Starting a new restaurant is a beautiful journey that requires courage, determination, and a whole lot of capital. Turning your passion for food into a business is a challenge, and not for the faint of heart.
When opening a restaurant, startup costs can pile up fast, given the expenses you have to cover: permits and licenses; design and equipment costs; rental and insurance; and any marketing expenses you’ve allotted for in your plan.
If you want your restaurant to succeed, research and invest in the tools you need. Kitchen equipment purchasing is important to any successful operation. It cannot be done without careful planning and budgeting.
While each restaurant has different equipment needs, knowing what to look for when picking your equipment can help you maximize their use.
Here’s our guide to helping you choose the right restaurant equipment according to your needs.
Questions to Ask Before Buying
Having the latest and greatest kitchen gear prepares you to execute your menu according to plan, but you have to know what you really want to achieve with your menu to determine what equipment you truly need.
Ask yourself these important questions:
- What is on my menu?
- What do I need to prep and serve items on my menu the way I want?
- How do I store my ingredients, raw materials, and recipe components?
- What’s my expected volume output?
- Where will I place my equipment?
- How much am I willing to spend?
- How much will it cost to clean and maintain?
All these questions can help you determine which equipment you need to invest in, as each answer is unique to every store.
Ice cream parlors are likely to need more heavy-duty freezers than your typical quick-service restaurant. Likewise, a cafe is more likely to invest in a commercial coffee machine compared to a burger joint.
Focus on getting what your restaurant really needs. If you choose to expand or upgrade, buying new equipment later becomes easier once you have enough revenue.
Criteria for Choosing Your Equipment
When it comes to your kitchen equipment, going for the cheapest option isn’t always the best. Cheap equipment that fails or breaks frequently ends up costing you more than sturdier equivalents.
When deciding on which kitchen equipment to purchase, here are several criteria you should consider before investing.
Quality and Durability
Quality and durability are essential considerations to any major equipment purchase decision. Wear-and-tear factors heavily on the quality of your food and output.
When determining the quality and durability of equipment look at several things: materials used, certifications/awards, and suggested maintenance.
Materials play a big part in determining equipment quality and durability. The materials themselves can determine how long each piece of equipment will last on average before you need to replace them.
It’s also important to note not just the materials used, but how much of these materials are actually present in the equipment. Remember, “ceramic-coated” is different from “made from ceramic”, so watch for product labeling that is heavy on the marketing. Be wary of fancy terminology that masks the equipment’s more accurate level of quality.
Certifications and awards are also given to equipment that has gone through rigorous testing by established organizations. These certifications attest to the quality and capability of certain equipment. Certified equipment is always a safe bet – but be sure these certifications are established and reputable.
Finally, suggested maintenance also plays a big part in determining the quality and durability of your equipment and is something you should always read before buying.
While an heavy-duty, non-stick pans can be great for home kitchens, they might not be good for a fast-paced restaurants if they’re not dishwasher safe. Take into consideration the maintenance requirements for your equipment: how easy it is to do, and how quickly you can do it.
Brand Reputation
Brand reputation plays a big role in the restaurant industry. A reputable brand is oftentimes a sign of reliable, safe, and quality equipment. It’s the reason why you see the same brands of coffee makers at various coffee shops.
A brand’s reputation is determined by many things – size of its user base, product quality, the consistency of its quality control, and brand history.
It’s important to do your due diligence and research on important restaurant equipment, especially if you are not familiar with the brand.
Some reputable brands may have budget equipment models that aren’t fit for high-volume kitchen scenarios. On the other hand, lesser-known brands with good reputations can offer more bang-for-the-buck.
Use a brand’s reputation as a starting point for determining quality. Ask your equipment supplier plenty of questions and consult other people with past experiences with the brand. Check for customer reviews for their opinions on the gear you have in mind.
Price, Cost, and Warranty
Price is oftentimes the biggest factor in determining what equipment you’ll end up purchasing, which can be a mistake.
For example, purchasing an older-generation freezer could help you save on upfront costs compared to later models. However, newer generation freezers incorporate newer technologies (inverter technology, for example) that make them more energy-efficient and easier to maintain.
What equipment you purchase will directly affect your operational costs. Check your equipment’s specifications and determine how much it will cost to use and maintain it.
