Glassware is never where you want to cut corners in a restaurant or bar. If you cut corners now, you’ll pay the price for it in the future – it’s a fact. Presentation is crucial, whether at home or in a commercial setting.
There’s a massive industry filled with trends and rules for the bar supplies and glassware that people purchase and use on a routine basis. If you’ve ever walked into a restaurant and noticed that none of the glasses match and that the plates look like they’ve been added from a dozen sets over the year, you may have a contrary assumption about the eatery.
Some eclectic restaurants can get away with the mixed-match trend, but not all establishments will thrive with these unmatched or dated sets. There often needs to be some semblance of cohesion among all of the cookware and glassware for things to make sense.
Ready to make this investment into the future of your foodservice business? Click here to find every piece of barware you might need, and read on to learn what types of glasses exactly are essential for any restaurant and how to choose them.
How to Choose the Best Glassware
There’s a lot of glassware options. You can get completely lost when looking through all of your options for glassware. But one way to start is to look at your space. What a lot of restaurants and bars will do is:
- Focus on a dependable set that is sturdy and will last a while
- Add in a few strange or different vintage pieces into the mix
Yes, you don’t want to have dozens of odd or mix-matching pieces in your collection. But when you have a few vintages or strange pieces added into the mix, it can become a focal point or add to a person’s experience, which may have the person coming back in the future.
Cohesion should be followed for 90% of the glassware, but adding something interesting is always going to add to the conversation and make a lasting impression.
On-trend glassware can also have a significant impact on your signature drinks. Restaurants must stay ahead of trends to ensure that they don’t fall behind the competition.
Clear glasses and stemless glassware are two of the top trends in the industry. When you go to most restaurants and upscale bars, you’ll notice that the time when the colored crystal was “in” is long gone. The glassware that is most popular right now is clear.
Many glassware manufacturers have opted to stop manufacturing colored glassware because it isn’t as popular as it once was in the past. But if color is something that you must have, one color stands out among the rest: red. Red is the most popular colored glass option on the market today.
If you opt for stemless options, you’ll find that these types of glassware can be used for a variety of different things. A lot of restaurants also use these same stemless options to offer a scoop of ice cream or other dessert options to patrons.
Types of Bar Glassware
When it comes to types of glassware, you’ll want to sit down with the bartender and discuss a few options together. An exciting thing about glasses is that variety can make a bar fun and exciting.
Every bar is different, and a sports bar may not need thin stem glasses because they’re not practical and can easily break if someone slams the glass down on the table in a fit of rage.
Sturdier glasses are ideal for a sports bar since they will allow for less breakage, injuries, and future costs.
The types of glassware for a bar are plenty, but they include:
Wine glasses
The wine glass is essential in any bar, and they allow for appeal and help with the aroma of the wine. A few of the glassware options for a bar that serves wine are:
Bowled wine glasses. An ideal choice for red wine, these wine glasses allow for a more exposed surface that helps the wine to “breathe” and ensures that the wine doesn’t lose its aroma along the way.
Taller glasses
A taller glass is the best option for white wine because the narrowness of the glass allows for the wine to concentrate and adds to the smell and taste of the wine.
Champagne glasses. A great option for celebrations. The champagne glasses have a tall, slim flute that puts the fancy bubbles of the champagne on full display.
Small glasses. The small glasses are what you’ll want when serving sherry or port. These glasses are ideal for sipping.
Beer glasses
A variety of beer glasses can be purchased. These glasses can be tall and wide or short. Beer doesn’t have to breathe in the same way that wine or other drinks need. The glass shape will impact the aroma of the beer. Two main glass options for beer are:
Pilsner glass. A glass that is tall and narrow. This glass type is used in bars for most beers.
Mugs or steins. A mug or stein is the optimal option for heavier, darker brews.
Cocktail glasses
Mixed drinks and cocktails have a lot of variations. You may find that some of the glasses for cocktails are redundant, but any adequately stocked bar should have a variety of glasses for the bartender to use.
Shot glasses. Small glasses that are ideal for shots of harder alcohol, such as tequila or vodka.
Martini glasses
The go-to glass option for serving martinis. These glasses have a wide, triangular shape and can come in a variety of styles.
Collins glasses. Known as tumblers, these glasses are tall and are great for mixing up regular drinks with alcohol. A rum and coke, for example, would be tumbled in a Collins glass.
Highball glasses
Stronger drink mixes are better mixed in the Highball glass. These drinks would include strong options, such as a gin and tonic, where there doesn’t need to be as much liquid that can fit into a Collins glass.
Rocks glasses
Square glasses, the rock glass is best used when serving any drink that has a high level of alcohol content.
Of course, standard glassware should also be part of a bar to accommodate anyone that wants pure water or coke rather than an alcoholic drink.
3 Reasons to Pay Close Attention to Restaurant Glassware Supplies
A restaurant that wants to be successful needs to consider glassware as a critical component of its operation. The right wine and champagne glasses will have a significant impact on your restaurant’s aesthetics and how it appeals to customers.
Three reasons that every restaurant owner should pay close attention to their restaurant’s glassware and supplies are:
- Looks. Aesthetics matter. A restaurant that wants to be able to attract customers and keep them coming back will want to have their bar stocked with beautiful glassware. If a significant component of the restaurant revolves around wine, patrons must know you take wine seriously. Glassware can help in this case.
- Taste. Different glassware will provide a different taste. Longer stems or more full mouths will impact the taste and smell when drinking liquor or some wines.
- Upgrades. There are times when updates are needed, and one of the fastest and easiest upgrades is glassware. The right crystal can turn a low-end restaurant into a high-end restaurant.
If you want to revamp your restaurant’s look and make sure that it’s looking its best, glassware can help. Even a small change in the crystal can lead to higher tips for staff, justify higher prices for drinks, and lead to an increase in overall appeal.
