Catering and restaurant placemats
When choosing the right placemats for your restaurant, hotel or pub dining room it is necessary to look past just the design or pattern, but take a close look at the durability of the mats. Something which is being used multiple throughout the day and by customers who are not always going to be careful with the way they handle the cutlery or other table accessories. Even if it’s not deliberate, the wear and tear which the tablemats are exposed to is much more excessive than in a domestic environment.
To avoid replacing your placemats too often it is advisable to select hardwearing UK made melamine placemats or something like the floppy Fleximats type of woven vinyl placemats. The benefits of melamine are primarily the very hard and heat resistant top surface which reduces scratches and as the surface is extremely durable it does not crack. This means moisture is unable to penetrate the surface and avoids spoiling the appearance of the tablemats.
The base of the cork backed placemats is soft and the rigid top surface of the melamine tablemats will protect your dining table from scratches or scrapes and more importantly the heat generated from plates which would otherwise leave a stain on the surface of your table.
Placemats for care homes and catering professionals
The issue of moisture forming on the surface of standard placemats is typically the quickest way to destroy their appearance. The water gets under the surface and creates white marks and unsightly stains. The 150ºC heat resistance of the melamine surface not only prevents hot plate damage, but this durability prevents water drops and crucially moisture or spills created by wine and beer glasses from getting absorbed into the actual placemat.
Professional catering environments of all types, from care homes and placemats for restaurants through to hotels and large dining halls need to pay attention to the surface of the tablemats being used.
Although melamine would be the ideal option, because these Plymouth Pottery placemats are UK sized and made, they are more expensive than other options.
Durable placemats, UK made
The Fleximats floppy tablemats made from woven vinyl are another attractive tabletop saving option for restaurants and care homes. The material used makes these stylish tablemats less likely to slip around on a shiny table and they can be easily wiped clean. However the Fleximats may not themselves prevent spills from getting through to your table as the woven vinyl material is porous in nature.
Apart from the wear and tear from customer usage, one of the main issues facing placemats in restaurants and care homes is how carefully will the staff handle the tablemats. Ideally the cleaning staff will carefully wipe down the surface with a damp cloth and then stack the placemats neatly until the next customer. The reality is this cleaning process is likely to be fairly robust, so your plain colour melamine placemats or the Fleximats need to be strong enough to withstand heavy handed and under pressure staff members.
Whether you opt for UK made melamine tablemats or the Fleximats, just make sure you do not put them in a dishwasher. With the correct handling your restaurant placemats will last much longer.