Restaurant table linen buyer guide
Restaurant table linen that survives daily service
A restaurant cloth goes through the laundry hundreds of times. What matters is not how it looks on day one but how it looks on wash 150: whether stains came out, whether the colour held and whether the napkins still absorb. This guide is about choosing for that.
We're adding this line to our panel of partner mills. We quote it against your spec: MOQ, price and lead time come with the quote, after a sample. The figures on this page are typical industry specifications, not a promise of ours, and we confirm each one against a mill sample before you order.
Choosing fabric for daily service
| Need | Choose | Why |
|---|---|---|
| White cloths, daily turnover | Poly-cotton, soil release | Fewer creases after the ironer, stains release in the wash |
| Napkins guests actually use | Cotton or high-cotton blend | Polyester-rich napkins smear rather than absorb |
| Brand colours (black, burgundy, sage) | Spun polyester | Holds colour through bleach-free commercial washing |
| Signature or fine-dining room | Cotton damask or satin band | Drape and hand that poly blends cannot match |
| Breakfast and terrace | Placemats or runners over a bare table | Fewer large pieces in the laundry |
Laundry facts to plan for
- Chlorine bleach is for white cotton only. Coloured linen needs oxygen bleach and a colour-fast dye.
- Soil-release finishes help most on polyester and poly-cotton, which otherwise hold oily stains.
- Ask your laundry which fabrics its ironer handles best before you choose.
- Keep one sample from each dye lot. Reorders are matched to it.
Counting what you need
- Tablecloths: 3–4 per table is a common hotel and restaurant par.
- Napkins: covers per day × days between laundry deliveries, plus a loss allowance.
- The par level calculator turns covers and tables into piece counts.
OEKO-TEX is available only through a certified partner mill. We show you the certificate number and scope before you order. We make no other certificate claim for this line.
Write your RFQ
What to put in your enquiry
- Item list with finished sizes
- Fabric blend and GSM
- Colour and Pantone, plus finish (soil release)
- Hem style and any logo
- Quantity per item and colour
- Your laundry type (in-house or outsourced)
Missing a detail? Send what you have. We ask for the rest before we quote.
Request a sample and quote
Inside the sheet
Fill in one sheet per restaurant, bar or banquet room. Measure the tables, choose the drop, and write the quantities you hold today. It works for any supplier. Send it with your enquiry and the quote comes back against your exact spec.
Free buyer kit
F&B Linen Spec Sheet
One page per outlet: tables, cloths, napkins, aprons and kitchen towels, ready to send as an RFQ to any supplier.
- Outlet (3 checks)
- Tables and tablecloths (5 checks)
- Napkins, runners, placemats (3 checks)
- Aprons and kitchen linen (3 checks)
- Before you send (3 checks)
No sign-up. Works for any supplier, not just us.
Questions buyers ask
What is the best tablecloth fabric for a busy restaurant?
Poly-cotton with a soil-release finish for most rooms. It creases less, releases food stains in the wash and lasts longer than pure cotton in commercial laundry.
Should restaurant napkins be cotton or polyester?
Cotton or a high-cotton blend. Napkins have to absorb, and polyester-rich napkins tend to push liquid around instead.
How many tablecloths does a restaurant need?
Three to four per table is a common par: one on the table, one in the laundry, one on the shelf and a spare. Napkins are counted by covers per day.