Restaurant Supplies You Need to Prepare for a Power Outage

It happens to all of us. You’re going on, doing just fine, and suddenly…

Dark.

Or do you? Discover what you need to know to get your restaurant ready for a power outage.

Take Care of Your Customers

The first thing to do is ensure that your customers are safe and comfortable. Go ahead and send out what food you can, and explain what’s going on.

You never know, the outage may only last a few minutes.

Among your restaurant supplies should be provision for lighting. You can activate emergency lighting, or make it fun by bringing a battery-powered lantern to each table. Encourage your customers to enjoy the romantic lighting, and stay relaxed.

If you take reservations, do what you can to contact upcoming seatings and let them know that the power is currently out. You can offer to call them back if it returns. If it doesn’t, they will appreciate the courtesy of avoiding a needless trip!

Report the Outage Right Away

While your front-of-house staff is taking care of your customers out front, it’s important for other employees to take action in the back.

The manager should call the power company to report the outage. It’s helpful to have a good relationship with the utility so that you get the attention you deserve. A manager may even be able to go outside and find the utility truck and encourage them to service your block first.

In addition, make sure the back of the house is safe. Turn off all appliances, get emergency lighting, and have staff finish what dishes they can. Be sure that the refrigerators and freezers aren’t opened too often during the outage if possible.

Process Payments Manually

Part of being prepared is being able to handle payments even during an outage. Part of your power outage restaurant supplies should be manual credit card readers and credit card slips.

Having all of the supplies you need in one place helps a lot. Some establishments have an emergency kit with contact information, payment supplies, and operation plans in case there is an outage.

Take Advantage of What You Have

It’s tempting to shut down when there’s an outage or another emergency, but you can often continue to help customers.

If your restaurant supplies you with gas as well as electric, continue to use gas burners during an electrical outage. Or, encourage customers to order items that don’t require cooking. Don’t be in a rush to offer discounts or free meals. Many times, customers are very understanding and just roll with it!

Consider getting a backup generator that can keep your restaurant moving – at least in part – during a power outage. Even being able to run a few key appliances while keeping emergency lighting in the dining room and kitchen would keep you in business.

Don’t Let a Lack of Restaurant Supplies Hold You Back

Are you realizing that you’re missing some key restaurant supplies that could help you in an outage? If so, we’re here to help.

We’ve served Little Rock restaurants for years, and we’re ready to help you as well. Contact us for more information today!