Your group probably spends nearly every day on its feet. In a new research survey, the total number of steps the servers make is 23,000 per day.
It makes sense to invest in a good quality pair of restaurant shoes because you spend much of your shift on your feet.
"But how do I choose the best pair of restaurant shoes precisely?"
"From what things should I escape?"
"What are the right shoes for the kitchen?"
After reading this post, you'll get answers with a compilation of the top 10 restaurant shoes for your front and back of house staff.
Are you ready? If yes, let's get stepping.
What should you consider when buying restaurant shoes?
Let's face up to things – some options are a little more enjoyable than others for your company.
For example, the drink menu versus the serviette brand.
It's fun to pick your uniforms. What kind of ambiance do you go for - casual style with jeans or button-down dressed up? Can they choose what you want to wear? The opportunities are infinite, and making up a look that speaks up for your brand is a lot of fun.
The footwear? Perhaps not as enjoyable, but as necessary, indeed. The right shoes are essential to ensuring the comfort and security of your employees.
But how do you choose the shoes for the restaurant? Before taking a decision, there are things we want you to pay attention to.
1. Comfort
Below we give you some pieces of advice that help to buy comfortable shoes: any shoe can have comfort all day long, especially at the end of a change (consider trying on a restaurant or kitchen shoe as the feet swell to see how comfortable they are after a hard-working day. If they're comfy so they would be cozy all day long and worth buying); the toe box should provide enough space to wiggle the foot; find shoes that sustain the foot's natural arch, since that can enhance stability, and avoid ankle sprains and other injuries. We recommend looking for shoes with a rubber outsole (which softens the hit and strain on your feet while you are walking) and a good insole (anti-compression is best). Bend the shoes in half to measure the arch strength. They won't work if they bend all the way.
2. Don't allow grip compromise
Slipping, particularly in the kitchen, is an apparent probability, so you must find the non-slip shoes. Below you'll find what to pay attention for in non-slip shoes: a soft rubber outsole (it aid the shoes to grip the floor), a linked tread pattern that channels water from your foot, enough surface interaction with the tread pattern – the more is thread touching the ground, the stronger the grip.
3. The protection is important
The shoe must also give damage and water protection: defense against injury (a shoe requires uppers which are strong enough to defend against harm induced by heavy articles falling on them (the entire portion of the shoe protecting the foot), besides providing slip-resistant properties), defense against water (nothing is more inconvenient than walking in a pair of soaked shoes. It is necessary to buy a shoe which offers safety from water, rather than waterproof (why? We'll discuss it in the next section).
4. Find the shoes to clean quickly
It is essential to be able to clean your shoes quickly if you work in front of the house where you interact with visitors. Overall, first impressions count, and dirty shoes don't shout about professionalism precisely.
5. Durability can't be debated
Search for a shoe made from premium material and aimed to last (in the final section, we'll present 10 of the best restaurant shoes that are made for a long lifespan).
What are the advantages of good quality shoes?
You know what to buy when deciding on the right restaurant shoes that match your team's uniform. But the proper footwear is more than just completing a look. Here, there are the most significant advantages your team will receive from choosing the restaurant shoes of high quality:
- Provide better comfort – Your team is on feet for a long time, and the right footwear strengthens the arch, defends against blisters, and decreases foot pressure.
- Avoid slipping, and serious injuries – The workers in the food business are more vulnerable to damage than employees of other sectors. These accidents are mostly caused by slips and fall on wet and greasy surfaces, particularly in the kitchen while working in the restaurant. Keep your personnel secure - make shoes with proper grip a part of your team's uniform.
- Keep your feet safe – The shoes of good quality secure the feet of your staff from heavy crates, big objects, and hot liquids.
- Save your money over the longer term - In case of getting an injury, you can save money on hospital costs. Besides, the sturdy shoes minimize over the long run the cost of ownership. Of course, you or your workers will need to invest in a proper pair of shoes, but you will make a saving on a long-term basis, and you will change them less often than a cheap pair.
What should you avoid to buy restaurant shoes?
