the vest instead of the jacket.

  • Professional wear for youth restaurants and bars

    With youth restaurants and bars, we mean all places aiming at a younger public, offering quick and informal food and service.

    In these cases, the professional wear of the staff should be less affected, easier, that’s why they prefer to use the aprons with the logo embroidered on them and coloured shirts, not white, depending on the style of the place.

    In summer, the shirts can be replaced with short-sleeved polo shirts.

  • Professional wear for mass restaurants and bars

    The restaurants and bars which hosts a lot of people, with an elevated rotation of tables during the service, have different needs than the restaurants where you can have dinner only upon reservation and the most elite ones.

    Here, in fact, the practicality of the uniform is more important than style, because the staff faces very frantic moments, with customers leaving and arriving, and should be able to move quickly and comfortably during the working shift.

    That’s why, in these cases, an apron with coordinated shirt is usually chosen.

  • Professional wear for the restaurants of hotels

    The restaurants inside the hotels have different needs than all other categories, being used most of all for ceremonies and private events.

    The main need of such places in terms of uniforms for waiters is having a standard uniform, in order to not face any problems in case extra waiters are needed, that could wear their own uniforms without being different from the others.

    In this case, so, the cream jacket for waiters is usually chosen, which represents a standard nowadays, or – in order to follow the trends of the moment – the mandarin collar jacket.

  • jackets for restaurants and bars smoke grey
  • jackets for restaurants and bars cream

Jackets for restaurants and bars: models, colours, fabrics

As we explained in the first part of this article, the jacket is used only in the most classic and traditional restaurants and bars, rooted in the liberty style or in the earliest twentieth century.

Let’s see which are the peculiar features of this garment.

Models of jackets for restaurants and bars

The models of jackets for restaurants and bars can be divided into two macro-categories:

  • Classic jacket, with shawl collar and one button at sight. The version for women is shorter than the one for men;
  • Mandarin collar jacket, worn closed, with one button at sight and the rest of the buttoning hidden. In this case too, the model for women is shorter.

Colours of jackets for restaurants and bars

The colour of the jacket varies depending on the type of place, as previously mentioned.

While in the restaurants of hotels, in fact, the jacket is usually cream, in order to manage the need of extra waiters in a more coordinated way, in the other places the mood that you want to create is very important.

Black is very used, being elegant and modern at the same time, and also the most refined colours, which are used for the trendiest places, for example light or dark grey, safari, sand.

Fabrics for jackets for restaurants and bars

The purchase of uniforms for restaurants and bars represents an important investment for the economy of the activity, that’s why the refined style should be matched with a fabric which ensures resistance and durability of the garments with time.

Therefore, a 100% polyester fabric is usually chosen. This is a very strong fabric, that can be washed in the washing machine without wearing out or crumpling. Unfortunately, this fabric is little breathable, so it’s a bit uncomfortable in summer, but the problem is solved – at least partially – by using light versions, or replacing the jacket with an apron, where possible.

The jackets for maîtres, on the contrary, are made of lightweight wool. This is superior fabric than polyester, but also less hard-wearing.

Since the figure of the maître is more representative than operative, that is less exposed to stress and stains, the problem doesn’t exist.

  • solid color vests for barmen/barwomen
  • pinstripe vests for barmen/barwomen

Vests for barmen/barwomen: models, colours, fabrics

Even if it’s not used anymore in the restaurants, the vest has still a central role in the professional wear of some types of bars, which want to provide a vintage effect.

Anecdote on the employment of vests in the uniforms for waiters

The employment of the vest in the professional uniforms of waiters dates back to Louis XIV.The story goes that the Sun King was bothered by the presence of a courtier who, to attract the attention on himself, used to wear gaudy and showy vests. To humiliate him, the King decided that his waiters had to wear a vest, which became a standard of professional wear.

Differences between the professional vest and the “civilian” one

The vest used in professional uniforms differs from the “civilian” vest because this latter is characterized by the employment of two different fabrics for the front and the rear, which is made of cover.

This difference depends from the fact that the “civilian” vest is worn under the jacket, leaving only the front part on sight.

The vest for barmen/barwomen, instead, is completely made of cloth, since the jacket is not used.

Models of vests for barmen/barwomen

The vest is a garment with precise features declined in different models.

