Best shoes for restaurant workers

A study found that a restaurant worker on average walks about 23,000 steps which is more than the 10,000 steps recommended to stay fit.To keep up with this long workload and to keep your feet safe from slips, fatigue, wounds, knee problems etc, there is a need to invest in good restaurant shoes. 

Treat your feet the way you treat your customers which is with the best quality possible. To help you make this choice, Let’s walk through a list of things you need to consider before buying a good shoe.

What to keep in mind when looking for a restaurant shoe

There are a set of essentials that a shoe needs to fulfill which is very specific in regards to restaurant work. A shoe which can fulfill all those essentials is the best shoe for you. But what are those essentials?

Comfort

The most obvious is a shoe that is comfortable. The long hours of walking and standing only leads to pain and discomfort so a good shoe needs to be the one which can ease these. 

Make sure the toes have enough room to wiggle

A good trick is to buy a shoe after the end of your shift when your feet are swollen. The reasoning being if a shoe can feel good at the end of the day, it will feel good throughout the day.

Look for arch support as it increases comfort while simultaneously decreasing ankle sprains and other injuries.

Grip

Slipping is one of the worst things that can happen to you in a restaurant especially with a platter in your hand. To avoid this catastrophe you need a good grip on your shoes. 

Resistant rubber outsole is recommended with an interlocked tread pattern to achieve the needed traction in this job.

Protection

The shoe must be focused on two types of protection namely: Injury and Water protection.

The upper part of the shoe i.e the area around the toes, needs to be protective in the sense that it’s able to protect from anything falling on them.

The shoe also needs to be protective against water as no one wants to walk in a wet pair of shoes. It must be water resistant and not waterproof because waterproof means they won’t let any water out as well which implies that moisture that your body naturally generates won’t get out as well.

Easy to clean

In a restaurant you’re extremely vulnerable to spill and splatters. Most of which can get on your shoes. So after a tired and long shift the last thing you want is to spend the rest of the day cleaning your shoes. So to avoid that, opt for an option that is easy to clean.

Durability

A shoe is equivalent to an investment, so to get the best return from your investment it needs to last long and maintain its application and hence needs to be durable against the condition in a restaurant .

Best restaurant shoes for you

Considering everything aforementioned, Here is our top pick for you to give you a slight push in the right direction.

DYKHMILY

This shoe provides for a protective, water-resistant and sporty approach towards a work shoe with steel near the toe area to protect you from anything falling on them. The Ethylene Vinyl Acetate sole provides for a grip on any situation. Even with steel embedded in the shoe it’s very flexible and comfortable to wear because of its lightweight. It’s perfect for both men and women.

Crocs

If we ignore the fact that these are not too stylish looking. It’s got slip resistant threads to prevent you from falling but even if something does manage to splash your shoes, It’s easy to clean material makes your life easier while also being quick to dry.These shoes also provide for a snuggly fit and are super comfortable.

Skechers

The heavy build provides for a protective outer layer as the breathable mesh allows for free breathing of your foot. It’s relaxed and comfortable fit coupled with the fact it’s fitted with a memory foam insole makes your feet happy and you in the process. It’s also fitted with bungee lacing and slip resistant threads.

Avia Avi-Union II 

While these are amazing to look at, this pair gives you the ideal food service shoes. It being slip resistant, comfortable and water resistant with a solid build and protection quality is proof to that fact.

Gibson-Brogna

Here’s another skecher though this one is targeted towards women. Fitted with a memory sole and a slip resistant tread, this shoe is in every way an equal to the men’s variant. It provides for great comfort and a premium feel.

Bendon

A tad bit on the expensive side of things but definitely worth the extra expense. This shoe is everything a restaurant shoe needs to be plus extra giving a premium and super comfortable feel. If you’re not too bothered by the price then this shoe is definitely the one for you.

Endnote:

A good restaurant shoe not only needs to be comfortable but also protective. Consider your shoe to be an investment and you’ll be able to make the best choice for yourself. The list of shoes we’ve provided is our attempt at giving you the best for you but feel free to explore your options on your own. Avoid picking a shoe that’s water proof but instead opt for the water resistant option for the reasons mentioned above. Also never pick an open toe type of shoe or a one with heels as they’ll only make you more vulnerable to injuries.