Modern uniforms rely on fit, function

Just as counter staff are guests’ first impressions of a restaurant, so too are the uniforms they wear. Whether it’s a t-shirt and jeans, a black apron and white button down, or a polo and slacks, uniforms set the tone for a restaurant’s operations.

“Uniforms are important because they impact the experience of the people most important to a company: customers and employees,” Stefanie Rogers, vice president of sales and marketing for Threads Uniform Agency, said in an email interview.

Rogers said uniforms:

• Identify employees to customers.
• Improve customer satisfaction (customers like to know who can help).
• Enhance teamwork and productivity.
• Provide an employee benefit; reducing employee spending on work clothing.
• Promote company messaging around values, promotions or events.
• Act as effective advertisement for the company.

Uniforms give “the clients a sense of trust (and) establishes your vibe,” said Lori Day, owner of uniform company Waitstuff, in a phone interview, adding that uniforms keep a restaurant’s brand recognition consistent.

‘Fit, function and fashion’

What goes into a great uniform? Today’s uniforms lean on comfort and flexibility more than ever.

“Fit, function and fashion are the hallmarks of a great uniform,” Rogers said.

Day said it drills down to a brand’s needs: price is important, but value comes from a uniform that functions well. She agrees that fit, function and form (form being a brand’s style) are imperative.

“You want it to fit,” Day said. “You don’t want people to be uncomfortable. You don’t want shirts coming untucked in the back when they’re not supposed to.”

Really, she said, it depends on the employee’s position. A tight sleeve, like a princess sleeve, might be okay at the front desk or at a hostess stand, but restaurants want something that moves well for bussers and servers.

For the QSR space, “there’s so many options these days,” Day said. If a restaurant is in a warmer climate, take into consideration moisture-wicking fabrics and clothes that breathe well. There are long sleeves for those working the drive-thus in cold locales and lighter-weight, breathable fabrics for employees working the kitchen.

Uniforms have changed over the years, from polyesters in the 1970s and 80s to pieces that now mirror current fashions.

“There is a greater emphasis on apparel fit and fabric performance in the last 15 years,” Rogers said. “When I first started in this industry, the fabrics were not breathable, colors faded, polyester retained odors or snagged. And at that time the options for non-unisex silhouettes or larger sizes were extremely limited or non-existent. There was more of a one-size-for-all mentality.”

That emphasis on unique body types and customized fabrics allow individuality in today’s uniforms not found in the past.

Day said the boxy one-size-fits-all t-shirt is gone, replace by sleeker models that look good on employees and are fun to wear. “There’s a real trend toward a retail look,” she said, including “a lot of ginghams and checks, fitted shirts (and) definitely high-tech fabrics. … It’s stuff people actually want to wear.”

Morale

Uniforms touch every single customer-facing employee and have a tremendous impact on morale, Rogers said. “If you ask anyone responsible for managing their company’s uniform program, they will tell you there is no lack of opinions or feedback around the uniforms,” she said “That’s why it’s imperative to get it right.”

A great uniform can increase employee performance, build team spirit and function as the best billboard or advertising for a brand, Rogers added. A poor uniform can do the opposite, demoralizing the team that is wearing it, and diverting time and attention from the company’s core mission of serving their customers.

Day said her local Taco Bell had a recent upgrade to their uniforms, resulting in nice Oxford shirts, “and you can just tell that people feel good about it,” she added. “You want to feel professional. You want to feel like there’s a team.”

Dressing in uniform takes the pressure of looking professional off of the employees. They know they’re going to please management and they don’t have to worry about not presenting properly, Day said.

“It’s your brand and you should protect it,” she added, “just like if you were playing sports. There’s the hodgepodge team that shows up and everybody dresses themselves. Then there’s the team that goes to the extra effort of having matching shirts and it just makes you feel better. It makes you feel like a team.”

The QSR look

Most QSR uniforms start with a logo. An embroidered polo shirt is probably tops for QSR brands, said Day, adding that they come in all price points. Some are inexpensive, but then Nike-brand polo shirts are also available at a greater cost. A professional uniform company can help a QSR take a look at their current uniforms and help them make changes to a more modern look.

“My advice is to partner with a uniform expert before getting too deep into a redesign,” Rogers said. “Our role is to design uniforms that are unique to our clients’ brand that can be executed in a functional, practical and sustainable manner. It’s our job to showcase the brand and its employees with budget-appropriate, uniform-friendly solutions. Unfortunately, I have seen instances of clients falling in love with designs that are not executable or that fall outside of the target budget. We’ll lead our clients through their design exploration and business imperatives to land on a uniform solution that checks all the boxes.”

Sometimes, a fresh uniform look can be as simple as a t-shirt advertising a new limited time offer or new menu item, but even those need to have care put into the design.

“It creates a hype in your restaurant,” Day said. “I would say have a standard uniform and then throw in fun seasonal or promotional t-shirts or even hats or a beanie. Just something different to give that little extra hype.”