Streamlining Costs: Tips to Buy Restaurant Kitchen Equipment Inventory

The first step in managing restaurant’s equipment inventory is creating a comprehensive list of all the items a restaurant need. A detailed equipment inventory list should cover everything, from large appliances like stoves and grills to smaller essentials like kitchen utensils and cookware. Here’s a checklist to help you buy equipment inventory in an Indian restaurant.

 Kitchen Cabinets:

A kitchen cabinet made of stainless steel material (Grade SS304) with a modern look, weighing around 35 kg, will cost approximately 25,000 INR per piece. A restaurateur can buy new kitchen cabinets or consider used kitchen cabinets that suit your restaurant’s design and space requirements.

Cooking Equipment:

On a busy day, restaurant staff may not have time to wash utensils between different orders, so restaurateurs must plan for cooking equipment accordingly. Restaurateurs should consider what they will need for an entire shift without washing a dish, ensuring they buy sufficient quantities of the following items: pots and pans (of all sizes) with lids, chef’s knives, spoons for mixing and tasting, mixing bowls, whisks, spatulas, baking pans, ladles, and tongs.

Kitchen Installation:

The cost of commercial kitchen installation in India varies based on factors such as kitchen size, equipment requirements, and infrastructure needs. On average, restaurateurs can anticipate an investment ranging from 1 lakh to 5 lakhs INR, depending on the complexity and scale of the kitchen setup.

Gas Stove / Stove:

One should determine the cost before buying new or second-hand gas stoves or stoves for your restaurant’s kitchen. The price of a commercial gas stove can range from INR 2,800 to INR 29,500.

Kitchen Exhaust Hood:

Evaluate the price of a kitchen exhaust hood to ensure proper ventilation and air quality in your kitchen. The cost of a new kitchen exhaust hood in India starts at INR 7,500.

Kitchen Exhaust System:

In addition to the exhaust hood, assess the overall cost of your kitchen exhaust system, including ductwork to remove heat, smoke, odors, and grease-laden air. The cost of a new kitchen exhaust system is INR 2, 50,000 per unit. If you have a small budget, you can consider starting with an exhaust fan. A heavy-duty exhaust fan will range from 2000 INR for a size of 230 mm to 5000 INR for a size of 450 mm.

Fire Suppression Systems:

The value of a fire suppression system in a restaurant cannot be overstated. Fire suppression system is specifically designed to address the unique fire hazards associated with cooking operations, these systems play a crucial role in preventing fires, property, protecting lives, and ensuring compliance with regulations. The cost of a new fire suppression system is around ₹1.25 lakh per unit. This system is required if fire codes apply to your location for compliance; otherwise, a few strategically placed fire extinguishers will be good enough for safety of staff and guest.

Kitchen Printer:

A kitchen printer is required for POS order management. The cost of a kitchen printer will vary based on the type and model. Prices for a new kitchen printer start at INR 6,500. A restaurant can link the kitchen printer with restaurant kitchen management software to print a kitchen order ticket (KOT) and invoice.

Kitchen Grill:

If your restaurant serves grilled dishes, the cost of a basic kitchen electric griddle plate starts from 8,500 INR and goes up to 150,000 INR, featuring elements in stainless steel for better heating. The griddle plate includes a 16mm thick heavy-duty steel top for improved energy containment, thermostat control of the hot-plate temperature (120 °C – 310 °C). Considering the cost, a new restaurant can explore second-hand grilling equipment.

Kitchen Prep Table:

A kitchen prep table, also known as a prep table, is a piece of kitchen equipment used for chopping, cutting, mixing, and assembling ingredients. The cost of a stainless steel kitchen prep table, sized 36×24 inches, will be around INR 15,000. Depending on the restaurant type and size you might need more than 1 kitchen prep table.

