A Quick Guide to Find the Proper Commercial Kitchen Equipment Supplier
Commercial kitchen equipment is essential to the success of your restaurant business, but buying it can be nerve-wracking. It’s an investment in you and your business’s future, so you want to make sure you’re getting the equipment you need at a price you can afford.
That means finding a proper commercial kitchen equipment supplier. The first thing you probably did when you started looking was to type “commercial kitchen equipment” into Google or the search engine of your choice. At the time this article was written, that brought up 314,000,000 results.
You only need one, but with all of that information available, how do you decide?
History and Values
A company’s history can tell you a lot about how they operate and what they stand for. When you look for a commercial kitchen equipment supplier, look for a company that has a proud history of providing excellent service and high-quality products.
Many companies are proud of their history and will feature it on their website. The same is true of their values. Ideally, you will be able to find a company whose values, whether they’re hard work, integrity or anything else, align with your own.
The presence of a clearly defined set of values lets you know the direction a company sees itself going. When you’re looking for a lasting partnership with a supplier, that can be useful.
Variety of Items Offered
Some equipment is too specialized to find at a general commercial kitchen equipment supplier. However, a company that stocks a wide variety of equipment will meet the needs of most restaurants.
Some suppliers will both buy and resell used equipment that’s still in good condition. If this is the case, the equipment you have access to will be more varied, and prices will likely be lower. If you’re on a budget, that’s invaluable.
What equipment are you looking to buy? Look for a supplier that offers all of the equipment you can imagine needing, such as:
- Restaurant equipment like a commercial oven, fryer or broiler.
- Refrigeration equipment ranging from a sushi case to a blast chiller.
- General kitchen equipment like work tables and equipment stands.
It’s worth the extra research to find a place you can return to again and again, whether that’s for an emergency replacement or an exciting upgrade.
Quality
Of course, you don’t want to have to make any emergency equipment replacements. Accidents and malfunctions happen, but ideally, you’ll be buying equipment you know you can count on.
Brand name products from top manufacturers can help you feel secure in your purchase. Don’t settle for the second-best, even if the first sticker price you see is higher than you want it to be.
Restaurants and other foodservice businesses might operate on tight margins, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to find equipment from leading brands at an affordable price.
Customer Service
Customer service is essential. As someone working in the restaurant industry, you already know that. When you’re purchasing commercial kitchen equipment, you’re the customer, and you deserve to be treated with respect.
Commercial kitchen equipment is a major purchase. You need a company with a reputation for supporting their clients through every step of the buying process and beyond.
If you don’t walk away with the equipment you need at a price that works for you, then your supplier has failed you. The same is true if you don’t feel like the interactions you have had with the company’s employees were positive.
Here at Texas Restaurant Supply, we want to be the right commercial kitchen equipment supplier for you. With 35 years of combined experience and a passion for quality, we’re here to help you find what you need.
We’re family-owned and operated, and we understand the importance of a great customer experience. We buy and sell a range of products, and our inventory changes daily, so if we don’t have what you’re looking for at the moment, that can change. Contact us today to learn more.