The Environmental and Financial Impact of Foodservice Linens

When we think about linens, we often envision the white tablecloth in a fine dining restaurant or the hundreds of cloth napkins at a business banquet, or even the coverings on a serving line. While they can help create an aura of elegance and refinement, the reality is linens can have a negative impact on the environment, which in turn can have a negative impact on a foodservice operation’s bottom line.

Buying linens isn’t just the only expense. It also costs money to use them and keep them clean, and those costs can be quite expensive. Just consider an Atlanta area restaurateur who spends roughly $2,000 per month on linen costs spread across six different locations.

What are the reasons linens are so costly? The same reasons they can also have a negative impact on the environment — utilities.

As energy prices rise and water becomes scarcer, it’s going to cost foodservice operators more and more to operate a business using linens. Energy uses more of our natural resources, and just one look in the newspapers in the American Southwest is all that’s needed to see just how important water is today.

Of course, operators also need staff to help set up, break down, and clean linens. In today’s environment, staff is harder to find than ever, particularly in the foodservice industry. This creates an additional burden for operators who are looking to add fine white to a food serving line.

Whether it’s in-house staffing that can be hard to find or expensive linen services, foodservice operators are now looking at other alternatives to traditional linens that can consume resources and finances.

What are the alternatives to linen?

More than just about anything, linens are used for aesthetics to create an air of refinement. Whether it’s tables or buffet serving lines, when operators use serving stations that meet visual standards and can complement the overall décor of the room, it goes a long way toward the elimination of linens. Look for serving stations that have a variety of aesthetic options, or even better, that provide the level of customization needed to create the desired look.

Lakeside has solutions specifically to help erase the need for linen by providing functionality, durability, and a level of aesthetics that will enhance any serving line situation.