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How to Find the Right Supply Store for Your Restaurant?

Opening a restaurant isn’t a big step, making sure that you survive the first year of business is. Stats show that as much as 90% of restaurants fail in the initial year, going out of business. A significant role in the success of a restaurant is played by the supply store.

Read this blog till the end to know how you can choose the perfect supply store for your restaurant so to make sure that you make a name for yourself in the industry and make it worth your while.

How to begin?

Before you move any further with your search for the perfect restaurant supply store, you need to make a list of all things that are essential if you want your business to thrive. You can start with simpler things such as conducting internet research about ovens, ice machines, and other miscellaneous wares.

It is even better if you can contact a nearby supply store or even a salesperson. Even though the internet is a great place, most people like to have a more physical experience of things as doing so makes the decision-making process that much easier for them.

If you want to cut costs, the best and most effective way is by looking for old or pre-used equipment. This comes in handy, especially for large purchases such as refrigerators and ovens. If any restaurants in your vicinity were closed recently, you can try to contact the owner and see if they are willing to sell some of their equipment.

After you have a slight idea about the needs of the restaurant, come up with a budget and once you are done, get on the phone with the suppliers to start getting all of the necessary supplies. This process may vary for every business.

For instance, a coffee shop owner wouldn’t look for the things that a dine-out owner would, but the selection process would be pretty similar.

Non-Perishable Supplies and Equipment

It is common knowledge that large equipment such as grills, ovens, walk-in coolers are purchased only once, or to say the least, isn’t, purchased pretty often. Any smart restaurant owner buys such equipment with the hopes of never thinking about them again until they are not up to the market standards. The sad part is that it doesn’t happen often.

With time, large types of equipment break down often. Be it about the cooler not being efficient enough or parts of the oven breaking down with time and there is nothing you can do about it since it happened due to the natural wear and tear of everyday use.

This is why one needs to make sure that they find a supplier and a manufacturer that offers an excellent customer service policy along with a great warranty on the products. Nobody wants their grill to stop working in the middle of a barbecue order at midnight when there is nobody to fix it.

Coming to the more commonly purchased items that are purchased more often such as paper products or janitorial supplies, keep in mind to look for a reliable supplier, that offers a reasonable price, and offers brilliant customer service at all times.

To further help you understand the kitchen better, we have listed all of the commercial equipment that may be of use to you, be it at the front end of the house or the back end of the house.

Appliances and Cooking Utensils for the Kitchen

  • Basic cooking items such as stoves, ovens, microwaves, griddles, grills, pasta cookers, fryers, steamers, immersion cookers, and broilers
  • Bigger items such as freezers, fridges, dishwashers, heat lamps, condensation hoods, espresso fountains, soda fountains, and ice machines.

Worksurface and food storage

  • Tools for cooking include spatulas, knives, tongs, storage containers, brushes, microwavable containers, ladles, brushes, and serving spoons.
  • Countertop warmers, counters, cold food tables, storage spaces, steam tables, freezer or walk-in cooler, and prep tables.

Paper products and serving ware

  • Items such as plates, napkins, silverware, glasses, placemats, paper products, tablecloths, and other things such as paper towels and toilet paper

Let us now move on to the food aspect.

Food Products

This is the most important and non-negotiable purchase that you will be doing frequently. It is no secret that guests can cook a half-decent meal for themselves at half the price, so unless you are offering something that they seem is worth spending their hard-earned money over, you will not be getting any regular customers.

These are some of the things that one should keep in mind when it comes to finding the perfect supply store for their restaurant.

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