Bulk Dessert Plates

Restaurant Dessert Plates: What You Need to Know

Dessert plates are small, elegant pieces of dinnerware dedicated to serving sweet treats after the main course. Though small dessert plates are usually white, KaTom carries a broad range of colors, styles, and materials to choose from. An intricate pattern can provide visual intrigue for an otherwise uninteresting table, while bright colors might suit a dessert in a casual restaurant.

Different materials also bring varying levels of classiness to your establishment. Melamine is the most cost effective, while porcelain elevates your guests' perception of their meal. Wood patterns and striking colors combine with the textures of the materials in different ways, giving you hundreds of potential options for your establishment.

Common Questions About Dessert Plates

What materials are available for dessert plates?

Melamine, stoneware, and glass are the most common materials used for dessert plates. Melamine is a type of plastic, which makes it affordable, durable, and versatile. Manufacturers can make melamine dessert plates in any shape, size, and style, which makes melamine a very popular choice for dinnerware. However, melamine has a few drawbacks: It cannot be microwaved and does not convey the same weighty elegance as the more expensive options. If the rest of your table service is melamine, plastic, or similar materials, melamine is the clear choice for your small dessert plates, but if you use stoneware for everything else, melamine might feel out of place.

Stoneware – or ceramic – plates are a step up from melamine in terms of class and elegance. This material is heavier than plastic and has a distinct texture that guests equate with a higher quality of service. Fine dinnerware can improve your guests' perception of their meal, which in turns makes them more likely to pay high prices for a menu item. Investing in ceramic dinnerware can improve the overall aesthetic of your restaurant and lead to more profit per customer, but this will need to be done as a whole – not just with dessert plates.

For fine dining establishments, porcelain might be the way to go. Porcelain is a high-quality ceramic that is white, slightly translucent, and fully vitrified. Fully vitrified ceramics will not absorb any liquids, meaning you don't have to worry about staining or flavor transfer over the life of your product. Porcelain is more expensive than the other options, though.

Glass plates are another popular choice, as the delicacy of glass matches the delicacy of a fine dessert. Glass is more likely to break than the other options, but it provides a unique backdrop for your desserts that others cannot.

How can I clean my plates?

Adding new pieces of dinnerware to your warewashing routine doesn't have to be a pain. Most melamine, stoneware, and glass pieces are safe to clean in a commercial dishwasher, but some are too delicate to stand up to the motion and heat. Check the product specifications page for the individual plate you're considering to see how it should be cleaned to determine if it will fit with your existing warewashing procedures. If the plates will have to be treated differently than the rest of your dishes, it might be best to choose a different set.