Comparing single-use foodservice supplies types and styles can get a little overwhelming. Restaurants can use disposable items for take-out food, catering and even for in house serving. Breaking down the types of items you need into categories before you begin comparing styles can help keep your comparison shopping a little more organized.

You can purchase single-use foodservice supplies in bulk and smaller quantities depending on the style and what your need is. If you know you're going to need larger quantities, make sure you compare styles using a restaurant supplier that can help you with all your items. It will save you a lot of time and money in the long run. When considering disposable restaurant supplies, you should:

1. Compare your carry-out container options.

2. Jazz up your serving foodservice disposables.

3. Serve your drinks in simple or elegant disposables.

4. Find good quality utensils and other foodservice disposables.

5. Go "green" with your disposable restaurant supplies.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Choose restaurant supply disposable carry out containers

Your options in carry out containers are pretty basic and simple. Choose from plastic, cardboard, paper, aluminum or Styrofoam. Once you've narrowed down your choice of material, you'll have many other style options to compare.

I recommend: Compare disposable plastic food containers at Food Packaging Warehouse, or choose aluminum containers from Instawares Restaurant Supply Superstore. Review the Styrofoam options at the Food Service Warehouse, and view cardboard or paper options at MrTakeOutBags.

Pick elegant or simple foodservice disposables for serving plates

You don't have to resort to a boring Styrofoam or cardboard plate as an affordable option. Compare the styles and prices of plastic or cardboard plates that don't exactly fit the standard plastic look.

I recommend: Wasserstrom offers disposable restaurant supply bowls and plates in many colors and sizes. Ace Mart Restaurant Supply sells a formal white plastic square plate that could stand out at any occasion.

Compare different containers for foodservice disposable beverages

Whether you're serving hot coffee or frozen milk shakes, there are many styles and sizes of disposable cups to consider. Compare different types of large mouthed plastic cups, insulated coffee cups and fluted wine glasses.

I recommend: Barista Works supplies disposable coffee containers and lids in many sizes and styles, or review drink glasses, wine glasses, small and large cups and many more choices at Smarty Had A Party.

Find utensils to use as disposable restaurant supplies

Utensils are probably the easiest disposable find there is. Compare your options and the styles from a simple plastic fork to an elegant silver metallic-coated option that looks like the real thing.

I recommend: MrTakeOutBags has a good selection of disposable dinner utensils from the average plastic to the shiny look-a-likes. Galasource Ventures also offers many disposable utensil options.

Choose to go 'green' with your disposable restaurant supply items

If you're concerned your countless coffee cups or disposable plates are adding to an already overcrowded waste site, consider choosing disposables that can be recycled or are made of a recycled material.

I recommend: BuyGreen.com sells disposable food containers made from renewable resources, and The WEBstaurant Store Food Service Equipment and Supply Company sells biodegradable bamboo dinnerware. Go to TheGreenOffice.com to review green options in plates, bowls, cups, napkins and much more.

Single-use foodservice supplies are widely used in the food service industry as we have increasingly become a fast-food, eat-on-the-go society. The disposable restaurant supplies industry has grown in leaps and bounds over the last decade in an effort to create better products both for the consumer and the environment.

Disposable plastic food containers are available in most every size, shape and lot size imaginable. There are foodservice disposable manufacturers and suppliers in every corner of the US and across the world. Determine your foodservice disposables needs, choose the materials, shapes and sizes of foodservice disposables you need and find a disposable plastic food containers supplier with whom you can work. When buying one time use foodservice supplies, you should:

1. Determine your foodservice disposables needs.

2. Choose the materials, shapes and sizes of foodservice disposables you need.

3. Find a reputable supplier of disposable plastic food containers.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Determine your foodservice disposables needs

Make a log of the disposable restaurant supply you are using now and how much you are paying through a retailer. Predict the amount of restaurant supply disposable items you may use in the future, an important for your planning of future orders. Remember to include expansion plans in your calculations.

I recommend: Dart Container Corporation not only offers an extensive line of one time use containers in a variety of shapes, sizes, industries and customizations, they also offer customer service reps who can help determine your disposable supply needs and place your order. Anchor Packaging offers samples or presentations to help you find the right disposables for your business.

Choose the materials, shapes and sizes of foodservice disposables you need

There is a large variety of materials to choose from when shopping for foodservice disposables, among the most popular being plastic containers, cardboard take out boxes and styrofoam coffee cups. You need to take into consideration the area you have and your possible garbage responsibilities. If you are operating a snack shack, you must provide garbage cans and deal with the mess. If you operate take out, the responsibility lies with the customer.

I recommend: Eco-Products offers an Eco-friendly line of disposable restaurant containers. They offer a large variety of hot and cold cups, plates, food containers, even cleaners, garbage bags and doggy bags. Fabri-Kal offers recyclable foodservice containers in all shapes and sizes too and leading the industry in Greenware technology. They also offer product customization.

Find a disposable plastic food container supplier

There is a massive number of plastic food container companies to choose from. The key is to find either someone local for easy access and no shipping costs or to find the supplier with all of the disposable food containers you need, so you can purchase everything from one source, possibly getting a discount.

I recommend: Panoramic Inc. is a custom food packaging supplies company offering custom food packaging in a variety of sizes, shapes and uses. Putting your company name, phone number and location can help your customers come back to you time after time. Command Packaging, located in California, offers a wide variety of reusable retail and restaurant bags.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Consider the area in which you live when deciding which foodservice products to choose. If your community is going green and has recycling, honor that by using Greenware.

