What you need to know before investing in restaurant equipment

Choosing the right restaurant equipment is a critical part of starting a restaurant. The equipment is going to take up a large portion of your start up budget, and the performance of the equipment is going to play a major role in your restaurant's success or failure. This is because the quality and consistency of your restaurant's product - the food you serve to your customers - will make or break your business. Having the right restaurant equipment is essential to delivering quality.

Because there is so much at stake, it makes sense to do some homework before you walk into the supply store with your checkbook out. Here are a few things to consider before you get too attached to any one piece of equipment. If you give some serious thought to each of these issues, you will make a good decision that will serve you and your customers for years to come.

1. Consider your menu

You should have your menu pretty set before you go shopping for restaurant equipment. To make the smartest possible equipment purchases, you will need to run every item on your restaurant's menu through a work flow to learn which pieces of equipment you will need to create each item.

This exercise will help you make smart buying decisions. As you work through each item on the menu, you will begin to see that some pieces of equipment are going to be used constantly, while others may only be used for one item. If that item is your specialty, it may be worth buying a piece of expensive equipment so you can make it well. But if the item is just a nice extra, and it will require a $1,000 piece of equipment to produce, you may want to cross it off your menu.

2. Consider up-front and back-end costs

You know the adage: "You get what you pay for." There are exceptions to that saying, but generally it is a good guideline. In terms of restaurant equipment, it means that something with an inexpensive price tag might end up costing you later.

For example, getting a deal on a cappuccino maker may end up costing you if the service warranty is no good. Conversely, buying a full-price oven from a respected brand may end up saving you thousands of dollars over the years.

Your job is to read the fine print on all contracts, and to ask all the questions you can think of. If you have to call back three times to get the answers you need, so be it. This is especially true with used restaurant equipment.

3. Consider quality

Quality matters, but it must be balanced with your business's financial realities. Lack of funding is the major cause of business failures. No matter how healthy your start up budget seems now, don't overspend. You may need those funds in a few months, when your business is struggling.

Consider the financial realities as you eye any piece of expensive equipment. If it is truly necessary to your business, then get it. If another, less expensive brand or model will be good enough, it might be smart to save some money for later.

4. Have fun

These are major purchases for your new restaurant. A lot is riding on them. But if you have done your homework and aren't afraid to ask all the tough questions, there is no need to get too anxious. Have some fun with your shopping and good luck in your future endeavors.