…and has impressive ROI to boot!
“We prided ourselves on the cleanliness of our restaurants,” said Jay Tarantino, “it was almost an insult when my customers asked for extra napkins to keep their silverware from touching the table.” Tarantino, a former restaurant owner, explained the challenges and thought process behind a unique little product that just may change the landscape of tabletops everywhere. “Although it offended me as a restaurateur – as a patron, I was guilty of it too” he continued. “It is rare to find someone not guilty of it.”
Tarantino was right. Despite the most gallant attempts of restaurants to provide a clean and pristine environment, the growing hygiene-conscience population must be indulged. The proof is at most tables in every restaurant; the diners inconspicuously display a lack of confidence in the cleanliness of the tables. Some diners just simply place their flatware on extra napkins, their bread plates, or casually lay them across the edge of the dinner plates. Others get a little more creative; “Since I’ve grown aware of this ‘epidemic’, I’ve seen people place utensils across their water glasses, rest them on their cell phones, take objects out of their pocket or purse – wallet, mascara pen, eyeglass case, even eyeglasses – to rest their silverware on and prevent something that is going into their mouth from touching the table. Who wants to lick the table?!” said Jeanine Tarantino, Jay’s wife and co-inventor of The Original Silverware Rest and founders of the business by the same name.
Watching so many people be so creative to avoid a single event from happening made it obvious to the couple that something needed to be done. What they developed and multiple-patented, was so simple, so utilitarian, it makes you wonder how this has never been thought of until now.
The Original Silverware RestTM is the new patented “go to” staple being used by caterers and restaurants to provide consumer confidence and so much more. Original Silverware Rests are sturdy paper ‘prisms’ printed with custom designs that blend into any setting. Although durable, they are very inexpensive and meant to be disposable. The upper ridge of the device has three molded insets to cradle up to three different utensils. The place setting looks very nice whether it is a casual or formal and provides a convenient location for the diner to place the silverware when not in use. Since they rest beneath the flatware, Original Silverware Rests do not take up additional table space.
Servers enjoy TOSRs because when clearing the table, they are less likely to remove utensils that may still be in use by the diner. “It will definitely reduce the number of trips we make to replace silverware that has been dropped or picked up by mistake.”, said a bar manager in Columbus, Ohio.
Prism shaped, the TOSR has two sides which are effectively visible to diners on both sides of the table during their meal. Customized to each order, they are printed with graphics and colors to subtly compliment the theme of an event, or they can be printed to educate, promote and advertise. The design and use is only limited by the imagination:
- – Logo and contact information to promote a business
- – Brand recognition
- – Upsell the menu with add-on suggestions (salad, dessert, drinks)
- – Reserve seating with the name of the guest
- – Promote events
- – Educate customers
- – Integrate with marketing campaigns
- – Encourage Social Media interaction
You can provide your own artwork and content or the graphic artists and branding team of Original Silverware RestTM will provide whatever level of service you need to implement this uniquely effective device into your marketing plan.