- Staff shirts and customer merch are two different orders: dark, durable blends for the crew, softer premium blanks for the register
- Screen printing wins for staff runs of 24+; heat transfer covers new hires, names, and one-offs with no minimum
- Keep 10-20% extra staff shirts in common sizes on hand; hospitality turnover makes reorders constant
- Sellable merch (tees, hoodies, hats) at a 2-3x markup pays for the staff order and then some
Two Orders, Not One
Most restaurants lump "shirts" into a single order and end up with a compromise: staff tees that are too nice to spill on, or merch that looks like a uniform. Treat them as two jobs. Staff apparel needs to hide stains, survive hot washes several times a week, and look identical across 30 people. Customer merch needs to feel like something a regular would wear on a Saturday, which means softer blanks, subtler branding, and a design that isn't just the logo blown up.
The good news is both come from the same artwork and can be quoted together, and the merch usually funds the uniforms.
Staff Shirts That Survive a Shift
- Fabric: a 50/50 or tri-blend in black, charcoal, or navy. Cotton-heavy blanks shrink and fade; 100% polyester holds odor. Blends hide grease and hold color through commercial washing.
- Print method: for a crew of 24 or more, screen printing is the most durable and cheapest per shirt. Plastisol ink on a dark blend lasts hundreds of washes. For back-of-house, one color is plenty.
- Placement: a small left-chest logo for front-of-house, a bigger back print for bartenders and anyone customers see from behind. Sleeve hits with a website or a tagline are cheap and look sharp.
- Cuts: order unisex plus a fitted option. Servers and bartenders will ask.
For front-of-house at a higher-end spot, embroidered polos or button-downs read more polished; we break down when to embroider in Embroidery vs Screen Printing.
Turnover Is the Real Cost
Hospitality staff turn over constantly, and a new hire needs a shirt on day one. Two ways to handle it: keep 10-20% extra in medium, large, and XL from the main screen-print run, and use heat transfer vinyl for the odd size or a single replacement when the stock runs out. Heat transfer has no minimum, so a one-shirt reorder isn't a problem. We'll keep your art on file so reorders are a phone call, not a new setup.
A full framework for managing this over a year, including how to budget replacements, is in our company uniform program guide.
Merch Customers Actually Buy
The bars and breweries that sell real merch volume follow a pattern: a comfortable heavyweight tee in one or two colorways, a hoodie or crewneck for fall, and a hat. Design-wise, the logo goes small on the front and the personality goes on the back: a slogan, an illustration of the building, the year founded, a mascot. People don't want to be a billboard; they want to be a regular.
- Pricing: a $12-$15 printed tee sells at $25-$30; a $25-$30 hoodie sells at $50-$60; a $15-$20 hat sells at $30-$35. That margin covers the staff shirts fast.
- Quantities: start with 36-48 tees across sizes, 24 hoodies, 24 hats. Reorder what sells.
- Display: hang two pieces near the register and the host stand. Merch in a box under the bar doesn't sell.
Hat details, including embroidery vs patches, are in our custom hats guide.
Seasonal and Event Drops
Shore bars do a summer tee and a fall hoodie. Breweries do a release shirt for a new beer. Restaurants do anniversary and holiday runs. Limited drops of 24-48 pieces sell out faster than a permanent rack and give regulars a reason to come back. Our event and team apparel service handles the rush timelines around openings and events.
Getting Started
Send us your logo, a rough headcount for staff, and what you'd like to sell. We'll send back mockups for both, with staff pricing at your headcount plus 15% and merch pricing at 24/48 pieces. We work with restaurants, bars, and breweries across Monmouth and Middlesex County, including Red Bank, Long Branch, Freehold, and Middletown. Call (732) 272-1929, quotes are free.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the best shirt for restaurant staff?
A 50/50 or tri-blend tee in black, charcoal, or navy. Blends hide stains, resist fading, and hold up to frequent hot washes better than 100% cotton or 100% polyester.
How do I handle shirts for new hires?
Order 10-20% extra in medium, large, and XL with the main run, and use heat transfer vinyl for single replacements; it has no minimum. We keep your artwork on file for quick reorders.
How should a bar price its merch?
A typical markup is 2-3x cost: a $12-$15 tee sells for $25-$30, a $25-$30 hoodie for $50-$60, and a $15-$20 hat for $30-$35.
Related services: Apparel & Merchandise · Screen Printing · Heat Transfer & Vinyl