Foodservice Plastics 101: Choosing Between SAN, PC, Tritan & Tritan Renew
🧪 Understanding Plastics for Foodservice Operations
Selecting the right plastic for your foodservice needs can be a challenge. The material you choose impacts durability, appearance, cost, and, ultimately, customer satisfaction. To help you make the best decision for your operation, we’ve broken down four popular options. Whether you’re running a high-volume cafeteria, a chic cocktail lounge, or an environmentally conscious eatery, there’s a plastic to meet your needs.
The Four Contenders
Here’s how SAN, PC, Tritan, and Tritan Renew stack up in terms of strengths and ideal foodservice applications.
🍹 SAN (Styrene Acrylonitrile)
A practical option for many foodservice applications, SAN is known for its lightweight design, durability, and clarity. It’s a dependable material that’s commonly found in products like:
- Drinkware for cold beverages in cafeterias and quick-service restaurants
- Condiment dispensers in buffets and self-serve stations
- Serving trays in high-traffic environments like school lunch programs
Why Choose SAN for Foodservice?
Its ability to handle over 1,000 commercial dishwasher cycles makes SAN a workhorse material. It’s affordable and reliable for businesses prioritizing cost efficiency without sacrificing looks. While it’s not microwave-safe, its strength lies in supporting cold or room-temperature service.
Practical Example
Imagine you’re managing a catering business with a focus on fast-paced buffet setups. Using SAN for beverage pitchers allows you to serve drinks with a professional appearance while withstanding heavy usage and cleaning demands.
👶 PC (Polycarbonate)
Polycarbonate is synonymous with impact resistance. This material is ideal for operations where accidental spills and breakage are common. Its applications in foodservice include:
- Children’s cups in family restaurants
- Reusable food trays in hospitals and school cafeterias
- Dispensing jars for blenders and ice machines
Why Choose PC for Foodservice?
PC strikes a balance between clarity and toughness, making it suitable for fast-paced, high-volume environments. While it’s not microwave-safe and contains BPA, it performs exceptionally well in preventing breakage, which means lower replacement costs over time.
Practical Example
A family-style pizza restaurant that caters to young children might use polycarbonate drinkware. Its durability ensures fewer breakages, even during those inevitable energetic dinner rushes.
🍸 Tritan (Copolyester)
For upscale dining and high-end operations, Tritan offers the perfect blend of aesthetic appeal and commercial-grade durability. Its uses in foodservice include:
- Crystal-clear drinkware for cocktail bars, resorts, and fine dining
- Buffet display jars for hot or cold items
- Room service trays and pitchers in luxury hotels
Why Choose Tritan for Foodservice?
This material looks and feels like glass but is far more robust. Tritan is microwave-safe, BPA-free, and built for intensive washing, withstanding over 1,000 dishwasher cycles without compromising its brilliance.
Practical Example
A luxury hotel chain may opt for Tritan serving pitchers for its in-room dining service. Guests enjoy a glass-like experience while staff benefit from a break-proof material with easy maintenance.
🌎 Tritan Renew
Tritan Renew is the latest innovation for foodservice operators committed to sustainability. It combines all the benefits of Tritan with an eco-conscious edge. Foodservice applications include:
- Reusable glassware alternatives for environmentally conscious restaurants
- Eco-friendly serving trays for green-certified operations
- Custom-branded drinkware for boutique coffee shops and juice bars
Why Choose Tritan Renew for Foodservice?
This material is made with up to 50% certified recycled content, helping businesses reduce their environmental impact. Eastman’s advanced molecular recycling process ensures Tritan Renew maintains its high clarity and strength while offering a greener alternative.
Practical Example
Consider a farm-to-table restaurant that prioritizes sustainability in everything it does, from sourcing local ingredients to minimizing waste. By switching to Tritan Renew for its drinkware, the restaurant aligns its serving tools with its sustainable mission, offering guests a premium experience that reflects its values.
Aligning with Trends
Tritan Renew also positions your business to meet growing customer demand for environmental responsibility. Eco-conscious diners are more likely to patronize establishments that take meaningful steps toward sustainability. Switching to materials like Tritan Renew can become a core part of your brand story, strengthening customer loyalty.
📊 Quick Comparison Table
| Feature | SAN | PC | Tritan | Tritan Renew |
| Clarity | Good | Better | Best | Best |
| Impact Durability | Moderate | High | Highest | Highest |
| Dishwasher Durability | 1,000+ washes | 100+ washes | 1,000+ washes | 1,000+ washes |
| BPA-Free | ✔️ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Microwave Safe | ❌ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Best Use | High-volume, everyday ops | Kid-friendly or fast-paced spaces | Premium service + hot/cold drinks | Sustainable, luxury-level service |
| Cost (Relative) | $ (Most affordable) | $ (Affordable + impact-resistant) | $$ (Premium) | $$$ (Sustainable premium) |
💡 Choosing What’s Best
When deciding which plastic fits your foodservice operation, focus on your priority needs:
- If cost efficiency and durability are key, SAN is a strong candidate.
- For rugged, high-traffic spaces, PC minimizes losses due to breakage.
- To create a high-end customer experience, turn to Tritan for elegance and resilience.
- To pair luxury with sustainability, Tritan Renew helps achieve environmental goals while impressing guests.
Every choice has its place in the foodservice world. What matters most is aligning the material’s strengths with your operational goals.
🌟 Next Steps
The right plastic can elevate the functionality and appeal of your foodservice operation. If you’d like to explore this further:
- Browse our extensive collection of foodservice-ready SAN, PC, Tritan, and Tritan Renew products.
- Have questions? Contact our foodservice specialists for a free consultation on choosing the best material for your operation.
- Want to see the difference for yourself? Request a sample of our drinkware collections today and experience firsthand the quality and durability of our materials.
Whether you’re refreshing your drinkware lineup or planning a sustainability initiative, we’re here to guide you through the process.
Serve with confidence, durability, and style with the material that fits your mission.
