Buying restaurant equipment can be a daunting, even frightening task.  Restaurant equipment is not what you would call inexpensive, so you want to make sure you get the right equipment for your restaurant the first time.  To assist you in this endeavor, we created buyer’s guides on our site which enable you to make the best decision.  However, we thought that we would go a step further and provide you with some tips on buying restaurant equipment.

Buying Restaurant Equipment: Tip One

Make sure you do your research.  When buying restaurant equipment, it is best to go into the shopping mode with a full knowledge of what type of equipment you need, what the average cost is, as well as what features are the most important to you.

Buying Restaurant Equipment: Tip Two

One of the most frustrating things that can happen when buying restaurant equipment is getting your new brand new refrigerator or prep table and realizing that you don’t have adequate space for it.  Please measure your space and know the required dimensions of the equipment you are buying.

Buying Restaurant Equipment: Tip Three

Confirm if your equipment needs to be gas-powered or electric.  Your new pizza oven wouldn’t do you much good if it was electric and your restaurant was running on gas.

Buying Restaurant Equipment: Tip Four

Speaking of electricity – you will want to make sure that your new equipment won’t blow a fuse once you plug it in.  Check your available amps and then make sure that your new icemaker doesn’t require more than you have.

Buying Restaurant Equipment: Tip Five

When buying restaurant equipment, whether for a new restaurant or as a replacement, try and not get so excited that you buy more equipment that you actually need or can use.  Do you really need three microwave ovens?

Buying Restaurant Equipment: Tip Six

If you are concerned about your environment, you will want to buy restaurant equipment that is Energy Star rated; which means the steamer or dishwasher you are buying meets the high standards of energy efficiency established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy.

Buying Restaurant Equipment: Tip Seven

Just as we mentioned in step one, doing your research is important and knowing the manufacturer of your restaurant equipment is just as important.  Make sure that you are buying restaurant equipment that is manufactured by a respectable company with an impeccable history of quality.

Buying Restaurant Equipment: Tip Eight

Know your financial limits when buying restaurant equipment.  Make sure that the brand-new walk-in with all the fun and exciting bells and whistles meets your needs and doesn’t go over your budget.

Buying Restaurant Equipment: Tip Nine

Before you go out and buy all the restaurant equipment you could ever want and need, it is best to contact your local health, fire and building code department to ensure your equipment will be code compliant.

Buying Restaurant Equipment: Tip Ten

Finally, you will want to buy your restaurant equipment from a dependable and high quality dealer that stands behind everything they sell.  This is where ShortOrder.com comes in.  At ShortOrder.com you know that you are getting the highest quality restaurant equipment from top manufacturers, such as Vulcan, Hobart, Manitowac, and Beverage-Air.

We hope that these restaurant equipment buying tips were helpful.  However, if you find that you still have some questions; please feel free to give one of our customer service agents a call.  They are more than happy to help.

When it comes to choosing a commercial range for your kitchen, the choices seem endless. Why is one range more expensive? Where do you start? Commercial ranges come in many shapes and sizes and are manufactured by different companies like Vulcan and Wolf. You can get a
standard oven, convection oven or space saver oven, and with as many or as few burners as you need, with or without a griddle. There is a variation to fit the needs of any commercial kitchen.

Heavy Duty vs. Restaurant Duty Commercial Ranges

Hotels, hospitals, schools, institutions and some high volume restaurants use heavy duty commercial ranges. They have higher energy output and shorter cooking time. Most restaurants and chains can get by with a high quality, restaurant duty commercial range. They can usually accommodate a salamander broiler or cheesemelter.

Heavy Duty Commercial Ranges

Heavy Duty commercial ranges are durable ranges with larger gas valves to allow for easier combining of other components. They can be batteried together to create large units for high volume kitchens and
are built to withstand intense use. They do cost more both up front and in service fees. The higher energy output also means higher energy costs.

Restaurant Duty Commercial Ranges

Restaurant duty commercial ranges are suitable as free standing models with BTU and power levels close to the heavy duty standards, but for an economical price. They cost less and have lower service fees, but they are more costly to install and are not built to withstand intense use as well as the heavy duty commercial ranges.

Commercial Range Configurations

Just about any mix of open burners and griddle tops are available for commercial ranges. Convection ovens can also be added to the standard oven base.

Open Gas Burners for Commercial Ranges

The top choice for most professional kitchens, open gas burner commercial ranges provide instantaneous heat that is easily controlled. Look for easily removable top grates, a wide range of flame heights, ring or star burners, individual pilot lights for each burner and consider the BTU rating.

