Commercial Equipment for Restaurant Start-up Checklist

Among all other investments, one of the biggest investments that would go into starting any new restaurant is the kitchen. A commercial kitchen would need a lot of industrial-grade equipment that can be of great use in any busy restaurant. The proper layout of a commercial restaurant kitchen has to be planned that would allow food to flow in the most convenient way from the prep area to the line.

Many times a new restaurant might have a fabulous location but somewhat a small kitchen space, which would dictate the kind of kitchen equipment that is basically needed. You may really want the six-burner gas range with a convection oven, but, in actuality, your kitchen will only fit a four-burner range. It is very important to think strategically about your kitchen well before you sign for it.

Role of a Restaurant Kitchen

We all are well aware of the fact that the entire kitchen is the heart of your restaurant, this is basically that place where all your menu comes to life. It is where food is basically prepared, cooked, and plated. It is basically the center of the action in a lot of ways, your restaurant’s kitchen is typically home to a lot of things such as a dishwasher, your food ingredients, and all those utensils, dishes, and cooking equipment that are being used in there.

Not like in a normal home kitchen, where it is only you and any of your family members, a restaurant kitchen may have dozens of people that are coming and going throughout any given shifts accordingly, so it is really very important that it is well organized. This not only saves time during the busy rushes, but it also helps the staff avoid accidents and reduces excess waste.

Things to Consider Before Purchasing Commercial Equipment for Restaurant

We all know that any sort of restaurant would need a lot of different equipment in order to operate properly. When you are thinking about furnishing your restaurant’s kitchen, you will go through different phases that include dealing with an extensive restaurant kitchen equipment list. There is a lot to be done, but you do not have to rush into buying a lot of restaurant equipment very quickly. You must take out some time to consider what exactly you need for your space and your restaurant type, what you can afford, and where do you want to buy it from exactly. 

At the time of buying commercial equipment for a restaurant, you must look for high-quality items that will stand up to constant use over the years. You must consider using restaurant financing in order to make your purchase more manageable. Always make sure that the restaurant kitchen equipment items you choose must make sense for your kitchen layout and the flow you envision for the actual cooking.

Before you tackle your Commercial equipment for restaurant list, you must consider the following:

1. Quality

Even before thinking about buying restaurant kitchen equipment, the first thing you must start by would be looking at the equipment’s quality. You must consider whether the equipment that you are going to buy is brand new or used. In case it is new, you must see if it is from a reputable manufacturer? Where is it made? What is it made from? In case you are looking at buying the equipment that is preloved and used, you must consider how old the equipment is, where it is actually coming from, and what kind of shape it is in. make sure to take a look at the equipment in person even before making the purchase so that you can properly inspect the appearance and function for any sort of flaws or problems. You must consider which type of restaurant equipment you will be using most frequently. For all those items, you must buy the highest quality that is also in your budget.

2. Space Consideration

Also, before you start buying your restaurant equipment, you must spend some time looking at your restaurant kitchen’s blueprints. You must think about how your whole team would move around in that space and you must also consider how your restaurant kitchen must be laid out. You must figure out how much space you will have for everything that is needed in the restaurant. The main goal would be to have an efficient layout that must flow well without being extremely crowded. Never forget to check the proper dimensions of every piece of equipment to make sure that you can fit it all through the doors and into your commercial kitchen.

3. Price

Pricing is another very important point that you must consider while you buy any restaurant equipment. First of all, you must think about which pieces of equipment are actually the most important ones for you in your restaurant. The restaurant kitchen equipment that you actually know you will use every day warrants a higher price tag because you will want to go for the best quality on those. For all the other things, you must think about ways you might save some of your hard-earned money, such as by looking for multipurpose equipment that can do multiple jobs in one. An example is a combination oven, that can cook by convection, steam, or a combination of even both. Another way to get some best prices would be to buy used, you just have to be sure you thoroughly inspect the equipment before you begin with your purchase.

4. Convenience in Using and Cleaning

No matter what restaurant kitchen equipment you buy, it must make sense for cooks to use day in and day out. You can watch a lot of videos, you can talk to the sales reps, and you may also try to see the equipment in action in order to see if it will be easy to use every other day. You must consider ergonomics, ease of opening and closing doors, storage options, and any technological features, that could be either helpful or even difficult to operate. When we talk about cleaning, take some time to see how exactly to clean the equipment daily, weekly, and monthly so that you can effectively plan side work for the staff. All the equipment that is made from stainless steel is especially easy to maintain and reduces the chance of harboring dangerous bacteria.

5. Choosing the perfect Supplier

Choosing the perfect and the best in town restaurant kitchen equipment supplier goes a long way in making sure that you receive high-quality equipment on which you can count. The best suppliers will always help walk you through equipment selection with a lot of resources and without giving you a hard sell. Also, make sure that you ask about help with installation as well as policies on maintenance and repair services for the inevitable day when your equipment needs service.

6. Hiring a proper Restaurant Kitchen Planner

Particularly if you are building a new restaurant or even if you are completely renovating the kitchen if you hire a professional restaurant kitchen planner it can be a great help in figuring out the type of restaurant kitchen equipment that you must need. A restaurant kitchen planner will talk to you about your concept and menu, then help design a kitchen that would make sense for your space and the food you will be cooking. They can also help in steering you away from kitchen equipment that you do not need, this would save you precious space and money.

