If you have just decided to open a restaurant, congratulations! Before you begin serving customers and adding value to your community, you’ll need to purchase a variety of equipment in order for your business to operate smoothly. Here are three of the most important things you’ll need.
1. Walk-In Refrigerator
A walk-in refrigerator is similar to the refrigerators that most people have in their homes, but is much larger, making it appropriate for the needs of a restaurant. They derive their name from the fact that they are tall and wide enough for multiple people to walk into and stand inside in order to unload a delivery of food or select ingredients for a dish. When you set out to purchase your walk-in refrigerator, be sure to compare prices and features of several models before making a decision.
2. Industrial Blender
Blenders aren’t just for making smoothies or margaritas. While a more sizable and heavy-duty version of an average restaurant blender is certainly useful for creating cocktails, mocktails, and crushing ice, restaurant chefs use industrial blenders to create soups, salad dressings, and more. Unlike blenders designed for household use, industrial blenders can withstand heavy use over a long period of time without needing to be repaired or replaced.
3. POS (Point of Sale) System
While the majority of your start-up expenses may go towards appliances and equipment in the kitchen of your restaurant, you will also need to consider the front of the house. In order to charge customers for their meals and ensure that you can keep track of income easily and efficiently, consider implementing a point of sale, or POS, system. Unlike a basic cash register, a POS system consists of both software and hardware that work together to improve your business operations.
There are many other pieces of equipment that you will need to purchase in addition to these. Consider doing research online and comparing notes with colleagues as you purchase and install everything you will need to get your restaurant up and running.