Griddles for Commercial Ranges

Instead of a burner, you can choose a griddle for the top of all or part of your commercial range. It is a flat metal plate made of steel, cast iron or aluminum and food is cooked directly on top allowing multiple food items to cook simultaneously. Look for a large grease trough for easy clean up, manual valve controls for user regulated temperature control, thermostatic controls for accurate temperature control and a non stick or well seasoned surface.

Other Considerations When Choosing a Commercial Range

Sold as options on most commercial ranges, casters are highly recommended for easy clean up and service. Also, if you will be using your range at an elevation above 2000 feet, be sure to note that while ordering. Gas valves must be adjusted to account for higher elevations.

As with any gas appliance, be sure and include a new AGA commercial gas flex hose. They are designed extremely heavy duty, usually with a brass quick connect. Standard, plumber supplied home-type flex hoses are not designed for commercial applications and are not NSF approved.

ShortOrder is proud to announce our Low Price Guarantee on restaurant equipment. This gives you, the customer, the assurance that you’re getting the lowest price on restaurant equipment you buy at ShortOrder.com. We’ll beat any legitimate advertised price from a competing food service equipment dealer for any item in our inventory. And if you’ve found an item priced lower than ShortOrder.com, we will refund 110% of the difference on an identical item from another dealer.

The Low Price Guarantee on restaurant equipment shows ShortOrder’s dedication to being the best place for restaurant owners to go when they need to purchase restaurant equipment from manufacturers like Manitowoc and Vulcan. Profits are suffering due to the high costs of food, so being able to save money on restaurant equipment is a huge benefit. Customers can feel good knowing they’re getting what they need at the lowest price. And if they find the same product they bought at another retailer who is selling is for a lower price, our Low Price Guarantee will refund 110% of the difference.

Whether you buy a Vulcan range, Manitowoc ice machine, Hobart slicer or another piece of restaurant equipment from ShortOrder, you can rest assured you’re getting the lowest price.

Restaurant equipment dealers are starting to get a little busier this month, and that could be attributed to the restaurant industry seeing an overall improvement to business compared to the past few months.

Restaurant Equipment Dealers Enjoy Business Increase

According to an article that appeared last week on Forbes.com and on the Associated Press wire, privately-held restaurant chains, single locations and locations that have been open at least one year were down in August in 42 percent of the respondent restaurants.  However, these same restaurants are starting to see an increase in their sales this month, possibly due to the easing up of gas prices. This means that restaurant equipment dealers are seeing a business increase as well.

Restaurant Equipment Dealers See the Light

The article also stated that publicly-held restaurant companies are starting to see nice improvements in their stocks, with some stocks increasing by almost two dollars a share.  This light at the end of the business slump tunnel is great for everyone in the restaurant industry, including restaurant equipment dealers, as each section of the industry depends on the sales in the restaurants.  Though this means people in the restaurant industry are busy, it’s safe to say they’re probably not complaining.

Restaurant Equipment Dealers Have What You Need

With an increase in business in September and with the busy holiday season fast approaching, this might be a great time to check out all of your restaurant equipment and make sure that it is all up to snuff.  ShortOrder has the widest selection of commercial kitchen equipment at great prices.  We carry commercial ranges, ice machines, refrigerators and so much more from companies like Manitowoc, Vulcan, Hobart, Beverage-Air and Frymaster.

If you are finding that some of your equipment is in need of replacing, make sure to contact one of ShortOrder’s restaurant equipment specialists.

Lavender-infused cocktails, Croatian truffles, flatbread, bite-size desserts — and now it seems the latest in trendy food is… ice. Believe it or not, ice is considered a food by many frozen-water connoisseurs. According to a recent article in the New York Times, some people are so into ice as a food that they purchase commercial ice machines for their homes.

Ice: The Latest in Trendy Food

Call them obsessed, call them “ice snobs” — either way, one thing is for sure: ice is the latest trendy food. And one thing pointed out in the New York Times article is that ice can actually improve the quality of a drink. Besides that, ice can complement the kind of drink it’s cooling, whether it’s cube ice in a mixed drink or fragmented ice for soda.

Commercial Ice Machines in the Home

So why buy a commercial ice machine for your own home? Well, there are a few reasons. One is that some believe ice made in home refrigerators winds up tasting like the smells inside the freezer. Another reason is that some complain home refrigerator-made ice does not cool drinks well and melts too fast. Worse, still, is large, crescent-shaped ice some refrigerators produce — it takes up too much room and typically hits you in the face as you sip. Having ice with a great texture and shape is something ice connoisseurs just have to have.

