Elevate your guest experience with premium tabletop

Seventy-five percent of people say they’re willing to pay more for unique dining experiences, according to FoodDigital, encouraging chefs and operators throughout hospitality and foodservice to up their games with new and exciting food and beverage experiences. In our competitive industry, details in food and beverage service can set one hotel apart from another and entice guests to stay on-premise for more of their meals. The quality of dishware and glassware in a hotel’s dining establishments plays a surprisingly significant role in shaping guest perceptions and preferences and in creating unique dine-in experiences. 

When guests dine at a hotel, they are looking for more than just a meal. They hope for something truly special. Providing that special experience will not only help guests build memories that will make them want to return to your hotel in the future, but can build your local reputation, entice diners to visit and increase your market. The aesthetic and tactile appeal of the dishes and glasses used—how good they look and feel—can enhance this experience, making meals more memorable and enjoyable. New dining presentations, including premium dishware and glassware, contribute to a sense of uniqueness and attention to detail that elevates a guest’s overall impression of a hotel and provides that sense of a truly special occasion. 

A Feast for the Eyes—and for Social Media

Visual appeal is the first element guests notice when they sit down to dine, which may explain why so many people post photos of their meals to social media, even before the first bite. The adage that we eat first with our eyes applies in every setting, so the initial visual impression made by the tabletop influences diners’ expectations and enjoyment of their meals. Tableware frames culinary creations for photographs and for diners’ appetites.

High-quality, well-designed plates and glasses create an inviting, sophisticated or even contemporary table setting. Unique and stylish dishware can make a statement, setting the tone for the meal and enhancing the presentation of the food. These memorable presentations help raise the perceived value of any meal, whether it’s a gourmet dinner or a simple scrambled egg at breakfast.

Visual delight not only pleases guests but also sets their taste expectations. We expect beautiful food to taste better, and so food served on beautiful dinnerware benefits from those positive expectations. 

In our connected world, online beauty matters, as well. Meals and drinks that look and taste good encourage guests to share their experiences and photographs on social media, indirectly promoting the hotel.

Enhancing Flavor Perception

Beyond aesthetics, the feel of the dishware and glassware also plays a crucial role. Studies have shown that the weight, texture, and even the color of dishes and flatware can influence the perception of foods’ taste and flavor. 

The tactile sensation of heavier, more substantial dinnerware and flatware conveys richness, abundance and well-being to diners without words. Trying to cut meat with a plastic knife feels very different form the sensation of a well-balanced steak knife in your hand. One feels like cutting corners, the other feels luxurious. Whiteware has long been the clean, clear canvas that allows culinary creations to stand out, and research has shown that more colorful dishes enhance our perception of taste, as well. “Colder” colors like blue in glassware can make drinks seem even cooler and more refreshing, for instance.

Premium dishes, made from materials like fine porcelain or bone china, can even directly improve food taste, while crystal glassware and properly shaped glasses can focus and deliver the aroma and flavor of beverages. This can be especially important for on-trend beverages like bourbon and agave-based drinks like tequila and mezcal.

These sensory enhancements can turn an ordinary meal into an extraordinary culinary experience and convey your hotel’s consistent brand message of luxury and premium service.

Building a Brand Image

Investing in high-quality dishware and glassware reflects a hotel’s brand values. It signals the hotel’s commitment to elevating guests’ experience at any price point, by demonstrating attention to even the smallest details. This commitment can foster loyalty, as guests choose accommodations where they feel pampered and valued, whether in the luxury, business, leisure or budget segments. Unique dining experiences, supported by those “little things that count” like upgraded tableware, contribute to guest satisfaction and enjoyment.

Brand messaging can range from more subtle cues, like elevated sensory experiences, to more direct visual cues like tableware branded with your hotel’s name or glassware carrying your etched logo. The right total tabletop provider will help you coordinate long lasting dinnerware, glassware and flatware that reflects your brand and carries its message across your presentations. And guests will respond to the brand consistency you gain from these thoughtful tableware choices.

Moreover, in an age where online reviews can make or break a business, consistently exceeding guest expectations with such thoughtful touches can lead to positive reviews and higher ratings. Guests’ responses to surveys, ratings and requests for testimonials, as well as more informal social media check-ins and mentions, carry influence. 

Sustainable Choices Matter

Fifty-seven percent of consumers say sustainability practices at least somewhat influence their choices when dining away from home, and 25 percent of Gen Z and Millennials will go out of their way to dine at a place making sustainability efforts. These eco-conscious trends reflect the value consumers place on sustainability in their choices.

Hotels that choose eco-friendly dishware and glassware options demonstrate their commitment to the environment, appealing to this growing demographic. Investment in long-life tableware can save operators thousands of dollars annually, as well as influencing guest accommodation and restaurant choices.

Sustainable options, such as tableware made from recycled materials or glassware designed especially for longevity, can enhance the guest experience while aligning with their values. The special occasions diners want include luxury and premiumization, alongside ecological responsibility. Successful hospitality can messaging include both.

In the end, the difference between a good stay and a great one can lie in the details. By choosing premium dishware and glassware, hotels can elevate their dining experiences, impressing guests and setting themselves apart from the competition. This investment in quality not only enhances the dining experience but also strengthens the overall brand image, fostering loyalty and encouraging positive reviews. In a competitive market, it’s these details that can make all the difference, inspiring guests, providing the special occasion experience they desire, and driving traffic to your hotel.

Kevin Oglesby is the senior vice president of marketing at Libbey.