Check as well on your equipment’s warranty and service terms. If you expect your equipment to be used a lot, consider purchasing extended warranties to give you that extra peace of mind.
Technical Support
Last but not least, when purchasing your kitchen equipment, make sure you have access to technical support to help you troubleshoot and maintain your equipment.
While investing in an expensive imported Italian pasta maker can help you make wonderful dishes, if it breaks down, it’s useless.
Without the proper technical support, it could take weeks or months before you get the right parts or a qualified repairman.
Access to fast and reliable technical support is key to keeping your kitchen running smoothly. Take your time to research maintenance, parts availability, and repair costs.
Get others’ opinions on the quality of the servicing. Again, online reviews are also a useful source of information for common equipment problems.
Other Factors Determining Equipment Choices
Once you have an idea of what kind of gear you want to purchase, it’s important to relate each piece of equipment to your restaurant’s setting.
Some restaurant equipment choices are unique to your menu and the scale of your operations. Your location and physical space also greatly affect your choice of equipment.
Space and Layout Considerations
In a restaurant with limited floor space, size matters. While large, industrial-quality kitchen equipment can help with high volume food production, it shouldn’t be at the expense of safety and heavy foot traffic.
Take time to look at your kitchen layout in the blueprints. Look at how each piece of equipment should fit spatially in relation to others and follow equipment layout best practices.
Safety equipment should also be considered when laying out your kitchen. Make sure that your staff can easily access fire extinguishers and first aid kits and build regulation-standard fire exits.
Factor in the flow of your staff in your kitchen and how each dish goes from kitchen to customer.
If you think you’ll have a hard time determining your overall restaurant layout, hire professional kitchen planners to do it for you to keep your restaurant safe, efficient, and aesthetic.
Leasing/Rental Options
Starting a restaurant is expensive, and purchasing equipment adds up to that cost. Leasing or renting kitchen equipment may be a way for you to access good quality kitchen equipment at a smaller fraction of the cost.
If you have good supplier relationships, talk with your kitchen equipment providers to negotiate a lease or get more flexible payment options.
If you rent your equipment, you have the option to return it at the end of your agreement. On the other hand, look into a buy-out option that will give you the equipment you like without paying retail sticker prices.
Leasing equipment also gives you opportunities to experience the latest gear without going all-out on purchases. Just rent what you need out, see if you need it, purchase it – or return it.
A major downside to leasing or renting equipment is probably a lack of choice. The equipment you want may not be leasable, and you still have to spend on maintenance. You may even have to pay extra if you want to end your rental contract early.
Buying Used vs. Brand New
Another factor you should take into consideration is buying used kitchen equipment instead of new. Exercise extra effort to investigate used equipment’s current operational quality and maintenance record.
If you do buy used kitchen equipment, make sure it is also up to par with health and safety regulations. Have it checked by kitchen health inspectors and maintenance specialists you trust.
Check the reputability of your supplier and buy from companies with a good record. Check if parts and services are still available and prepare for possible equipment breakdown and maintenance needs.
Choosing Your Supplier
Choosing your kitchen equipment supplier helps ensure that you’re receiving quality equipment and quality service. Different suppliers approach equipment sales differently, so take your time and pick what’s best for your restaurant.
Look into how suppliers handled pre-sales negotiation, after-sales support, and equipment servicing. Make sure they’re helpful at every stage, from installation, to maintenance, to replacement/disposal.
Also, ask for discounts if you’re buying multiple pieces of equipment to earn discounts from your suppliers. Having good relationships with your supplier will be helpful in negotiating replacements, repairs, and upgrades.
Invest in Your Restaurant’s Future
Starting and running your restaurant takes a lot of planning, budgeting, and determination to succeed.
Work with your restaurant consultants and chefs to determine what equipment your restaurant needs most and how to maximize its use.
You should also design your restaurant with these requirements in mind, to avoid any surprises, such as expensive retrofitting or unplanned equipment operation permit costs.
Don’t forget to integrate any specialized back-of-house equipment, such as a kitchen display system (KDS) that is now essential to most professional kitchen operations.
Focus first on the absolute essentials, then see if your budget allows a list of nice-to-haves. That way, your investment in the right equipment becomes a solid building block toward your restaurant’s success.