Buying a Commercial Ice Machine

If you’re serious about ice as a food, consider buying a commercial ice machine. ShortOrder carries Manitowoc ice machines, which are well-known for their quality and reliability. Manitowoc ice machines at ShortOrder can produce nugget ice, flake ice, half size cubes and more. Even if you don’t own a restaurant or bar, it doesn’t mean you can’t have your very own commercial ice machine.

Beverage-Air Refrigerator Resource Launched

Beverage-Air refrigerator buyers will now be able to learn more about their refrigerators - and get some great information - just by stopping by ShortOrder.com. Beverage-Air products now have their own informative blog on the restaurant equipment website that will inform restaurant equipment buyers how to enjoy their Beverage-Air refrigerator and get the most out of it for years and years to come. The Beverage-Air refrigerator blog is at beverageair.shortorder.com.

Beverage-Air and ShortOrder Keep Cool Together

Beverage-Air and ShortOrder.com have had a long and wonderful relationship and the blog is a sign of ShortOrder’s commitment to this top restaurant refrigerator manufacturer. ShortOrder.com has been carrying the refrigerator manufacturer’s products for years and considers Beverage-Air to be one of the restaurant equipment buyer’s first choices for efficient, low-maintenance cold food storage.

Beverage-Air Means Quality

Beverage-Air, the largest supplier of commercial refrigeration, was founded in 1944 by Herman Buffington in the small town of Spartanburg, South Carolina. The headquarters still exists in Spartanburg and is where all the state-of-the-art designs created by Beverage-Air are researched and designed.

Beverage-Air is best known for its reach-in merchandiser coolers, freezers, refrigerators and self-contained beer dispensing units. However, Beverage-Air is quickly becoming the leader in pizza and food preparation units, school milk coolers, and deli and floral display units.

Beverage-Air’s vision is “to be the global preferred supplier of quality equipment to the foodservice, beverage and related industries by being pro-active and innovative employees who are measured by our customers’ satisfaction, our company’s reputation and profitability.”

Beverage-Air Refrigerator Blog Just Tip of Iceberg

ShortOrder is very excited to be adding the Beverage-Air refrigerator blog to the information that ShortOrder already provides to restaurant owners and their equipment buyers. From the Buyer’s Guides on everything from steamers to ice machines to the “What’s Cookin’?” newsletter and restaurant equipment blog that keeps you up-to-date on the restaurant industry, ShortOrder.com has got all your bases covered.

Import Safety Summit in Country’s Capital

Import Safety Summit is being held this week in Washington, D.C. and is being co-sponsored by the National Restaurant Association.  U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Michael Leavitt, along with other industry leaders will be there to discuss the strengthening of public-private partnerships and how to enhance the safety of imported products used in the restaurant industry.

The panels will be comprised of representatives from Campbell Soup Company, Red Lobster, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Food Marketing Institute, Kraft Foods and McCormick & Company.

First Ever Import Safety Summit

The first-of-its-kind Import Safety Summit will include keynote speeches and panel discussions on how the private sector and the government can work together to continuously make improvements in the processes that have been put in place that ensure imported product safety.  As a member of the restaurant industry, it is paramount to understand the importance of safe imported food products.

Import Safety Summit and Equipment

At Short Order, we know that serving the highest quality food is important to your business regardless of whether it is imported or not.  That is why we sell only the finest in refrigerators, freezers, warming cabinets and other restaurant equipment.  The lines we carry, such as Manitowac, Beverage-Air, Hobart, Vulcan, and Lakeside; are committed to creating and delivering the best products to safely store and cook your carefully selected food products.  For the environmentally conscience restaurateur, we even carry many products with the prized ENERGY STAR rating.

Import Safety Summit Questions

If you have questions about the newest food importing guidelines, please check in with the National Restaurant Association.  If you have questions regarding restaurant equipment, please refer to one of our many buyers’ guides found on our Website or please feel free to contact our eager and knowledgeable customer service staff.

Food Safety Matters

Food Safety … It isn’t something most people think about on a daily basis, except for the restaurant industry that is.  We think about it everyday because the last thing any of us want is for someone to get sick from the food that we work hard to prepare.  We also don’t want to think about our restaurant being shut down because we didn’t meet food safety standards.

Food Safety Guidelines

With the right equipment and the right knowledge, food safety is a pretty easy thing to handle.

Some great guidelines to remember are:

-  All restaurant employee employees should follow hygiene guidelines; such as washing hands after using the restroom and before preparing food.

-  Cross-contamination of foods should be avoided at all times.  Wash, rinse and sanitize all food contact surfaces, such as work tables, slicers, and other preparation equipment.

-  Foods must be cooked to recommended internal temperatures.

