Stay informed of events affecting food equipment distributors so that you know which companies are assuming the lead in this ever-changing industry. You'll also want to know about changes in the leadership among the key players which can give you deeper insight into the business direction those companies are likely to take.

As a restaurant equipment distributor, you'll want to check out in-depth market analyses that identify leaders in the field. You'll also be interested to know what your competitors are saying about foodservice equipment in the more casual blog conversations they exchange. Finally, it's hard to beat tradeshows as a reliable source of restaurant equipment distributors news and trends. To stay on top of the very latest restaurant equipment news:

1. Find out how successful foodservice equipment distributors are driving their sales.

2. Keep up with the latest trends by reading blog commentaries written by commercial restaurant equipment professionals.

3. Attend food service equipment tradeshows to get the latest information on new product development.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Stay in tune with industry research articles reporting news about restaurant distributors

Market research reports identify and analyze the factors which have made major restaurant equipment wholesale companies successful.

I recommend: Search the database at High Beam Research to find out which companies are reporting record sales. Register at Food Management so you can view their timely news reports on the changing faces in the restaurant equipment wholesale industry. Read articles published by Foodservice Equipment and Supplies magazine so you'll know which restaurants are seeing growth.

Check out what the professional food equipment distributors are writing in blogs

Read blogs about restaurant equipment supplies so you can discover approaches taken by business owners. You can also find out which brands receive the highest ratings.

I recommend: The blogs at IFoodTv.com cover a wide range of intriguing news topics for professionals, from favorite name brand equipment to international exhibitions of restaurant equipment. Blogs at KaTom Restaurant Supply offer practical tips on how to purchase commercial restaurant equipment. Restaurant owners post blogs at Merchant Circle that explain how they purchase restaurant equipment.

Go to restaurant equipment distributors tradeshows to find out about new product releases

Restaurant equipment distributors host tradeshows that allow you to identify opportunities in the industry. You'll also get to see the innovative products that the major companies are developing.

I recommend: Restaurant Supply Resource posts the location and contact information for upcoming equipment tradeshows. Many tradeshows covered by the NRA Show are devoted to new themes emerging among restaurant equipment suppliers. BuyUSA.gov will keep you informed of tradeshows in your area that are devoted to showcasing the latest foodservice equipment.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Restaurant equipment distributors report that they gained the most wide-reaching industry knowledge by attending high profile tradeshows.

Opening a restaurant requires a lot of commercial equipment, from kitchen supplies to dining room furniture. Many food service equipment distributors offer everything you need to open a restaurant, while other restaurant distributors specialize in one area of food service equipment, such as commercial refrigeration, smallwares, bar supplies and ventilation.

When looking at items for sale by restaurant equipment distributors, shop around for the best price. Also take advantage of salespersons' knowledge. They can walk you through the different types of refrigeration, ventilation and other equipment that will best suit your restaurant.

When looking for food equipment distributors, make a list that will help you keep track of everything you will need. It should include equipment and supplies for the:

1. Kitchen
2. Dining Room
3. Bar
4. Wait station
5. Hostess station
6. Restrooms

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Select energy-efficient kitchen heating and refrigeration equipment from

Commercial kitchen equipment such as coolers, walk-in refrigerators, ovens, and hoods all use a lot of energy. Look for foodservice equipment distributors who carry refrigerators, freezers and coolers with the Energy Star symbol. These models save up to 45% more energy than other models. When looking for stoves and ranges, stick with gas, which is more cost-efficient than electric and offers a more reliable cooking temperatures.

I recommend: BigTray.com is a leading restaurant equipment distributor who carries stoves, ovens and grill. Jeans Restaurant Supply is another food service equipment distributor who carries an extensive line of commercial kitchen equipment, including heating and cooling units. Find more food equipment distributors and restaurant distributors at Business.com.

Choose dining room furnishings that are durable, beautiful and functional.

The whole look of your restaurant is defined by the tables and chairs you select. Think about it: red metal chairs and tables with glass tops create an entirely different ambience than classic wooden chairs in a mahogany finish with matching tables. Your dining room furnishings should match your theme, no matter if it is formal or casual. Along with quality furniture, you will need attractive table settings, as well.

I recommend: Find quality restaurant furnishings at OneWayFurniture.com. Libby, a leading restaurant distributor, offers a complete line of durable tableware for restaurants.

Look for restaurant distributors of bar equipment and supplies

The bar is one of the best places to increase sales at any restaurant. Many restaurant distributors carry a large line of bar supplies, from liquor wells to pint glasses and beer towers. If you plan on having a full-service bar where patrons can sit and dine, then you will need menus and place settings along with bar supplies.

I recommend: Find a wide range of commercial restaurant equipment for the bar at Instawares.com. They carry everything from bar mats to soda guns and wine glasses. Other restaurant equipment distributors who carry bar items include Steelite International and the Beverage Factory.

Stay organized with commercial restaurant equipment distributors

Food storage racks can help both the dry storage area and walk-in cooler stay organized. Clearly labeling commercial kitchen shelving will help employees put stock away in the correct area. Organizing your storage areas also ensures stock gets rotated and allows you better track your inventory.

I recommend: Food equipment distributors like Restaurant-Service.com carry basic metal shelves that work well for restaurants and are safe for both food and chemicals.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Many restaurant equipment distributors carry used items. Buying used restaurant equipment is a natural choice for smallwares, like plates, baskets, glasses and utensils. However, used heating and refrigeration is a gamble, since most used restaurant equipment doesn't come with a warranty. Remember, you get what you pay for.

