6 Points to Think About Before Buying Kitchen Equipment for a Restaurant
Restaurant kitchen equipment is expensive, and when making purchases, it’s very easy to overpay. When residential homeowners purchase their kitchen appliances, there’s always room to buy cheaper units without much concern.
But restaurant cooking equipment needs to be durable and withstand continual use without breaking as it can lead to lost business and revenue.
If you prepare a restaurant kitchen equipment list, you’ll be taking the first step to making your purchase.
Let’s see the tips that you can follow when purchasing equipment for a restaurant kitchen.
1. Start by Planning Your Menu
A major mistake that owners make when they purchase kitchen equipment for a restaurant is that they fail to plan out their menu first. Sit down with your chef and solidify your menu before even thinking about trying to find where to buy commercial kitchen equipment in your area.
Your menu will dictate:
- Items that you’ll need
- Items that you need more or less of
- Appliances that can help streamline your kitchen
Once you’ve developed a menu, you can move on to making a list of the items that you need.
2. Create a List of Items Your Kitchen Needs
Kitchens require a lot of items to run efficiently. If you go into any retailer or look at a commercial catalog, chances are that you’ll miss a lot of the items that you need. You’ll also end up purchasing items that you don’t need.
It’s important to sit down and come up with a list of items that you need to operate your kitchen.
Also, come up with:
- Quantities of each item
- Budget for each item
- Extras you may need
You also need to maintain a budget that allows you to have the capital you need to stock up on supplies and also pay your employees.
When you’re developing your list, you’ll also want to measure your space.
3. Measure Your Kitchen Areas
The kitchen area may not be impacted much by bowls or silverware, but you don’t want to purchase major appliances without taking measurements.
These appliances include:
- Stove
- Grills
- Dishwashers
- Sinks
You need to have measurements of all spaces so that you know exactly how much space you have available. Returning major items because they don’t fit is going to be costly and reduce your budget.
Spend the time measuring:
- Entryways
- Cabinet space
- Space for appliances
4. Go into the Process with a Budget
When you talk to a supplier and try to work out what items you need and how much the cost will be, you need to make sure that you’re on a budget.
Professionals recommend creating budgets for:
- Equipment
- Utensils
- Appliances
- Glassware
- Cookware
Request a restaurant kitchen equipment list with price listings so that you can compare pricing from multiple suppliers.
5. Consider Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency may not seem like a top priority for a lot of people, but when you run a commercial kitchen, it can save you hundreds of dollars a month. You’ll want to seek out appliances that are Energy Star rated.
When you see this label, you can be confident that the appliance is:
- Energy-efficient
- Designed to reduce energy costs
While looking for equipment that is energy-efficient, you’ll also want to consider the warranty offered on the equipment.
6. Look Over the Warranties
When you buy commercial cooking equipment, you’re making a major investment in your business. The appliances and equipment can cost thousands of dollars each, and replacing these units if they break or have a defect can be very costly.
Look at the warranties for each item and see if you can purchase extended warranties for the most expensive appliances.
This information will be in the fine print, and it is worth reading through every paragraph to know what is under warranty and what is not. A warranty provides you with peace of mind that if your kitchen equipment ever has issues, you can invoke the warranty and it will be corrected.
If you follow these shopping tips, you’ll be able to purchase kitchen equipment that meets the needs and functions of your commercial kitchen.
For more, visit https://mcdonaldpaper.com/blog/restaurant-kitchen-equipment-purchasing-guide