-  Hot foods should be held hot at temperatures of 140 degrees Fahrenheit or greater.  Holding cabinets provide a constant source of proper heat.

-  Cold foods should be kept cold at temperatures of 41 degrees Fahrenheit or lower.  Keep a thermometer in your refrigerator to make sure the temperature is at the proper setting.

-  Abusing standard time and temperature standards for food should be avoided at all costs when handling prepared foods.

-  Leftovers should only be reheated in the oven once; after that they should be tossed out.

Food Safety Means Better Health

As stated earlier in the post, food safety matters to everyone … restaurateur, chef, employees, and patrons can all be harmed by foodborne pathogens.  There are more than 250 known foodborne diseases that cause anywhere from minor illness to death.  By following the simple guidelines listed above and by making sure all of your equipment is functioning properly, you can help prevent disease and illness caused by unhealthy foods.

Taste of Chicago in 28th Year

The Taste of Chicago is an indicator of summer for many Illinois residents. Considered the world’s largest food festival, the Taste of Chicago promises not to disappoint.

The Taste of Chicago, considered the second largest tourist attraction in Illinois, runs for ten days starting this year on Friday, June 27th and running until Sunday, July 6th. The Taste of Chicago, now in its 28th year, sees over 3 million festival attendees in its Grant Park location in downtown Chicago. There are over 70 restaurants and food vendors that participate each year in this free-admission food festival.

Taste of Chicago Brings World Class Fare

All types of cuisine can be found at this much anticipated food festival. Kitchens all over Chicago prepare ethnic and exotic foods, family favorites and Chicago specialties to feed all the hungry festival goers. Then the restaurants line up along the park with their portable ovens and refrigerators in hopes that their food creations are chosen as the Taste of Chicago favorite.

Taste of Chicago More Than Food

Food isn’t the only thing that you will find at this Mid-West food festival. You will also find a 5K Race for the Taste with proceeds going to the Greater Chicago Food Depository, as well as top-notch entertainment.
The free entertainment at the 2008 Taste of Chicago food festival includes the likes of Chaka Kahn, Stevie Wonder, Plain White T’s, Gomez, Old 97’s, Bonnie Raitt and many others.

Taste of Chicago Participants

Now if you are a Chicago restaurant that wants to participate in the Taste of Chicago, you are a little late for this year. The applications were due back in February. However, contact the Illinois Restaurant Association to make sure that you are on the list to receive an application for the 2009 Taste of Chicago.

And if you do get in, make sure to give us a call and we will get you all the restaurant equipment you need to prepare your festival cuisine.

Ice Machine Slime Is An Important Maintenance Issue

Ice machine owners may be getting slimed without knowing it.

Ice machine slime is more than a funny-sounding phrase that evokes fond memories of watching Bill Murray in Ghostbusters at the matinee. For restaurant equipment owners, ice machine slime is a real health hazard that can run a kitchen afoul of the health inspector and possibly shut down a thriving foodservice business.

The Gory Details on Ice Machine Slime

Ice machine slime is such a prevalent hazard that muckraking Houston newsman Marvin Zindler made the sentence “Slime in the ice machine!” a household phrase along the Texas coastline. Ice machine slime isn’t deadly to healthy adults, but still, it can be harmful. It also has a distinctive taste and smell, and can be visually disgusting to your customers. Here’s what the City of Houston says:

It is a type of mold or fungus that accumulates from bacterial growth on surfaces that are constantly exposed to clinging water droplets and warm temperatures. Water residuals may be present on these surfaces due to machine construction or the presence of scouring utensils such as steel wool or scouring pads. If the residuals are left exposed and not wiped clean or the machine is not sanitized regularly, you will then see bacteria and mold growths in the moist, cool environment of your ice machine. Most times, slime will take on a pinkish tone; if left untreated, the pink will turn to red, green, brown and even black ropes of slime hanging from the freezer panels inside the machine after a while. Pretty picture, isn’t it?

Green and pink ropes of slime hanging in your ice machine and dropping in customers’ drinks… it may not be fatal, but it could soon be sending your once-healthy clients to the lab for some health tests.

The Ice Machine Slime Answer

If for example you’ve got ice machine slime in your favorite Manitowoc ice machine model SD-0852A, how do you handle the problem?

The Houston health inspectors recommend using quarternary ammonium (QAC), which kills the mold/fungus and also inhibits additional growth for a period of time after the slime has been removed. This chemical won’t react with the stainless steel of your SD-0852A, and it’s also handy for keeping slime out of other restaurant equipment like your soda machine or the nozzles and hoses of your direct draw systems.

For other ice machine buying tips and maintenance advice, check out our ice machine buyers guide!