News & Media

Whatever went wrong with the plate? We’re sure we’re not the only ones that have ordered the perfect dish in a restaurant for it to arrive extravagantly in a seemingly random tableware dish. The most recent experience of this was a ‘plate’ of nachos arriving at my table in a kitchen sink. Yes, a kitchen sink. 

New ways that restaurants are serving food

If you have absolutely no idea what we’re talking about, head over to @WeWantPlates Twitter page and you’ll see a host of new ways restaurants are serving food. From fish tanks to walking boots, it seems that nothing is safe from being filled with food.

When was it decided that plates weren’t good enough?

And is there anything even wrong with serving food out of bizarre objects anyway?
The bewilderment and excitement that the presentation brings to the table certainly gets phones out for a picture, but do they add to the dining experience or do they leave customers longing for the golden-years of the classic plate? 

What does the eating out public think?

To see exactly what Brits think of the ever-growing phase, YouGov showed over 2,000 members of the public a selection of unconventional eating vessels and asked them if they considered it acceptable for restaurants, cafés and pubs to serve on.

Ultimately, the report found that the public is ‘distinctly unimpressed’ with the gimmick. The least acceptable way of serving food was in a shoe (nine per cent found it to be acceptable) and in close second was dog bowls (10 per cent). 

It is clear that the majority are out of favour with the new presentation techniques, but there were some which weren’t seen as so unappealing: over half of the respondents were happy with plant pots, wooden boards and slates. 

Depending on who the market is for your restaurant, it may be something to pursue or steer away from. We certainly wouldn’t recommend a fine dining restaurant to embark on a mission to collect slippers to serve their food from but for a casual dining establishment, it’s potentially something that guests may find will add to their eating experience. 

The results show that younger Britons are generally more likely to want food served in or on unconventional items than their elders.

From serving food to restaurant furniture

Whatever it is you choose to serve your food on, it will look beautiful laid on top of our restaurant furniture.

Trent Furniture has supplied restaurants from around the UK with furnishings. Whatever interior your establishment is looking to create, we can help. Browse our restaurant furniture online. 

We all treasure our local pub. It is a place where we socialise with family and friends, form new friendships and create memories in a community space just a stone’s throw away from the comfort of our own home. 

The local pub is a staple British tradition...

The local pub is a staple British tradition but it has recently been revealed just how much we love them. A new poll has revealed that a quarter of people in the UK feel happiest when enjoying time in their local pub.  

Why do people go to the pub?

So, what is It that makes the pub such a special place, and why do Brits feel happier there than a visit to the park or a shopping trip? Well, the research shows that there are plenty of reasons why. The most common response though was being able to catch up with friends and in close second was the pub’s atmosphere. 

Other reasons include making a trip to the pub because it serves their favourite beer (40 per cent) and one in five visits because they are on first name terms with the landlords or bar staff.  

Creating a local pub atmosphere

If you are looking to create the ultimate pub atmosphere that your surrounding residents can’t keep away from, we think there are five main points:

• Dog and child-friendly
• Background music
• Local drinks 
• The right furniture
• A landlord full of character

Buying the right pub furniture

We can’t help with the others, but we can’t certainly help you with the pub furniture.

Trent Furniture has been supplying pubs with furniture for many decades. During that time, there have been many changes to the industry. Where it was always once traditional farmhouse pub chairs and tables, there is now a demand for contemporary designs. Whether you are looking for a traditional or modern looking pub, browse our pub furniture range here, on our website.

Most of our wooden pub chairs are available in a variety of woods so it is easy to choose a finish to complement the character of your pub's interior. 

Restaurants, pubs and cafes know all too well that they need to make the most out of each meal time. Traditionally it would be dinner time that would see the busiest action in these establishments, with swarms of customers filling up the seats. However, it seems that the younger generation has a different idea.

The market has always been there for breakfast, but the number of people opting to eat out for breakfast and brunch is growing; especially in the younger generations. Younger adults are driving the trend for eating out for breakfast.

Just like all the other American trends that have come across the pond, dining out for breakfast and brunch is here to stay. Findings from Lamb Weston’s The Future of Breakfast: An Inside report 2017 found that nearly half (48 per cent) of 18-24 year olds eat breakfast out once or twice a month or more. This is followed by 41 per cent of 25-34 year olds. 

The saying goes that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and it seems that more and more are living up to it. The report shows that 58 per cent now see breakfast as the most important meal of the day.

More than just a morning thing

When you first think of breakfast, it’s natural to associate it with morning time. Although it’s a staple functional meal to start the day, findings from the report show that breakfast is now viewed as a sociable, indulgent occasion. 32 per cent of consumers eat after 11am on Saturday and 39 per cent on Sundays. This shows the need for establishments to not restrict their breakfast/brunch menu to specific times. 

Consumers don’t only want the meal to be flexible, most are influenced by indulgence (66 per cent in 18-24 year olds) and sociability.

Breakfast furniture of choice

Your furniture choices should reflect the menu and theme of your restaurant or café. Whether you serve Americanised, continental, British style breakfasts, your furniture should match with the menu.
If you are in need of some new furniture for your café or restaurant, get in touch with us on or browse our collection – we have a range of different styles to fit with every theme.