Finding Foodservice Equipment That’s Right for You
June 20, 2019Finding foodservice equipment that’s right for you doesn’t have to be a hassle when you choose Tipton.
Choosing the best foodservice equipment is an essential consideration in the restaurant business, involving items ranging from ovens and steamers to milkshake machines. There are many things you should consider when choosing foodservice equipment, such as the needs of your restaurant, the functionality of the material, customer service and technical support provided by the company, and reviews from other users of foodservice equipment.
Service
What level of service do you need from your foodservice equipment suppliers? Some large chains have in-house facilities teams capable of installing and servicing equipment. They require a low level of service from providers and expect little more than on-time delivery. Other operators need a high level of service, from vetting the equipment selection to installing and starting it up onsite.
Consider
As with all other business purchases, the price of the foodservice equipment is an important consideration. It is vital to consider the cost and quality of the foodservice equipment that you are considering compared with similar machines from other companies. Determining whether your purchase should give you an acceptable return on investment also is essential to figure out. If your restaurant is likely not to sell many deep-fried products, then an overly expensive deep fryer would not be advisable.
Flexible Deals
Large chains often develop an infrastructure to outfit new stores or replace old equipment. And many of them buy directly from manufacturers since the foodservice equipment they specify is proprietary, or it’s the same equipment package in every unit. But they, too, adapt their internal systems to accommodate each project and often rely on local dealers to get the job done. For large chains, dealers will create specialized installation teams just for that chain.
Value
As with anything, the lowest-cost channel of distribution is not always the best value.
Do you always need that level of service? In the case of a swapped-out replacement piece of foodservice equipment, probably not, though even there you need to take into consideration factors such as what it’s going to cost to remove the old piece of equipment, and who’s going to haul it away.
Knowledgeable design consultants, dealers and their sales reps, and equipment contractors add value even in cases of equipment replacement as opposed to new store build-out or complete renovations.
Preventing Dine and Dash in Your Little Rock Restaurant
There’s nothing more frustrating to a server – and a manager – than realizing that a table has left without paying for their meal. It costs everyone money, and it can be insulting as well. Sometimes dine and dashers are young people who think it’s a funny prank. Other...
Renovations: Keeping Your Restaurant Supplies & Costs in Check
Every restaurant owner has to face the reality of renovations at some point. Usually, this is good news – your restaurant is growing, or is successful enough that you can expand. Sometimes it’s just a matter of keeping up with the times, replacing old and damaged...
Build Up Your Employees with Fun Perks
Your employees do a lot for you. You depend on them to follow protocols, serve customers with kindness, and keep your commercial kitchen in top shape. Of course, you provide them with a great working environment. But why not thank them in additional ways – with fun...
Commercial Kitchen Fun: Almost a Dozen Ways to Cook Eggs
Cooking an egg might be one of the most basic kitchen skills around, but that doesn’t mean there’s only one way to do it. If you serve breakfast, you’re probably familiar with quite a few of them. But almost a dozen? That’s worthy of its own egg-only menu! Don’t...
Restaurant Equipment Spotlight: Using Tech to Promote Your Restaurant
You’ve got a great location. Your restaurant equipment is in great shape, and you have excellent employees ready to serve. Your menu is on point, and you’re ready to bring a top-level dining experience to your community. So… where are the customers? Having an...
Holiday Marketing for Your Restaurant
It’s never too early to think about how you plan to market your restaurant for the holidays. Your strategy will vary a lot depending on what type of establishment you have. The restaurant supplies you’ll need will also depend on the type of marketing campaign you...
Things to Instagram About Your Restaurant
A picture is still worth 1,000 words, especially when it comes to marketing. While customers taking endless pictures of their food to post online may frustrate your staff, the truth is it gets the word out about your restaurant. However, you don’t have to rely on your...
Choosing the Right Refrigerator for Your Commercial Kitchen
People who buy refrigerators for their homes often spend weeks researching different models and finding exactly what they need. It’s a major investment for many homes, and it pays to get it right! In your commercial kitchen, you may feel that you don’t have that kind...
Tips for Managing Restaurant Inventory
Does the thought of keeping track of every ingredient and piece of kitchen equipment in your restaurant make you want to hide your head under a pillow? You’re not alone. Keeping track of everything is time-consuming and often overwhelming. And you know how much your...
Restaurant Supplies: Getting Started With a Food Truck
While restaurants grow slowly, the food truck industry has been rocketing with 7.3% growth between 2012 – 2017. Food trucks are great for entrepreneurs because they have a relatively low startup cost and annual overhead compared to other businesses. Customers who...
Commercial Kitchen Fun: Restaurant Bloopers
Making mistakes is part of being human. However, sometimes these mistakes are pretty funny and deserve to be shared with others. There are many things that may not have been funny at the time, but in retrospect give you a smile and reason to be more gentle with...
Kitchen Equipment Spotlight: What You Need for Concession Stands
Tis the season for high school football and other fall festivals. Are you in charge of stocking concessions for your local team’s games? Or are you considering opening a concession stand at a local sporting venue, outdoor event, or pool? If you want to provide...
Kitchen Supplies: Should You Go Local With Ingredients?
If you own a restaurant in Little Rock, you’ve certainly heard of the trend toward going local. Local kitchen supplies, local ingredients, even local art as décor. There are a lot of great reasons to buy local – your money will stay in and support your community, for...
Commercial Kitchen Fun: Why Salty & Sweet?
All cooks who consider making desserts know that salty and sweet is a winning combination. Salted caramel shows up in hundreds of recipes. Candy bars combine salted nuts with chocolate. We dip French fries in ice cream. We put pineapple on pizza. People even put salt...
Restaurant Equipment Spotlight: Ensuring Safety in Your Restaurant
A lot happens in your restaurant every day. You have people coming and going all the time. Your employees are constantly moving around, and customers are entering and leaving throughout the day. Unfortunately, with all that activity, there’s also a lot that can go...