Finding a Restaurant Equipment Supplier Crucial for New Restaurant Owners

Finding a restaurant equipment supplier is crucial for new restaurant owners, in order to ensure they are getting the best prices and saving money as much as possible. 

The success of a new restaurant relies on many factors, but one of the most important is finding a reliable source for any and all equipment needs. This may seem like an easy task at first, but it could lead to various problems in the future such as insufficient warranties on products and inadequate after-sales service because product categories are so diverse.

The first step to ensuring you are getting the right equipment is to do your research and find reliable supplier. Know the basics such as their location, who they are and what you can expect from them. You may want to talk with current clients about their experiences with this supplier and see for yourself just how good or bad their service really is. You should also ask them about the warranty on any products they sell, how to get refunds if needed, return policy, and pricing.

The second step is to make sure the supplier has experience in your specific area of business--they should have a wide range of products offered for sale that cater to your needs specifically. Make sure they have a wide array of products such as business and office equipment, furniture, IT and telecom solutions, foodservice equipment, HVAC supplies and more. You may also want to assess their pricing to make sure it is in line with other suppliers locally.

The third step is to get a clear understanding of their refund policy. When you are purchasing any sort of product or service for your restaurant business, you need to know what you get for your money and what happens if it stops working or malfunctions. This will help ensure that you are getting high quality products from your supplier that will last a long time before becoming unusable or needing repair work done.

The fourth step is to make sure that you are purchasing the right products for your specific needs. You will want to check on a wide variety of different products such as refrigerators, freezers, deep fryers, microwaves, cooking equipment, and more. You will also need to make sure that they have a full line of options so you can get what you need without having to go elsewhere.

Restaurants are unlike any other type of business in that their success is often based on how quickly they can serve their customers during peak hours when they are most hungry and in need of a hearty meal. Therefore, when you are planning the layout of your restaurant kitchen, you will want to make sure that you design it with fast service in mind. This means having everything that is needed and wanted in an a position so it can easily be accessed.

You will also need to make sure that your staff is properly trained on how to use any equipment or machinery in the kitchen. Whether they are using new equipment or some of your old equipment that is being used for a specific menu item,

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Title: How Restaurant Equipment Features Save You Money, Time & Better Food

By: Melissa Ngo - About.com Guide

Date: October 21, 2014

Link:  http://smallbusiness.about.com/od/realestate/a/restaurant-equipment-features-save-money.htm

Significant improvements can be made towards a more successful restaurant operation by simply improving the equipment types in your kitchen and dining areas. Not only is this a crucial investment from a dining perspective, it can also save you money big time on your overall operating expenses for your restaurant business. When looking for new equipment for your restaurant, there are ten key things you should consider that will not only save money but make it possible to create the best possible food and dining experience in your establishment.

1. Speed

In another post, I talked about this briefly, but the best way to keep your customers happy is to keep your food coming out of the kitchen faster than those that are behind you in line. One of the most common reasons for people to complain about service is when they order their food, are served by a member of your staff, and still aren't finished before others who have been waiting in line for a while. The quickest way to increase both speed and quality in your kitchen is by using faster equipment that isn't getting interfered with as much when it's open (think low-cost high-speed blenders and other appliances).

2. Get Quality Cooking at Lower Temperatures

Use your infrared technology to reduce heat and cook quality food faster. It'll save you money, reduce the cost of keeping your kitchen cool during the hot summer months, and also keep your equipment in better shape longer. If you're using a grill, then having an infrared burner will allow you to decrease the temperature by a few hundred degrees yet still cook your meat just as well. This means that instead of 600-800F or so (which typically can lead to scorching), you'll be able to use 300-400F and get great results.

3. Keep Your Product Cooler

Keeping an area cool is not only a great way to save money on air conditioning, but it also prevents breakdowns in refrigeration units and the growth of bacteria in moist meats. This is even more important if you're trying to keep fish or other seafood products fresh. Studies have shown that as much as 25% of food spoilage occurs when the temperatures get too high, so it's also a vital process in keeping your customers healthy as well. Don't forget that keeping perishable foods at the right temperature will also improve the quality of your product too--not only will it taste better, but it will last for longer periods of time and save you money.

4. Rotating Equipment

Nothing ruins equipment faster than letting it sit unused for long periods at a time. When you have several pieces of machinery that need attention, you need to keep them working at all times. It's better (and more money saving) to have two people working on two separate machines than to have just one machine that doesn't get used very often. The same thing goes with food preparation stations--keep the ones actually being used open and the others closed up so they don't get dirty or rusty from sitting too long.

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Conclusion

You'll never really know if the equipment you buy will save you any money until after the item is installed and you've used it for some time. It's only then that you'll be able to take a step back and see just how much of your expenses were controlled by better purchasing decisions. You're also going to want to keep an eye on your energy costs, which can be affected by several things including the type of equipment that's in use. If your kitchen is not properly ventilated, then your HVAC unit (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) system will work harder and require more energy.

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