Kitchen Stainless Steel Shelves:

Restaurant needs a stainless steel shelves for storing kitchen supplies and utensils. The price for kitchen stainless steel shelves is approx Rs. 10,500 per piece. Storage Containers: For a restaurant to be profitable, minimizing food waste is crucial and storage containers play a vital role in achieving this goal. In a restaurant, where a variety of food types are used in the cooking process, having a range of different storage containers is essential.

a. Vegetable crispers: Vegetable crispers help in preserving and maintaining the freshness of vegetables.

b. Large ingredient bins: They are used for storing dry ingredients like flour.

c. Dough boxes: Useful if you serve bakery items for storing unbaked dough.

d. Food storage containers: Restaurants need storage containers of all shapes and sizes to preserve raw food items.

e. Masking tape or a label maker: This will be useful for labelling items or identifying their best-before date.

Refrigerator:

To keep food fresh and avoid any risk of food safety and health code violations, restaurant need to invest in quality freezers and refrigerators providing efficient and organized storage for perishable ingredients, ensuring freshness and compliance with food safety standards in India.

Depending on size and type, restaurant might need more than one type of refrigerator-

1. Bar refrigerator: Bar refrigerators is needed if you have a bar at your restaurant for cooling and storing beverages, including soft drinks, juices, and alcoholic beverages. Price of bar refrigerator start from 50000 INR.

2. Dessert and Pastry Storage: Bakeries serving desserts or pastries need glass refrigerators for storing cakes, creams, and other delicate items, preserving their quality until they are ready to be served.

3. Fridge: Fridge extends the shelf life of a wide range of ingredients and prepared dishes, allowing restaurants to manage inventory effectively and reduce the frequency of restocking.

4. Deep freezer: Deep freezer is used for ingredient storage provide designated spaces for storing various ingredients, including meats, dairy products, vegetables, and condiments, enabling organized and efficient kitchen operations. Prize of deep freezer starts from 17000 INR.

As refrigerator is in use 24X7 so running cost of a refrigerator is high. One must consider 5 Star BEE rating for saving electricity in the long run. If in case you can’t afford multiple type of refrigerator, restaurant can go with deep freezer.

Kitchen Display System:

Communicating orders between the front and back of the house can be unorganized and prone to mistakes, which leads to wrong orders and customer dissatisfaction. A Kitchen Display System (KDS) solves this by allowing your kitchen staff to view real-time orders, ensuring clarity and timely preparation. With features like order tracking and color-coding, a KDS streamlines operations, making your business more accurate, efficient and eco-friendly by eliminating the need for paper tickets and printers. Cost of KDS will be around 12500 INR. Here is the checklist that you must consider while considering a kitchen display system.

-Installation Type: Wall Mounted Display

-Size: 16 inches

-Body Material: ABS Plastic -Refresh Rate: 50 Hz 

-Operational Temperature: 40 Degree Celsius

-Working Temperature: 60 Degree Celsius

-Working Voltage: 220V

-Power Consumption: 5W

Point of Sale System:

A Point of Sale system (POS) is like the control center for a restaurant. It helps manage orders, transactions, collects customer information, and generates reports. In addition to this, a POS system provides features like receipt printing, KOT printing, connecting printers and cash drawers, and integrating payment terminals in a restaurant.

Foodship is a leading service provider offering POS services at 5000 INR per annum.

2. Final Thoughts

If you are planning to start a small family restaurant or a fast-food restaurant, well-maintained and reliable equipment act as the backbone of the success story. With the right equipment, your restaurant dreams can turn into successful venture. So, take the leap, start planning, and create a checklist to build a commercial kitchen. Choosing stainless steel over the wood for the kitchen ensures long durability compared to wood Stainless steel equipment is free from termites & insects and withstand wear and tear in comparison with wood. The best part of a stainless steel kitchen is its easy maintenance and cleaning, with the added convenience of castor wheels allowing kitchen staff to easily move equipment for tasks like cleaning at the sink.

2.1 Consider the following factors before buying your kitchen tools and equipment:

• Determine the volume and type of food you intend to serve in your restaurant.
• Determine the space available in your kitchen, as well as check your budget.
• Determine what kind of reliability and Durability of the equipment you need in your restaurant.
• Make sure that the equipment and setup complies with health and safety regulations of FSSAI.

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