The interior of a restaurant or cafe consists of a large number of little things that create the overall mood of the establishment. One of the most effective and simple ways to change the mood of an establishment is to use a tablecloth. Oddly enough, the use of a tablecloth has both ardent opponents and loyal supporters. And the restaurateur, who is responsible for creating the interior and style of the institution, will have to decide for himself whether the use of textile decoration for the table is appropriate or not.
However, before answering this question for yourself, you need to listen to both sides, and understand why you should use a tablecloth at all, and whether they are appropriate in cafes and restaurants.
The tablecloth itself serves three purposes. The decoration of the institution - of course, a beautiful tablecloth, made to match the interior or snow-white, is an indicator of the high status of the institution. Protection of the countertop - carelessness of guests with cutlery and various liquids leaves scratches and stains on the countertop, if its material does not differ in stone strength, then over time it will lose its aesthetic appearance. Therefore, various woven or wooden coasters are often used as an alternative to tablecloths. Reducing noise levels - during a meal, visitors actively move dishes, put and raise cutlery, put glasses and wine glasses. All this is a source of noise, sometimes very annoying, especially if the tabletop has a hard surface and responds very loudly to all the manipulations of guests.
As already mentioned, often in various middle and economy-class establishments, all kinds of coasters and even trays are used to protect surfaces. The countertops in such establishments, as a rule, are not distinguished by sophistication and may even be plastic, especially in inexpensive cafes focused on consumers of beer and salty snacks.
Reputable restaurants, if this does not contradict the theme of the institution (for example, Asian cuisine or the interior of a tavern with roughly hewn countertops), use tablecloths without fail, since the status obliges, and the prices of dishes allow you to keep a stock of clean textiles. Table setting pays special attention not only to the presence of the tablecloth, but also to the way in which it will be laid on the table - an obligatory minimum of movements, exact coincidence of the lines of the tablecloth and the ratio of the edges to the legs. Even the length of the overhang of the edges is taken into account - within 25 cm, if more, then the table will lose its appearance, and if less, then the guest will be inconvenient to use. Serving rules dictate the way to change a dirty tablecloth to a clean one. It is imperative to hide the countertop, that is, everything should be as inconspicuous as possible.
Opponents of tablecloths insist that it is appropriate to use them only in the case of an unaesthetic type of furniture, that is, tables made of cheap materials. And if the table is made of solid wood, granite, marble, etc., then it is better to use special stands. By the way, this approach was adopted by the majority of domestic restaurants, which are above average in terms of status, but at the same time strive to save on unnecessary elements. This approach also has the right to life, but it does not correspond to the classical ideas about serving.
If you decide to use a tablecloth, then you must remember the following - the tablecloths must always (always!) Be clean and must be changed before each visitor. This means that the minimum supply of clean tablecloths should be 25% higher than the number of tables, and the total should be sufficient to wash the dirty ones.
