Your foodservice equipment represents a big investment. It can be tempting to save money on that equipment by waiting as long as possible to replace it, and then buying the cheapest gear you can get away with when you do replace it.
In the short term, that might even work. However, labor shortages and increased regulation around the country might make you rethink your assumptions.
Modern foodservice equipment is designed to make sure the food is safer, fresher, and even tastier. Not only that, it is designed so that the back kitchen staff can do more with fewer employees. ($$$)
Labor shortages in the industry make headlines constantly. Anything you can do to make work more pleasant and more efficient for the employees you do have will help you retain them. The right foodservice equipment can make a real difference. ($$$)
Controlling Temperature Like A Boss
Reliable refrigeration is vital, of course, for temperature control and to prevent food-borne illnesses. It can also cause you to save or lose a great deal of money. We took a look at modern reach-in refrigerators in this post: What to Look For In a New Reach-In Refrigerator.
Refrigerators today are much more efficient than even a few years ago. They not only keep the temperature consistent throughout, but they are quieter and run cooler – features that will make the kitchen more pleasant and your employees more comfortable. (Remember, it’s all about employee retention!)
Blast chillers and rethermalizers offer ways of turbocharging your ability to chill or thaw food rapidly on demand. Rethermalizers bring food to temperature for prep or to serve from their frozen state. They do this more safely and evenly than leaving it out on a counter or putting it under running water. Blast chillers bring cooked or baked goods down to a safe temperature for holding or storage. They can be used to make baked goods set faster and they can preserve food more safely by decreasing the amount of time bacteria can form on it.
Combi Ovens
Combi Ovens combine the benefits of dry convection heat and moist steam heat. The two forms of heat can be used individually or in combination. Combi ovens were invented about 50 years ago, but modern versions offer greater versatility and efficiency which allow better, more consistent results with fewer employees.
Over 70% of limited-service restaurant operators and more than 80% of full-service operators report difficulty filling back-of-house positions, according to the National Restaurant Association’s “State of the Restaurant Industry 2023.” Fortunately, today’s combi ovens use intelligent technology to streamline operations. You no longer need a chef’s expertise—or barely any training for that matter—to operate them successfully. – Click for a deeper dive into combi ovens.
Rack Conveyor Dish-machines
Anyone who’s ever worked as a dishwasher in a restaurant knows how awful it is to be anywhere near a traditional dishwasher. Heat, steam, noise and excess water make conditions unfriendly for everyone.
Ventless rack conveyor machines have become increasingly popular. They are easy to locate in the kitchens and cheaper to install since vent work doesn’t need to be routed outside the building. Ventless machines are more efficient in part by using the steam that would normally escape through the vent (and into the kitchen) to heat the water used for wash and rinse cycles. This can save thousands of dollars each year. – Click for a deeper dive into Rack Conveyor Dishmachines.
Worth the Investment
We’ve touched on a few ideas that can help your business. Modern foodservice machines aren’t only more efficient and cost-effective, but they also make your facility a better place to work. ($$$)
We live in a time where nearly three-quarters of restaurant operators report problems filling back-of-house positions. The investment in modern equipment means you don’t have to have as many employees, and the ones you have will be happy to work for you for longer.
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