Operating a food service business or restaurant means you probably rely heavily on single-use foodservice supplies for takeout orders or catering. With increasing emphasis on healthy eating and portion control, you might notice a growing request for "doggy bags," too. When everyone seems to be cutting back on eating out, you, too, must pay closer attention to your budget. Buying your disposable restaurant supply items can save you money when purchasing by the case and in bulk.

You can get a pretty good price on most one-time-use foodservice supplies, so don't break the bank every time you stock up. This guide looks at pricing and costs of single-use foodservice supplies in four categories:

1. Single-use food service supplies like containers, carriers and cups for liquids.

2. Disposable plastic food containers.

3. Restaurant supply disposables like utensils.

4. One-time use foodservice supplies like disposable gloves.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Order disposable coffee containers and other drink containers or cups in bulk

You may sell hundreds of drinks each week, so you'll usually fare better ordering the largest quantity practical for your business for the best pricing and to avoid rush shipment fees when your stock runs low unexpectedly.

I recommend: The WEBstaurant Store carries a large selection of restaurant supply disposable containers for holding large quantities of coffee. For disposable coffee containers, prices range from just over $30 for a five-pack of 160-ounce coffee take-out containers to nearly $110 for a case of 10 3-gallon disposable beverage dispensers. Visit Quikstock.com for a huge selection of cups and lids. Generally, hot drink cups are less expensive than cold drink cups and paper cups cost the least. Unfortunately, it costs more to “be green” since you’ll pay more for recycled and biodegradable cups, which run fairly close together in price. When comparing prices, note Qwikstock's prices already include cost of delivery.

Stock up on plastic disposable food containers and carry-out bags

Besides simply loving your food, many customers will ask for containers to take home leftovers so they truly get their money's worth.

I recommend: Plastic Container City carries a full line of clear plastic take-out containers for less than $1 apiece. For minimum order of $25, purchase exactly the number of plastic nacho trays with dip compartments, bowls, plates, take-out trays and hoagie containers you need. Look for single-use food supplies like soup containers for take-out or doggy bags from Food Packaging Warehouse. For less than a quarter each, you can choose from 12 to 30-ounce black plastic bowls with lids in cases of 300. The company places no minimum order restrictions and guarantees wholesale pricing. For restaurant doggy bags, contact RestaurantBags.com for its bag pricing structure. If you prefer not to buy in bulk because you can't store so many bags, the company will ship them out to you as you need them.

Keep plenty of single-use foodservice supplies like utensils and stirrers on hand

You'll go through stirrers, forks and spoons fast, so don't avoid bulk purchases just because you can get fewer for a low price.

I recommend: At BigTray, you won't break your budget buying sip/stirrers -- a case of 1,000 costs under $4. Find disposable plastic cutlery sold alone or in prewrapped sets at Instawares with prices just under $35 for cases of 250 to less than $90 for a case of 1,000.

Purchase foodservice disposables like food-handling gloves in bulk

Don't forget foodservice disposables like gloves to help protect you, your customers and your food.

I recommend: You'll find a huge price range for latex gloves. For around $50, order a case of 100 food grade latex gloves from Gloves Online; Order a box of 100 wrist length, USDA accepted, disposable latex gloves from Lab Safety Supply for less than $10.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Take a good look at the minimums required to order many single-use food supplies and disposable restaurant supplies. Some companies won't sell you fewer than 6,000 napkins, while others will require a one-case minimum. A few will even allow customers to purchase less-than-full-case quantities.

There are many reasons food service businesses are turning to environmentally-friendly disposable supplies. Some cities require it. Some customers demand it. Some business owners simply feel it's the right thing to do. And while "green" disposable items are frequently more costly to purchase, they can cut your water usage and may even cut your garbage costs, since you can simply compost them at your facilities. However, the world of eco-friendly food service supplies is still young, and new terms abound. It's important for you to know what you're buying, but unless you understand some key terms, you may end up wasting time and money.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Compostable

Compostable supplies are those that quickly break down into the soil. If you toss them into the garabage, they'll disappear from the landfill within a year. They'll also break down if you bury them in landscaping or put them in a composter.

I recommend: The Compost Bin reminds its readers that paper plates, as well as other types of compostable disposable plates are great for compost bins.

Leaf plates

Leaf plates are the latest in eco-friendly disposable plate products. Most of these products use sal or siali leaves from East India.

I recommend: Sustainablog reveals its test results on leaf plates from India.

SpudWare

SpudWare is a brand name for disposable cutlery made from 80% potato starch and 20% soy oil. SpudWare composts within 180 days. You can wash and reuse the products, making it more cost-effective to purchase the brand.

I recommend: Telegraph Media explores the world of SpudWare.

PSM

PSM, also called plastarch, is a material used to make some environmentally-friendly disposable eating items. PSM is a product made from starch and is resistant to high heat.

I recommend: Vegware offers facts about its PSM products, including how you can best use the disposable items.

Biodegradable

Biodegradable food service products are those that break down into the soil by natural means. Nearly any product does this, if you give it enough time. Biodegradable products usually promise to do this within a relatively short amount of time, often within a year.

I recommend: Life Goggles reviews biodegradable plates made from potatoes.

Bagasse

Bagasse is a brand name for disposable bowls and plates made from sugar cane left over after removing the cane's juice. This product line works well for hot or cold food, just like traditional paper plates.

I recommend: Green Living Tips reviews Bagasse bowls and plates.