7. Checking for Leasing Option

Well, we all know that opening a restaurant is somehow expensive, and buying restaurant kitchen equipment is no exception. While leasing restaurant equipment can be a good option as part of your restaurant business plan. Leasing would allow you to pay monthly for your restaurant equipment rather than all at once, saving you some capital for other expenses. Lease payments may even be tax-deductible as a business operating expense.

Another major benefit of leasing restaurant kitchen equipment would be the opportunity to return the equipment at the end of the lease term. In case business is booming, then you probably also have a buy-out option, that depends on your lease terms and credit. Potential downsides are that not all equipment and supplies qualify for leasing, like flatware and cleaning supplies. You may also have to face some high-interest rates and early termination fees.

Ultimate Commercial Kitchen Equipment List

Commercial refrigeration

Refrigeration would give you a place to hold your equipment and ingredients at a proper temperature. The biggest factor to look for while you are choosing refrigeration would be its capacity and shape. You need to choose all the equipment that can handle the amount of food your restaurant will need, as well as equipment that will fit into your kitchen’s layout.

You may find many many different styles of refrigeration equipment, and the style you choose will depend on your type of restaurant and your specific refrigeration needs. But, below are some examples that a standard restaurant might choose:

Refrigerator: these are the common types of refrigerators that include walk-in coolers, reach-in fridges, pass-through options, or prep fridges. It is likely that your restaurant will require a combination of different types of refrigerators.

Freezer: same as refrigerators, freezers come in various sizes and styles to suit your needs and food capacities.

Following are the main refrigeration categories that are available in our Commercial Kitchen Store

• Bar equipment
• Chef bases
• Chest freezers
• Glassdoor merchandisers 
• Open display cases
• Pizza prep tables
• Reach ins
• Under counters
• Worktop

Ice Machines

Ice machines are a very important component of beverage service at any restaurant. Also, cafes, bars, and grocery stores may use ice to make smoothies or blended cocktails. Beverage Dispensers Some establishments like fast-food and fast-casual restaurants may have self-service beverage dispensers, while others may have them at wait stations. When choosing a dispenser, think of how many soft drink options you want to serve and which brand of soda you’re going to choose.

Here is the list of 3 ice machines that are available in our Commercial Kitchen Store.

• Modular
• Storage bins
• Under counters

Restaurant Equipment

We know that restaurant trends are always changing, so it is really very important that you choose the right restaurant equipment to progress in the game. Kitchen Services has all of the commercial appliances you need in the trusted brands that you must look for. You must design your whole kitchen with top-of-the-line units, whether you’re starting your business from scratch or even if you are remodeling your restaurant for a modern look. All of your customers will expect a level of trendiness from the businesses they support, show them you care by investing in restaurant equipment that meets and exceeds the industry standards.

Your kitchen is basically the foundation of your restaurant, you always have to make sure your kitchen layout features the best equipment for your brand. Proper food storage is essential in every kitchen, and with customers demanding more fresh ingredients, you’ll want to find refrigeration equipment that can keep up. We have refrigerated prep tables, reach-in units, and under-counter refrigerators in many sizes to fit every space. 

These are the basic kitchen equipment that we offer in our Commercial Kitchen Store

Equipment Stands

Using the right equipment stands in your restaurant or other commercial kitchen raises up ovens, slicers, mixers, and other large items, so the controls can be reached without having to bend down time and again. This would help in reducing the time that it takes to use the equipment as well as it lowers the risk of your staff getting injured while they are on the job.

Meat Grinders

Meat grinders would offer a shortcut without a change in quality so that you can get more work done in less time. these meat grinders are available in manual and electric styles, meat grinders can be the best investments you can make for your commercial kitchen because they would allow you to turn chunks of meat into perfect ground meat in a matter of seconds.

Over Shelves

Bulk products, overflow items, and extra products can be easily and securely stored in back-of-house operations with the addition of proper shelving units. These units are also very important in the kitchen and prep areas where dishes, towels, and other daily-use items can be stored in bulk. 

Safes

Commercial safes help in protecting assets from untrustworthy employees and unfortunate events such as fires or burglaries. Well when you are running any business, the last thing you would want to worry about is theft. And with proper Safes, you do not have to worry about theft, and you can completely focus on your restaurant. All of our safes are uniquely designed to protect cash, receipts, deposit slips, keys, and other valuables against theft and burglaries at the point of purchase.

Sinks

Commercial sinks are very important in any form of food service, but almost every style of business should have a heavy-duty sink to keep up with high-volume use. We have all the sinks, faucets, and parts you need to outfit your business at Kitchen Services Store. they are required by health codes to be placed in proper and assigned locations in your establishment, restaurant hand sinks also help in protecting the health of your employees.

Wall Shelves

Without any doubt, you can always make the most of your space just by investing in wall shelves. Wall shelving helps in providing you the ability to increase your storage capacity without decreasing your square footage. You can place a solid wall shelf above your prep table or range so that it becomes easier for your chef and line cooks to grab ingredients for their recipes. Our wall mount shelving is available in many materials so you can find the right ones for your kitchen, pantry, or supply closet. Choose wall shelves to stay organized in every area of your business.