TigerChef

Whether for restaurant or home, taking care of glass dinnerware and china will extended the life of each piece. In restaurants the clinking sounds of dishes and glasses knocking against each other is so common, and we rarely pay it any mind. The problem is, stacking dinnerware and carrying too many dishes at a time causes quicker depreciation—it's actually a costly mistake.

Though TigerChef offers restaurant-quality glass dinnerware at some of the best prices you'll find, we want them to last you, well, a lifetime. So we've composed a guide to help extend the life of your investment.

Thermal Shock

Thermal shock occurs as a result of glass experiencing a sudden change in temperature. Since glass holds temperature well, rapid changes actually cause stress, which can result in breakage.

• DO NOT put cold dinnerware (such as a plate that was in the refrigerator, freezer or on ice) into warmer water. Glass needs to adjust to room temperature first. This means cold glassware should not be immediately put into a dishwasher.
• DO NOT place warm or hot dinnerware in cold water. The stress works both ways, so again, glass needs to first adjust to room temperature.

Mechanical Shock

Mechanical shock occurs when glass comes in direct contact with another object, such as a spoon, beer tap, other dinnerware (china, etc.), or glasses. You may not immediately notice the results of mechanical shock—commonly small abrasions invisible to the naked eye—but they do weaken the glass, making it more susceptible to breakage.

• DO NOT stack dinnerware.
• DO NOT move glass dinnerware from one extreme temperature to another. Always allow glassware to reach room temperature first. It's okay to preheat dinnerware, just not via means of extreme temperature change.
• ALWAYS use a rack for dishwasher cleaning, making sure various pieces of glassware do not touch each other. When washing by hand, bring one item at a time into the sink, and wash under water, without allowing pieces to "drop" to the sink bottom.
• SCRAPE PROPERLY. Do not use flatware or other dishes to scrape dinnerware. Use a rubber scraper (a spatula is fine). This will prevent mechanical shock in the process.
• CLEAN EARLY. Allowing china to remain unwashed after use can actually cause stains and discolorations. Always wash dinnerware as soon after use as possible.
• AVOID SCOURING. Since scouring glass with metal pads or abrasive cleansers can leave permanent abrasions, the practice also depreciates the life of the glassware. It is better to presoak dishes in warm water (less than 160-degrees).

Storing Dinnerware

In the ideal situation, you'd store dinnerware similarly to glasses—each piece in its own area so it does not come in contact with other dishes. Unfortunately, this would take a tremendous amount of space. Using rack storage for dishes may be more logical for home use, but it's not usually a feasible solution for restaurants.

• AVOID stacking cups and mugs. They are more susceptible to damage. Use shelves.
• ALWAYS STACK like dishes together and no more than 16-inches in height.
• DO NOT load, store or wash mixed dinnerware together. Use racks for sorting like items with like items.

Ideally, you can store glasses on shelves, upside down, with enough space between each item so you can easily remove one without knocking the glass into other glasses. Or, you can install a rack that has guides that help prevent lining glasses too close too each other. Every time you hear a "clink" an abrasion from mechanical shock was been set into the glass.

Expiring Dinnerware

Cracked, chipped or otherwise broken dinnerware should be removed from service immediately. Dinnerware with obvious abrasions is also suspect, and it also doesn't give a good impression.

Filed under: How-To

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