When buying restaurant shoes, there are things you should know to avoid them. Before deciding, be sure that you avoid the next things:
Shopping for the cheapest footwear
The statement "you get what you're paying for" very suits in this case. You usually get the cheapest footwear that is uncomfortable, thereby raising the risk of injuries and costing money in the long run if you buy low-cost shoes. Do you want to risk saving a few bucks on something as essential as work footwear?
Water-resistant shoes
The water-resistant shoes are immune, which ensures no water is allowed. You receive waterproof ratings from IPX-0 to IPX-8. IPX-0 gives no security, and IPX-8 includes maximum safety – it means you can put the shoes in the water, and they'll remain dry. The water-resistant shoes might seem like a perfect choice since they don't enable water to enter. The issue is that they do not let in any humidity. It can be a challenge when moisture gradually rises with time in the footwear. The best option is waterproof shoes, which to some extent, bear up to the infiltration of water. Among popular water-resistant materials there are nylon, polyurethane, and neoprene.
Open shoes
The sandals and flip-flops don't offer a defense. The boat shoes and heels should also be avoided.
Now let's take a look at the best ten restaurant work footwear across the house's front and back (including advantages and disadvantages).
Back of house
Dansko Professional
Among many chefs, this clog is very popular. Its advantages – a footbed with memory foam offers better protection and convenience; a padded instep collar maintains the shoe while avoiding friction that can cause blisters; the outsole is a great shock absorber. Among its disadvantages – to break in the shoe, you have to move the heel up and down; for people with wider feet, the padded instep is not convenient; there is no removable footbed with memory foam.
Dansko XP 2.0
This shoe was designed to fix some problems with Dansko Professional. Its advantages – an improved outsole for the maximum protection; a removable footbed with memory foam that provides cushioning; an upgraded non-slip outsole; offers the same, if not greater, comfort. Its disadvantages – these shoes are expensive compared to the Danko Professional.
Birkenstock Tokyo Super Grips
The advantages - the shoes are made from premium and breathable leather; the leather uppers save the socks from moisture soaking during a long move; they are available in black and white colors to suit different uniforms; practical and stylish; slip-resistant and very comfortable. The disadvantages – You need time to break in the shoe; they are expensive as to analogous brands.
Birkenstock Professional Unisex Slip Resistant Work Shoe
The advantages - The shoe is made from sturdy and light material, polyurethane, cozy insoles, non-slip; the design is simple and stylish. The disadvantages – compared to the regular, it offers small sizes; the break-in period can be tough.
Croc Bistro
The advantages – non-slip, light and cozy, sturdy, simple in cleaning, a heel strap thanks to which the ankles breathe and are saved from the heel blisters. The disadvantages – in design not very attractive; if touched, the rivet on the strap will break; as a rule, the sizes are large.
Front of house
Skechers Sure Track Work Shoes for Women
Its advantages – non-slip; cozy thanks to a topped cushion with memory foam; reasonable in price. Its disadvantages – some shoppers don't like its thin heel; it takes time to break in the shoe.
Skechers Flex Mcallen Slip-on
The advantages – cozy insole with memory foam, non-slip, easy to put on. The disadvantages – the mesh upper doesn't provide enough safety.
Merrell Jungle Moc Pro Work Shoes
The advantages – fashionable, non-slip, cozy, breathable, light. The disadvantages – the smaller sizes than the regular ones; requires the time to break in the shoe.
Rockport Apron Toe
The advantages – cozy, non-slip, sturdy, and resist when walking in the rain and snow; more fashionable than some other shoes; a shock-absorbing heel protects against pain and injury. The disadvantages - the shoe creases relatively simply; you need time to break in the shoe.
Keen Women's Mora Service Clog
Its advantages – has sturdy leather uppers, water-resistant uppers, fashionable, cozy, slip-resistant rubber sole without marking. The disadvantages – the sizes are large.
When your employees spend their days on their feet, it's a wise decision to make sure the right shoes are a regular aspect of your uniform. The best shoe offers comfort, supports feet, and avoids slipping and injury, effectively saving you money over time.
The only question left is: What restaurant shoes did you like the most?