What You Should Consider Before You Rent Linens

[Simon Hopes]

Your restaurant needs to offer a very lovely atmosphere. It needs to draw people in so they enjoy being there. Of course, they want the service and the food to be exceptional, but they also want everything to look amazing. You can ensure the linens on the tables offer them something nice to see and help them to feel relaxed.

While the cost is important to consider, you need to look at much more than just that. Paying the lowest possible price for those linens may result in poor quality. Your customers will notice it, even if they don’t say anything about it. You may get a lower level of service too, and that can mean you continually worry about getting your supplies on time. You need a provider you can trust, and you need a fair price for all they contribute.

Where to Get Your Linens

You may want your napkins folded a certain way. You may want a certain size of tablecloths so they fit your tables well. The quality of these linens says a great deal to your customers about the quality of your business. You need well-made products that they will enjoy. They are going to hold those napkins in their hands. They will wipe their hands and faces with them. If the napkins paper thin, they will notice.

Customers are going to see the blemishes on your tablecloths. If the tablecloths are thin, they will wear out easily. If they are stained, it may give the impression your business isn’t as clean as it should be. With all of this in mind, you need to have very high standards for the place where you rent those linens. They should have very good quality products to offer. They should have a system in place to inspect linens, to make sure they aren’t sending out items that are stained or showing signs of wear.

Tablecloths should be clean and pressed so they aren’t wrinkled when placed on the tables. The napkins should be carefully cleaned and folded the way you like them. You can also opt to have them delivered open, and your staff can fold them accordingly. Talk to restaurant linen hire companies to find out what they are willing to do for you. Most of them are quite flexible to ensure they can meet the specific needs of each business they deliver to.

The colours or designs they offer also have to be taken into consideration. Do they have linens you can reasonably use in your business without compromising your overall décor? Most of the providers have a wide selection of items, so it typically won’t be a concern. Still, you do need to make sure they have what you are looking for rather than just assuming they will. If you need something very unique, they may be able to order it for you.

Communication

You may wish to talk to several providers of linen rentals to compare what they offer. You need to feel in control of what you will get and how you get it. Open lines of communication are vital for this to work. You can’t worry that your restaurant won’t have enough clean tablecloths or napkins to keep up with the demand of guests you get. The company has to be able to assure you they can keep up with your needs.

You don’t want excuses; you want them to deliver on what you agree to. This is why you need to investigate the business. Anyone can tell you what you want to hear, but you need a business that is dedicated to following through. Find out how other restaurants feel about this service. Don’t be shy to ask them about what other restaurants in the area they offer linens for, either.

Whom will you get in touch with if you have concerns about the linens? What if you need more in a hurry? Knowing you can reach out to them and make changes as you need them is very important. You need to work with a linen provider that understands that your business needs can change often. They have to be willing to do all they reasonably can to accommodate those changes when you report them.

Contract

Carefully explore the possibilities and the unknown elements before you enter into a contract. You want to have details in it about the cost of the linen rentals, pickup, and delivery. You need to have it specifically state you can contact the company at any time to modify your needs. If they don’t agree to that, don’t enter into a contract with them. It also needs to allow for the contract to be voided if the company isn't upholding its end.

Should you feel like your business is suffering due to them not being on time with deliveries or the quality diminishes, talk to them. Let them know you aren’t happy and that you expect better services. Let them know you are evaluating it on a temporary basis and if you have any more concerns you may find another provider. This information should also be delivered to them in writing.

You will find the very best linen providers if you understand how this business works. They realise they aren’t the only ones offering such services. They strive to offer great products, friendly service, efficient delivery, and very good prices. They know if they don’t, they are going to lose customers to their competitors. They don’t want to see their own business suffer.

Instead, they want to see it grow, and they want to have long-term customers. They know word of mouth can make a difference in their future. When they do an outstanding job, they get great reviews, and they can earn the trust of new customers. They also continue to expand their relationships with current customers. Any restaurant that continues to be in business for a long time is going to be getting busier and thus need more linens from them.