Your wait and bar staff establish the tone for a fine dining establishment and their dress is essential to enhancing the fine dining experience. Dining attire is as important as fine food, venue selection and a perfect wine list. A restaurant that has a fantastic restaurant bar experience is one that looks professional and dresses the staff appropriately to go with the type of restaurant they are representing.
One factor that many new fine dining restaurants do not think about is their dress code and it is usually one of the first things they are given in the new location. Often times casual dining is looked at as the more casual of two types of restaurants. But in this business casual can be very expensive and often goes unnoticed by many of the diners. If you are considering expanding your restaurant to include a casual menu or are just starting it out fine dining restaurants offer casual attire for their wait and bar staff. In today’s economy casual dining is a much more viable option than it used to be and many fine dining restaurants are including casual menus for their customers. Just because they are not as formal does not mean they are any less appealing to diners.
When it comes to attire for the restaurant bar, the waiting and bar staff are on their own. Most of them wear basic restaurant casual attire such as restaurant pants slacks and polo shirts. The shirts may not be white. The restaurant chefs also wear a more basic form of restaurant clothing such as restaurant shirts and a tie. Some fine dining restaurants opt to add a tuxedo-style shirt to the uniform for their chefs as well. The point is that their shirts and pants should be appropriate for their position.
When you talk about casual dress codes and fine dining etiquette, you begin to get into specifics. For instance, are you aware that it is improper to wear jeans to a fine dining establishment? Many fine dining restaurants have a dress code for when dining with customers, but jeans are not allowed for obvious reasons.
When you go out to eat in a fine dining restaurant with your family or friends, everyone wears attire that is appropriate for dining together. Ties are worn on a casual basis at most dining establishments and polo shirts or golf shirts are worn on a more regular basis. However, it is important to follow this form of dress code for every single dining experience you have.
Many people automatically assume that casual attire such as a polo shirt or casual pants is fine dining proper. If you want to wear a collared shirt or polo sport pants at a fine dining establishment, you do not have to worry about your attire. Many restaurants allow you to wear what you want to wear and if the restaurant does not specify a specific type of apparel, then you should try to coordinate your own pants, shirt and shoes. The point is that you want to look as good as possible in order to enjoy your meal and the decor of the restaurant.
There are some restaurants that do have a formal uniform program, which can be seen in high-end diners. These uniforms can be seen at fine dining restaurants and can be seen in other fine dining restaurants around the world. These uniforms are usually black, navy blue or another color that is appropriate for a dining experience in a fine dining setting. It is rare to see polo shirts or golf shirts at these restaurants. For this reason, most restaurants do not have a polo shirts or golf shirts section.
Most fine dining establishments have a formal dress code for their employees. However, in many cases, casual attire is more appropriate for dining in a restaurant. You should never feel obligated to wear a uniform dress code to eat in a fine dining establishment. You can choose to wear whatever you want to when dining at one of these fine establishments.