Managing a restaurant can be a lot to handle. It requires you to always be on the top of your game, whether you’re in the front of the house dealing with customers, or in the back of the house producing clean, quality dishes. Running a restaurant is no task for the faint-hearted. One of the most difficult factors that must be considered when managing a restaurant is purchasing and keeping equipment in working order.
This means everything from the furniture in the dining area, to the appliances in the kitchen area, down to the dishwashing machine in the back. Every physical piece of equipment associated with managing a restaurant should be responsibly maintained if you want long-term success. Keeping restaurant equipment in top shape is not the easiest thing to do, so here are a few tips to streamline your maintenance schedule.
Clean It Every Day
In order to make the equipment in your restaurant last longer, you’ll need to clean it every day. The tables, chairs, booths and even walls should be cleaned every day to remove dirt and dust from your restaurant’s interior. Making sure that the dining area of your restaurant is clean is not just good for your furniture, but it may even increase business because customers are attracted to restaurants that are taken care of.
The equipment in the restaurant’s kitchen area should also be cleaned every day to ensure the most sanitary conditions. Cleaning every day will also ensure that your ovens, coolers, stoves and other appliances maintain their functionality and avoid mold or germ growth. All restaurant equipment should be cleaned before as well as after using it for the day.
Source: Jani King | The Restaurant Cleaning Checklist
Perform Regular Maintenance
The appliances in the kitchen should not only be cleaned every day, but they should also be maintained and tested in a timely manner. By maintaining the equipment, you will eliminate the worry of any appliances causing trouble in the future, generally saving you money in the long run. When the appliances are maintained, they will perform their best, resulting in reliable machines that will assist your staff in preparing food quickly and correctly.
Provide Proper Training
The employees you hire to serve customers, as well as the employees who use the appliances in the kitchen, should be properly trained in using all of the equipment throughout the whole restaurant. This eliminates the possibility of employees breaking or misusing equipment, requiring you to replace equipment in the future. In addition, having properly trained employees will result in better service for your customers, as both the chefs and servers will know their way around the restaurant, resulting in better food and more efficient service. In addition to these benefits, proper training also reduces the risk of employees injuring themselves on the job. The safer and better trained your employees are, the less likely they are to require workers compensation.
Source: Barros, McNamara, Malkiewicz & Taylor | Workers Comp Lawyer
Read Owner’s Manuals
When you manage a restaurant, the manufacturer of each appliance offers a manual of guidelines to follow to properly take care of and operate the equipment you purchase. The manual usually gives advice about what temperatures to set the oven and the stove to, what temperatures to set the cooler and freezer to, and other advice about where to put certain appliances.
Following the owner’s manual is not only advised but usually required to be aware of the precautions that need to be taken in order for the equipment in the restaurant to last the longest. It may also prevent hazardous situations involving your employees.
Source: Expert Repairs | The Ultimate Guide to Cleaning & Maintaining Catering Equipment
Inspect Equipment
The equipment present in the restaurant should be inspected for any problems that could occur in the future. This is required by the safety codes of commercial buildings. By inspecting the equipment of a restaurant, you’ll not only be lengthening the life of your appliances, but you’ll also be getting the most out of each of the appliances when it comes to the quality of food that each appliance produces. Inspection is particularly important if you’re planning on placing any items into storage or if you use any of the kitchen appliances less frequently than others. You should clean and inspect individual appliances both before and after storing them. Ultimately, careful inspection of the equipment contributes to giving the best service to your customers.
Source: Forney Storage | Four Steps to Storing Kitchen Appliances
It may be difficult to manage a restaurant and balance all the tasks that it requires to serve food and manage employees. However, this advice will help you get the most out of the equipment in your restaurant. You are advised to clean your equipment before and after using it, provide regular maintenance for your equipment, provide proper training on the equipment, read the owner’s manual and inspect the equipment often.
Commercial Kitchens LLC strives to provide restaurants like yours with the best equipment in the industry at a reasonable price. Take a look at our inventory of new equipment or browse through our collection of used equipment. If you have any questions about the availability of equipment, please contact us!