It’s not only delicious food and great customer service that keeps visitors returning to the same restaurant; it is the environment, the decor, and the overall atmosphere of the establishment. Customers remember these factors.
Restaurants are where we share important experiences – such as enjoying a romantic meal with a loved one, catching up with long-lost friends, or sharing a family meal.
Therefore, it’s important to remember that these experiences can be made or destroyed by the cleanliness of a venue.
Clean and well-maintained restaurant furniture goes a long way towards ensuring that your customers are comfortable, happy, and likely to return.

Get it right – right from the start
Buying the right furniture is the key to ensuring clean and well-maintained restaurant furniture. Essentially, there are two main things to look out for when purchasing furniture for your restaurant:

• Durability – furniture that is made from durable, high-quality materials will stand the test of time. You wouldn’t expect your customer to sit down at a wobbly table or feel unsafe in their chair. Just as you wouldn’t want them to sit down to a table that has been scrubbed within an inch of its life but still looks dark and grimy. It’s important to select restaurant furniture that will stay clean, comfortable and fit for purpose long after you have purchased it.

• Safety – customer safety is a top priority for any hospitality establishment. You want to ensure that the furniture you purchase is produced to the best quality whilst maintaining style and comfort. Riga tested furniture meets and exceeds the highest British standards in furniture to the hospitality industry.

Cleaning and maintaining your restaurant furniture

Now that you have invested in the right furniture for your restaurant, it is time to start thinking about cleaning and maintaining it so that it stays looking and performing at its best.

Your furniture cleaning regime will depend on both the material and the purpose of the furniture. We’ve highlighted some tips for a number of furniture categories below:

• Outdoor restaurant furniture – outdoor furniture is exposed to the elements and requires a cleaner that protects materials against damp and mould. Since customer are eating at the tables, it is important to make sure that the surfaces are regularly cleaned with an anti-bacterial agent and chairs are cleaned with an anti-bacterial or multi-purpose cleaner to make sure that your customers’ clothing isn’t ruined by weather-related dust or debris.

• Metal restaurant furniture – metal is one of the easiest materials to keep clean. You can’t go wrong with wiping down the metal surface with an all-purpose cleaner and disinfectant using a soft cloth to minimise abrasion (over time, abrasion can cause paint to chip or scratch). Natural wear and tear in a busy environment is to be expected. As a result, we recommended regularly treating and re-painting damaged surfaces to prevent rust, particularly in outdoor environments.

• Wooden restaurant furniture – food stains and grease marks can be tricky to get out of untreated wood. It is recommended to clean your wooden furniture with a wood-purpose cleaning agent and a soft cloth to prevent scratching. Damaged surfaces should be re-treated or painted to ensure a smooth, clean surface is achievable.

• Restaurant table tops – it is vital to ensure that your table tops are not only clean but disinfected too. Table top hygiene is paramount – they are a place for food, after all! We recommend choosing a good anti-bacterial cleaner suitable for your particular surface material.

• Restaurant chairs – upholstered chairs are the pinnacle of comfort. UHS Group provides a range of fabrics and leathers that are easy to clean and maintain – ideal for busy restaurants. We recommend using a good upholstery cleaner at regular intervals to retain the ‘new’ look and feel. Wood and metal surfaces can be cleaned using the suggestions above.

• Indoor restaurant furniture – indoor furniture is prone to knocks, scrapes and spillages, which is why it is important to ensure that you select resilient furniture that stands up to a busy environment. Indoor furniture is easier to clean and maintain than outdoor furniture and requires less maintenance, although it is advisable to review the recommendations above for your specific furniture material.

Do you have any restaurant cleaning or maintenance recommendations that you can share? We would love to hear your suggestions on social media.