Everything You Need To Know About How To Buy Restaurant Equipment
Buying restaurant equipment is an important decision. It can take up a significant amount of your budget, so it’s essential to know what you’re looking for. We here at Texas Restaurant Supply know this all too well.
This guide will walk you through finding the right items for your business, including foodservice equipment, bar supplies, and kitchen necessities. You'll learn how to purchase equipment that will work well for your needs and fit into your budget.
We'll go over what you should think about before purchasing equipment, how to choose the right equipment for your restaurant, and the best places to buy it from.
If you're ready, let's buy some new restaurant equipment!
What to Consider When Buying Restaurant Equipment
There are many different things to consider when you're looking to buy restaurant equipment.
Before you start your search for restaurant equipment, it's important to decide on what your needs are.
A restaurant is an interesting category, as it has its own needs and wants. While many businesses purchase basic equipment such as fryers, they might want to invest in some high-end accessories to improve their performance.
There are also some unique factors that might come into play. As a bar, a bar owner may want to purchase ice machines to chill their drinks. A restaurant owner may want to buy a dishwasher if they want to make sure they have plenty of dishes.
How to Buy Restaurant Equipment
When you're ready to purchase equipment for your restaurant, your first decision will be where to go. There are plenty of options available to you:
Acquisition company: Acquiring companies purchase equipment from distributors and wholesalers. Their job is to do the legwork for you, negotiating with the supplier, organizing shipping and receiving, and ensuring you receive the right products.
Acquiring companies purchase equipment from distributors and wholesalers. Their job is to do the legwork for you, negotiating with the supplier, organizing shipping and receiving, and ensuring you receive the right products.
Online: When it comes to online purchasing, there are a number of options. The most popular are Amazon Marketplace, eBay, and Thumbtack.
Local: Most customers will tell you to try and source your equipment locally, as you will have a better warranty and service options if needed. You can go out directly to a local restaurant supply store and get important questions answered a lot faster than any online store.
What to Look for in Restaurant Equipment
Whether you run a fast food joint or a sophisticated restaurant, there are some things that are all but guaranteed to increase your profit and improve your customers' experience. This includes a clean-looking restaurant, a clean-looking kitchen, and an impeccably maintained restaurant floor.
Below, we'll discuss the attributes of restaurant equipment that you should pay special attention to as you begin your search for equipment for your restaurant.
Table Top Tables
Table tops are the most commonly sold pieces of restaurant equipment, but they are also the least expensive. However, table tops are extremely important in ensuring that your customers feel welcome and at ease when they enter your restaurant. Table tops can make or break your customer’s experience.
Casual Dining Restaurant Equipment
Casual dining restaurants are really no different than a traditional restaurant in terms of where they serve their food. However, they serve it at a much lower price point than a traditional restaurant does.
Casual dining is a term that basically refers to restaurants that offer a full menu, but serve it on a very small or limited footprint.
Unlike a fast food chain, you don't typically find a casual dining restaurant in a strip mall. You will find them in heavily trafficked areas, similar to shopping centers or urban areas.
The type of equipment needed ranges from chafers to steam tables and other warming equipment.
Fast Casual Restaurant Equipment
Restaurants that primarily serve food in a quick service (fast-casual) setting are a great place to start. In the fast-casual space, you're likely looking for grab-and-go sandwiches, salads, desserts, juices, coffee, and more
Your typical fast casual restaurant is not going to have much of a kitchen. Instead, they have a countertop with a few grills and small fryers.
What Restaurant Equipment Is Really Needed?
There's a lot more equipment you'll need for fast-casual restaurants than you will for a sit-down restaurant. You need a separate cooler, salad prep, and dairy preparation areas.
This equipment isn't necessary for every fast-casual restaurant, but many fast-casual restaurants do need a separate cooler. They also might need more high-heat equipment, such as a panini press.
Fast Food Restaurants
These are the types of restaurants most likely to purchase equipment. They also usually have great budgets. Each time you go there, you know what you're going to get:
- fish tacos
- chicken sandwich
- chocolate chip cookie
- ice cream bar
Instead of focusing on the ambiance or decor, a fast casual restaurant focuses on providing great food for affordable prices.
The goal is to deliver a tasty and quick meal. But they also want to be pleasant places to visit. They will often offer some fun, complimentary beverages and occasionally have table service.
Typical equipment includes fryers and warmers along with coolers and ice cream machines.
Conclusion
You have made it to the end of this guide. You're ready to buy the right equipment for your restaurant. Good news: There are many places where you can buy it.
Consider Texas Restaurant Supply to be your “go-to” kitchen supply center. We have the right equipment for you, plus several locations to service your area.
It's easy, and it's a great way to get it quickly and safely. Contact Texas Restaurant Supply today to get started!