Restaurant equipment distributors education and training leads to a very profitable career. Restaurant eating is one of the leading ways that people now obtain meals. With more restaurants opening, more restaurants need restaurant equipment supplies. An education in restaurant equipment gives your business what it needs to attract restaurant purchasers to your equipment.

Restaurants use a variety of types of equipment on a daily basis. The more you have to offer your restaurant owner customers, the more likely they are to purchase from you. The best way to know what the consumer will purchase is to gain an education in the needs of your customer. When thinking about restaurant equipment distributors education and training, think about the following:

1. Do continuing education on trends in restaurant equipment.

2. Go to conferences and seminars for restaurant equipment distributors.

3. Seek information that food equipment distributors need to know before marketing products to restaurants.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Educate yourself on the latest trends in restaurant/bar equipment

If restaurant owners are beginning a new trend in cooking or using equipment, you want to know about it. Stay up to date on the latest desires of restaurant owners. This may mean that restaurant distributors will need to stock new equipment or refocus their sales pitch on a different topic.

I recommend: One of the newest phases is to go green and be environmentally aware. Energy Star discusses how restaurant owners are trying to create more environmentally safe businesses through their commercial kitchen equipment. PSN Energy details the ways that restaurant owners use their equipment to save energy and help the earth.

Attend seminars and conferences for food equipment distributors

Seminars and conferences often offer the latest ideas, equipment, and techniques. Foodservice equipment distributors learn valuable information for marketing their equipment, as well as meeting and gaining ideas from other foodservice equipment distributors. Conferences also allow distributors to preview upcoming equipment from manufacturers.

I recommend: AWS offers seminars about food safety and equipment. Southern California Gas Company conducts conferences relating to foodservice equipment. Seminars focus on topics such as energy efficient restaurant equipment for sale.

Gain as much information about varieties of food service equipment as possible

Customers like to purchase from distributors who know their product; restaurant owners are no different. Be familiar with the various brands and models of commercial restaurant equipment. Be able to make comparisons for your clients.

I recommend: Food Service Warehouse offers a list of various restaurant equipment brands and manufacturers along with pictures, as well as a food service education center on product buying. FEDA offers a conference for foodservice equipment distributors that is very informative on restaurant equipment.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Restaurant owners are sure to ask their restaurant equipment distributor questions concerning the maintenance of their equipment. Be educated on service and repairs for equipment you sell by seeking training videos from sources such as a1service.

Restaurant equipment distributors provide the tools necessary for everything from a small bakery to a large multi-level restaurant to serve its clientele. From the furniture in the dining area, to the refrigerators in the kitchen, restaurant equipment distributors help outfit and brand the food based business.

Take the time to learn some of the terms commonly associated with restaurant equipment distributors so that you can understand the equipment they sell and negotiate the best deal for your food based business. Here are some of those terms along with some informational resources to help get you started.

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Heated holding cabinets

Heated holding cabinets refer to receptacles that are heated and meant to keep food warm. The food is generally not cooked in the heated holding cabinets, but is transferred to them after cooking. Heated holding cabinets come in all shapes and sizes from small bin type cabinets to large cabinets that hold large amounts of freshly baked bread.

I recommend: Visit the website for Alto-Sham, which are distributors and manufacturers of commercial restaurant equipment, for additional information on heated holding cabinets.

Steam tables

Steam tables are large tables with multiple levels. The lower level is filled with water and heated until it creates steam. The upper level is filled with trays of food. The steam keeps those trays of food warm. Steam tables can be found inside commercial kitchens where pastas and vegetables are kept at a servable temperature. They are also used out on the buffet line where the customer's food is kept hot.

I recommend: Check out the website for Jean's Restaurant Supply for more information on the various types of steam tables and how they operate in a commercial kitchen.

Undersink

The undersink refers to a unit, usually made of stainless steel, which is placed under a bar. The undersink allows the bartender to have access to water, as well as providing an additional work station to make drinks, wash glasses, and prep other bar items. The undersinks usually have multiple compartments.

I recommend: Visit the website for My Chef Store.com for further information on undersinks and how they operate in the commercial bar setting.

Undercounter freezers

Undercounter freezers refer to freezers that are built into commercial kitchens under the counter work space. Undercounter freezers are ideal for commercial kitchens specializing in desserts or other foods that must be kept frozen.

I recommend: Go to the website for Rapids Wholesale, a restaurant equipment distributor for more information and examples on undercounter freezers.

Booths, booth seating

Booths or booth seating refers to seating that is placed in a restaurant where more than one person can share a seating area. Booth seating is popular in waiting areas at restaurants as well as more casual locations like pizza parlors and sub shops. Booth seating usually has a padded base and no arms unlike its chair counterparts. Restaurant equipment distributors may have separate furniture departments that provide booths and other seating options.

I recommend: Visit the website for Restaurant Services.com for information and examples of booth equipment that is supplied by restaurant equipment distributors.

Restaurant ranges, range

The range or restaurant range refers to the cooking surface or stove top in a commercial kitchen. Usually heated by gas, these industrial grade ranges are much more durable than their residential counterparts. They have more movable parts, allowing them to be broken down and thoroughly scrubbed by kitchen staff. They are usually made of stainless steel as well.

I recommend: Visit the website for Food Equipment.com for more information about restaurant ranges and how they might be implemented and utilized within a commercial kitchen.