If you run a restaurant in Miami, your staff's appearance is part of the dining experience. But when it comes to ordering custom shirts, most owners either order too few (and end up reprinting at a premium) or too many (and eat the cost of boxes gathering dust in the back).
Here's the straightforward math.
The Simple Formula: 5 Shirts Per Employee
For full-time staff working 5 shifts a week, order 5 shirts per person. That gives everyone a clean shirt for every shift with one in the wash. For part-timers working 2–3 shifts, 3 shirts each is enough.
Which Garments Actually Work for Restaurants
For front-of-house: A lightweight polo or a fitted crew tee with your logo embroidered or printed on the chest. Black and navy hide stains; they also look sharp under Miami's lighting.
For back-of-house: Basic crew tees. Kitchens are brutal on garments — order a material blend that breathes and stands up to industrial washing.
The mistake to avoid: ordering fashion-fit tees for kitchen staff. They shrink, they stain, and you'll reorder within months.
The Reorder Trap (and How to Dodge It)
Here's where Miami restaurant owners lose money: they order the bare minimum, someone quits, someone new starts, and now they need 6 more shirts. Small reorders cost more per piece — sometimes double.
The fix: order 10–15% extra in your most common sizes. The per-piece price on a 72-piece run vs. a 12-piece reorder isn't close. That buffer pays for itself the first time you hire.
What This Costs in Miami
For a 1–2 color screen print on a quality crew tee at 60+ pieces, you're typically looking at a few dollars per shirt plus a one-time screen setup. Embroidery on polos runs higher per piece but lasts longer and looks more upscale — worth it for hosts, managers, and anyone customer-facing.
The Bottom Line
Count your staff, multiply by 5 (or 3 for part-timers), add 10–15% buffer, and choose garments built for the role. Do that and you'll order once, look professional from day one, and stop thinking about staff shirts for a year.
Running a Miami restaurant, bar, or café? Tell us your headcount and we'll spec the whole order — garments, print method, and exact pricing — within the hour. Get a free quote at miamiteesonline.com.