A restaurant needs enough equipment to cover one full peak service without waiting on the dishwasher, plus a small buffer for breakages. In practice that means counting covers at your busiest sitting, listing every dish on the menu, and buying for that, not for an imagined maximum.
New owners tend to overspend on kit that sits idle or under buy and borrow pans on their first busy Friday. A little arithmetic before ordering avoids both.
How do you work out what your menu needs?
Start with the menu, not the catalogue. Write down every dish, then list the pieces of equipment each one touches pans, trays, knives, containers, plates. Next, estimate covers at your busiest sitting. A kitchen turning forty seats twice in an evening needs more than one serving the same forty once.
Then split the kitchen into stations, such as grill, sauté, cold section and pass. Equip each station as though it had to run alone for the whole service.
What are the essentials for any restaurant kitchen?
Whatever you serve, the same five groups turn up:
- Cookware: sauté pans, saucepans, stockpots and baking trays sized to your batches
- Preparation: chopping boards, knives, scales and probe thermometers
- Storage: gastronorm pans and lidded containers for hot and cold holding
- Service: plates, bowls, cutlery and glassware
- Cleaning: cloths, detergents, mops and waste bins
Our kitchenware range covers much of the first three groups, from baking trays to digital scales and folding probe thermometers.
How many plates, glasses and sets of cutleries should you buy?
A sensible starting point is two to three times your seat count for each item, so a service is never held up waiting on the dishwasher. For a restaurant with fifty seats, that is roughly 100 to 150 of each plate, glass and cutlery piece you serve. Treat this as a rule of thumb rather than a fixed standard and adjust for how quickly your dishwasher cycles and how often tables turn.
Cutlery tends to go missing faster than anything else, so order a little extra in a single pattern. You can compare options in our commercial cutlery collection, where knives, forks and spoons are sold by the dozen.
Should you buy everything before opening?
No. Buy the core items first and leave decorative serving pieces and specialist gadgets until you have cooked the full menu for a couple of weeks. You will quickly see what gets reached for every shift and what stays on the shelf.
Domestic equipment is rarely built for repeated washing and all day heat. Before placing a large order, run through our commercial catering equipment buying checklist, which covers specifications, hygiene, running costs and delivery.
Do cleaning supplies and consumables count as equipment?
They belong on the same list. Cloths, detergent, napkins and bin liners are the first things to run out, and a missing supply can stop a service as surely as a broken pan. Count how many you use in a week, then keep enough in stock to cover your reorder time.
Ready to equip your kitchen?
Work out your covers, list your stations, and buy for one full service plus a small buffer. When you are ready to order, Shop at Taylors Consumables LTD for cookware, tableware, cutlery and cleaning supplies from a catalogue of more than 8,000 products, with free UK delivery on orders over £50.
Frequently Asked Questions About Restaurant Catering Equipment
How much equipment does a small restaurant need?
Enough to run one full peak service without sharing items between stations, plus a small buffer for breakages. Start from your menu and your busiest sitting, then add tableware at two to three times your seat count.
How many plates does a restaurant need per seat?
Two to three plates for each seat is a common starting point. Increase it if your dishwasher is slow or your tables turn quickly.
What equipment do you need first when opening a restaurant?
Cooking pans, preparation tools, storage containers, serving tableware and cleaning supplies. Everything else can be added once you know how the kitchen really runs.
Can I use domestic equipment in a commercial kitchen?
It is not advisable for daily service. Domestic items are rarely designed for constant washing, stacking and heat, so check materials and temperature limits before buying.
How do I avoid overspending on catering equipment?
Buy the core items first, check pack sizes against what you will actually use, and compare running costs as well as prices. A cheaper item that needs replacing often can cost more over time.
How fast can catering supplies be delivered?
Taylors Consumables aims to deliver stocked items ordered before 2pm within 24 to 48 hours on working days, though busy periods can take longer.