Crockery, Cutlery & Tableware

Buying crockery, cutlery & tableware

Tableware is the part of the kitchen your customer actually touches, so it is worth choosing for the long run rather than the first order. The two things that matter are durability and availability: a pattern that chips is expensive, and a pattern you cannot re-order is worse.

For durability, look at the body. Fully vitrified and super-vitrified china, the standard from makers like Churchill and Steelite, is denser, stronger and far more chip-resistant than standard earthenware or porcelain, and most carry an edge-chip warranty because they are built for the abuse of a real service. For glassware, toughened is worth the small premium anywhere glasses are washed hard and handled fast.

Availability is the quiet one. Stick to a current, volume range held in UK stock, not a discontinued line or a one-off import. When a table of eight needs matching plates, you want to top up the set, not bin it. If you are building a look, order a full place setting to trial before you commit the whole restaurant.

Crockery, Cutlery & Tableware: common questions

What is the most hard-wearing crockery for a restaurant?

Fully vitrified or super-vitrified china. It is fired hotter and denser than standard porcelain or earthenware, so it resists chipping and absorbs almost no water, which also keeps it hygienic. Ranges like Churchill Stonecast and Steelite are built for commercial service and usually carry a multi-year edge-chip warranty.

How much crockery should I order for my covers?

A common starting point is two to three of each key item per cover, so a 60-cover restaurant orders 120 to 180 mains plates. That covers what is on the table, in the wash, and in the store at once. Order a little over: breakages are constant, and topping up a current range is easy while binning a discontinued one is not.

What is the difference between porcelain, vitrified china and earthenware?

It is about how dense the body is. Earthenware is fired lowest, so it is more porous and chips more easily. Porcelain is finer and stronger. Vitrified and super-vitrified china is fired hottest, is the least porous and the most chip-resistant, which is why it is the standard for busy commercial kitchens.

Should I buy toughened glasses?

Anywhere glasses are washed in a machine and handled at pace, yes. Toughened glass resists thermal shock and breaks into smaller, safer pieces. For a fine-dining setting where glasses are hand-washed and handled gently, untoughened crystal-style glass looks better and is fine.

Can I re-order the same pattern later?

Only if you choose a current, stocked range to begin with. This is the single most important tableware decision. Pick a live pattern from a major maker held in UK stock and you can top up a broken set for years. Choose a discontinued or imported one-off and one breakage can mean re-buying the whole table.

Do you stock tableware for next-day delivery?

Some fast-moving lines we hold in our own warehouse go next working day when ordered before the cut-off. The wider tableware range is ordered in, so we will confirm the lead time before you commit. For a big opening order, tell us your date and we will make sure it lands in time.