Healthcare foodservice trails other segments of the food and beverage industry in many ways, including quality of food, quality of traytop, and presentation. But, there are also operators doing exciting concepts like farm-to-table, locally sourced, and real food on beautiful china. This serves as my proof of what can be accomplished. Imagine the surprise of the customer who was expecting typical healthcare food!

For this post, I’d like to focus on china and the presentation of the food. These two are complementary. Allow me to expand this concept.

The plate you select is much more important than most think. All plates are not equal. There are different body types, glaze types, manufacturing processes, and companies out there. A knowledgeable sales professional can help you navigate the selection process. 

For the healthcare industry, a professional porcelain would be the best choice for these reasons: 

• Porcelain features a hard surface glaze, which is hygienic
• The color accentuates the food
• Porcelain bodies have excellent heat and cold retaining properties

So why is healthcare flooded with poorly made, metal marked, and unhygienic plates that do nothing to show off the food? The simple answer - cost. For some, margins are tight. Real tight. 

So why on earth would you purchase a $6 plate verses a $3 plate? 

The answer goes back to quality. The cheap plate is an imported, single fired, “if-we-can-make-it-worse-and-sell-it-cheaper-we-would” plate. When you compare that price to professional porcelain, not only are you comparing apples to oranges, but you’re comparing today’s price, not the longterm investment of the product. Consider the following:

The charts illustrate the effect breakage has on your investment. How did I come up with 40% breakage? Believe it or not, it has been stated in companies' published price books. You can find it yourself. How often do you ask the question, “What is your yearly attrition rate?”

By purchasing superior product, you’ll see your break even point at 5 years even though you are paying twice as much today. Every day after that break even point, you are saving money. So purchasing non-quality china is like filling up a bucket with water, and that bucket has a hole in the bottom of it. The water just passes through. Good money after bad.

But consider this: In the first five years and thereafter, you own a more hygienic product, that looks better for a longer time, is produced in a facility wholly owned by the manufacturer, helps the food look beautiful, is warrantied, and wows your customers.

The plate can either improve or detract from your presentation. This is a key point of your food and beverage offering. Which would you rather offer?   

Let’s not serve anything we would not serve our mothers.

Questions? Please reach out to me.

Learn more about improving foodservice in hospitality and healthcare settings. Read the Bauscher Hepp Hospital & Care Catalog.