With the bustling summer months behind you and winter holidays approaching, now is the perfect time to assess your table linen needs. Follow our simple steps below to make sure you’re ready for the busy holiday dining scene.

Inspect Current Linens

When’s the last time you gave your table linens a good look? Take some time before holiday dining ramps up to examine your table linens. Look for stains, frayed threads, faded colors, small holes, and other signs of wear and tear. Retire any linens on their last legs and order replacements in advance of the busier holiday season. 

Revitalize Storage Areas 

As you’re examining your linen inventory, don’t forget to clean out your storage closets. You never want clean linens becoming dirty because of a neglected storage area. Give these spaces a deep clean and add any additional shelving that’s needed. 

Always store linens in a clean, dry, well-ventilated area where they’re protected from dust and other contaminants. Never store linens on the floor. 

Forecast Demand

Review last year’s sales, reservations, and invoices to forecast what you might expect this year—or just look at your business software! Account for any new events you have planned, such as a seasonal banquet for Thanksgiving or Christmas, corporate holiday parties, winter weddings, or conferences. Make sure you have enough clean inventory for back-to-back holiday events. 

Laundry facilities should reach out to clients early about their seasonal table linen needs. Be sure to inquire about any additional table sizes that may be in use for holiday events. Explain the increase in demand around the holidays and any corresponding changes to turnaround times. 

Assess PAR Levels

Once you’ve assessed your current stock and your forecasted demand, revisit your PAR levels. Consider all linens in use, being laundered, in storage, and temporarily out of service. Account for all specialty linens required for holiday events, including different sizes, colors, and styles. Give yourself a cushion to account for unexpected demand, weather-related changes, and additional table turnovers. 

Source Quality Linens

Don’t skimp when restocking your linen offerings. Quality linens don’t just make your dining rooms look nicer; they also help keep everything running smoothly behind the scenes too. A quality, stain-resistant tablecloth or napkin is easier to clean, simplifying the laundering process. Plus, more durable linens offer a much longer product life. 

Venus offers an assortment of high-quality table linens, such as the versatile Milliken Signature line. These made-in-the-USA table linens and napkins come in 29 colors, including holiday favorites like Ivory, Forest Green, Maroon, Red, Gold, and Olive. Features include soil-release technology for easier cleaning, ColorSeal™ for brighter colors, and SofTouch® technology for a softer feel and minimal lint. 

For more tips, review our Comprehensive Guide to Buying Restaurant Table Linens.

Sort & Care for Linens Properly

Take proper care of your linens to maximize their useful life and protect your investment. Follow all instructions provided by your industrial laundry partner. When in doubt, separate heavily soiled linens from lightly soiled items before laundry pickup. During busier seasons, small steps like this can keep things running efficiently. 

Doing the laundry in-house? Follow all care instructions for each type of linen. And don’t forget to separate those holiday-colored linens from your standard white or off-white linens. Don’t rush the cleaning process to keep up with demand. Instead, adjust your inventory, PAR levels, and/or turnaround expectations. 

Prepare for Common Stains

Holiday meals bring a variety of colorful dishes and drinks to the table. Be ready to remove wine, gravy, cooking oil, coffee, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie filling, chocolate, candle wax, and cosmetic stains from tablecloths and cloth napkins. Train staff to scan for and promptly treat stains—especially if you’re using white linens. Always blot stains; never rub. Treating stains ASAP and using the appropriate treatment for each stain can help minimize replacement costs. 

Trust Venus with Your Holiday Table Linens

Whether you need to refresh your standard table linens or order new holiday colors for events, Venus has it all. Our high-quality table linens include durable tablecloths and cloth napkins in various patterns, 30+ colors, and differing sizes. We also ship in-stock products on the same day and ship finished product within 24–48 hours. Reach out to a sales rep today by calling 800.421.6599 or emailing sales@venusgroup.com to see how we can make this holiday season run smoothly for your restaurant or clients.