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Whether you’re just starting out in the food-service industry or you’re a seasoned professional looking to modernize your presence, outfitting your staff in the right apron for the job is an important factor in how well the work is performed.
Waist Aprons
Waist aprons are the usual attire of waiters or waitresses. They’re small, simple aprons that tie around the waist and contain pockets for holding a pad and pen. Aprons such as these make order-taking easier on your wait staff. This translates into happier customers and more satisfied employees.
Bib Aprons
Bib aprons slip over the neck and tie around the waist both. They cover your employees’ upper torso from chest to just above the knee. Bib aprons are great for kitchen and maintenance staff –anywhere the work is messy and the splash factor is high. Dishwashers and cleaning personnel often wear bib aprons.
Cobbler Aprons
You often see cobbler aprons in the fast food industry. These aprons are a sort of smock that goes on over the head and ties at each side of the waist. They’re good for protecting your employees’ shirts and the waistband of their pants. They’re easy to maneuver in and come in handy for kitchen and cashier staff.
Bistro Aprons
Often seen in upscale restaurants, the bistro apron comes in two lengths, full-length and half-full- length. These aprons tie around the waist and fall to just above or below the knees in a slim, sleek design. Lacking pockets, bistro aprons work better for serving staff than wait staff. They look nice to customers and they help hide any flaws in your employees uniform pants, such as wrinkles or stains.
Jackets
It depends on the individual restaurant, of course, but typically, the head chef and the sous chef wear jackets. These button down the front and often the color of the buttons have symbolic meaning that reflect the personal skill and training of the individual chef.
Vests
Vests actually serve as aprons in certain eating establishments. Usually worn by the serving staff, vests typically feature a front pocket for a pad and pencil. In upscale restaurants, vests are sometimes paired with bistro aprons for a formal effect.
Money Pouch
The money pouch is essentially a large tie on pocket that’s worn on the hip and tied around the waist. Most feature several pockets, one for money and one each for pad and pencil. This type of apron is worn by the wait staff in a restaurant.
Hostess Apron
This is the apron that most closely resembles the one your grandmother used to wear in the kitchen. It’s a bib-style with a fitted waist and usually a V-neck. It slips over the head and ties at the waist and may feature a decorative trim. Your door greeter or cashier might benefit from wearing the hostess apron.
In the restaurant business, just like in life, your success depends upon finding the right tools to perform the job most efficiently. Experiment with apron styles until you find the ones that work best for your particular staff.