Whether you cater to the fast-paced professional or the family-style pub, all great restaurants have one thing in common: a kitchen that can keep up.
You already spent plenty of money on getting your business off the ground, including choosing the perfect location to applying the best flooring. From stove-tops to refrigerators, the energy usage needed in the most important room of your facility can be overwhelming. This is especially prevalent when the hydro bills come in. The rising costs in energy consumption have made it even more important that restaurant-owners select the most efficient equipment for their commercial kitchens. However, doing so without an understanding of what you should be looking for could cost you thousands in unnecessary expenses.
It doesn’t matter if you are a new restaurant owner or a veteran looking to renovate your kitchen. We could all benefit from some helpful tips. With that said, here are few of the easiest ways to help you save money on restaurant equipment:
GO GREEN WITH YOUR RESTAURANT EQUIPMENT:
Although eco-friendly options are a great way to combat escalating hydro expenses, this important tip offers much more than just energy conservation. More restaurant owners are choosing “greener” options for their kitchens. However, they are even more delighted to find an average 30% decrease in energy and water expenses by simply switching equipment.
According to the National Restaurant Association, 58% of the general public prefer to eat at food businesses that take an environmentally conscious approach. There are more restaurant owners incorporating eco-friendly methods into their business strategies. Consequently, they are also communicating their values and contribution to the public which may serve positively in terms of marketing.
THE STARS:
The certified ENERGY STAR symbol is the internationally recognized marker for energy efficient products. Looking for This symbol will help you identify which commercial kitchen equipment will satisfy the needs of efficiency, less expensive energy bills, and quality assurance.
In fact, ENERGY STAR-rated commercial freezers/refrigeration systems have been proven to save more than 45% of the typical energy usage. These products follow a very strict set of rules for qualification. Therefore, you can trust that you have made a great investment for your restaurant.
DO HOME OR TALK TO YOUR CONTRACTOR OF CHOICE:
In addition to saving money on monthly operational expenses, going with energy-efficient equipment may also offer additional financial incentives. We’ve saved restaurant owners thousands and thousands of dollars so talk to your contractor of choice or do research! For example, the Government of Canada’s Natural Resources Department offer plenty of resources and information about promoting energy efficiency. Also, some equipment brands have their own incentives programs. So there are many way ways to get money back!
NEW vs USED RESTAURANT EQUIPMENT:
The debate between new vs used kitchen equipment should be fairly straight forward: new is always the safest investment. Don’t be a cheap A** or else it will cost you more in the long run.
There are two problems with buying used kitchen equipment. First, you will never fully know how much it had been used. Second, you don’t know how often it had been maintained.
You will also likely lose any warranty accessibility that generally comes with new cookware. Whether it be a year, three years, five years or a lifetime warranty – these privileges often fail to transfer to a new owner.
Although a 50% off price tag may seem tempting, you might find yourself scrambling for repair costs sooner than you had anticipated.
When it comes to purchasing restaurant equipment, the key is to do your research. Spend time comparing units, understand the impact of your option, look for eco-friendly options, talk to the contractor you selected for your project and enjoy the benefits of “smart” shopping.
If you want to learn about how you can save money while operating a restaurant, check out our article How to save money running a restaurant.
ARE YOU LOOKING TO BUILD, RENOVATE OR RELOCATE A RESTAURANT ? NEED ADVICE ON YOUR KITCHEN EQUIPMENT?