7 Tips for Buying Food Service Equipment
Shopping for new food service equipment can be stressful. Follow these tips to make shopping easier and to get the commercial kitchen equipment you need.
When you buy a food truck, you will need to choose what kind of kitchen equipment you’ll place in it. It’s important to take advantage of the small space to make sure you have everything your business needs. Let’s take a look at a comprehensive list of food truck equipment that will help you get your truck ready for food service.
When buying equipment for your food truck, you will likely need to devote a large amount of your budget to cooking equipment. In order to optimize your food truck’s kitchen, you can choose a mixture of countertop-sized equipment and full-sized models. Below is a look at some of the most essential pieces of equipment for your food truck. However, it is important to review the menu items to determine if some of the more versatile equipment available today will accommodate multiple food items which would result in having to purchase fewer pieces of equipment. This can greatly reduce space requirements. Examples are combi ovens and rapid cooking ovens. On a separate note, many requirements throughout the truck will be dictated by local governing agencies.
Food prep equipment Food preparation may be done in the truck, ahead of time in an off-site kitchen, partially prepared by a food supplier, or a combination of these options. Each of these options affects costs, space, and prep time.
This equipment must cover everything you will need to get food ready. What you need will vary depending on your menu. Here are some of the pieces of food prep equipment that you will want to consider buying for your food truck.
Warming and holding equipment is crucial for keeping your food at safe temperatures – whether hot or cold. These pieces of equipment can not only help you avoid foodborne illness and health inspection violations – they can also hold your menu items at appetizing temperatures so you can keep your customers happy. A few pieces of this equipment that can be used for this include countertop food warmers.
Since your food truck will likely be serving on-the-go customers, you will need to stock up on a number of serving supplies. Be sure you have enough room to store many of these items in your truck. Running out of them could mean you have to close your window for the day. This equipment could include serving utensils, squeeze bottles, pump condiment dispensers, and more.
Having refrigeration equipment on your food truck is necessary for keeping your ingredients fresh. You will want to have one refrigerator for main food items, and another fridge for beverages, sauces, and toppings. Fortunately, there are many different kinds of refrigeration equipment, so you can tailor your supplies to your food truck’s offerings. Here are some of the refrigeration equipment you may want to get.
It may not be your first thought, however, janitorial equipment is an absolute necessity to keep your food truck clean and sanitary. Janitorial supplies are used at the end of every day and also at some points during service. You will need to make sure you stock up on items you need to keep your cooking areas clean.
It’s crucial to prioritize your space for cooking equipment. You will also need to keep in mind that you will need plenty of room for disposables and dry storage as well. Whether you are looking to revamp your current food truck business, or start one from scratch, the first step is to get familiar with the kind of efficient equipment you will need for your particular food and beverage offerings.
Filed under: Restaurants