The classic vest has five buttons in the version for men, while the female version is shorter. More than the classic model with 5 buttons, a version with shawl collar and three buttons is available. In this case, the buttons are placed at the height of the waist band.

Colours and fabric of vests for barmen/barwomen

Being a classic and vintage garment, the vest is usually dark.

The most spread colours are black, dark grey and maroon, more than pearl grey, which provides an even more “retro” feeling.

Another very appreciated solution is pinstriped, usually black or dark blue.

Such as for jackets and professional wear for restaurants in general, vests are made of 100% polyester, for the above explained reasons (durability and resistance).

  • black aprons for restaurants
  • trendy aprons for bars

Aprons for restaurants and bars: models, colours, fabrics

Unlike vests, which aren’t used anymore in restaurants but almost only in the most traditional and classic bars, the apron is a transversal professional cloth, used at all levels, both in the restaurants and in the bars.

The reasons of this wide diffusion of aprons for restaurants and bars are both practical and economical. In fact, being a one size only garment, the apron allows to save money while buying it in comparison with other clothes, which are available in different sizes.

Therefore, when the restaurant or bar orders its uniforms, it can buy a certain quantity of aprons for men and for women, being sure that its staff can wear them without any problems.

As to practicality, the staff prefers this garment, which allows to move easily and having one or more pockets where to place their tools, such as the bloc notes for the orders or a simple corkscrew.

However, it’s obvious that the apron represents a less elegant and refined solution, and this should drive top restaurants and the most refined places to prefer a jacket.

Models of aprons for restaurants and bars

The aprons for restaurants and bars are divided into two macro-categories, the ones with bib and the ones without bib, also called “French aprons”. These latter are almost a standard in the top, elegant and refined restaurants and are worn over a white shirt and a tie.

The ones with bib, on the contrary, perfectly match with any type of place, from the most classic to the most modern ones.

The standard model of apron has one or two pockets, it can have V-neck, round neck or straight neck, very appreciated in the most modern restaurants.

Colours and fabrics of aprons for restaurants and bars

The traditional apron for bars and restaurants is black, very appreciated by those places that want to obtain a more classic and elegant effect, but can be purchased even in other colours. Other very spread colours are burgundy, dark grey, pinstriped and striped. Aprons can also be customized by asking a colour which matches with the style of the place.

As to the most particular solutions, it is possible to buy aprons made of textured fabrics, or rather with raised patterns or weave.

In this case too, the fabric with which the aprons for restaurants and bars are made is 100% polyester.

  • bow ties for restaurants and bars unforms
  • womens bow ties for restaurants and bars unforms

Accessories for waiters: ties, bow ties and female ties

A professional uniform cannot ignore the importance of accessories, which complete the uniform making it perfect.

As to restaurants and bars, among the indispensable accessories we can count ties, bow ties and female ties, more and more used.

Such as for aprons, also these accessories make the selection and purchase process easier, as they tend to be universal, one size products.

Models of accessories for uniforms for restaurants and bars

We have said that the must-have accessories, essential to complete the professional uniform for restaurants and bars, are bow ties and ties, both for men and for women.

The bow tie is a very elegant accessory, with a clear vintage effect, and it looks impressive, both if worn by men and by women.

The model with the knot to be done, that is the classic bow tie used also with the tuxedo, is bought only seldom, since it’s uncomfortable and a lot of time is needed to knot it. That’s why the most used model is the one with the knot already done, which is fastened on the back of the neck with a metal fastener.

As to ties, both classic solution and seventy-style models (narrower and with a most modern cut) can be chosen, even with the knot already done.

For women, both the classic ties and the female ties can be used, which are shorter and in some models have a transversal cut at the end, instead of the classic arrow-style point.

Colours and fabrics of the accessories for uniforms for restaurants and bars

Bow ties, ties and female ties can be made in several colours and styles, depending from the style of the restaurant/bar.

The classic models are black and maroon, but striped solutions are also available.

The most important thing is that the tie or bow tie are matched with the apron, which have to be always of the same colour.

Such as for other garments, also these accessories are made of 100% polyester.

Conclusions

As you can see, to buy the professional wear for restaurants and bars several aspects have to be considered, some of them more practical and economic, other more elegant and refined.

We hope we have supplied useful information. In case of doubts, we are at your disposal.

Author: Ciro Corbara