Attention restaurant owners! JAC Services offers preventative maintenance plans. Contact us today for solutions to keep your equipment operating at peak efficiency.
For any restaurant, the kitchen is the heart of your business. While customers may never actually see this part of your business, if something goes haywire here then the effects could be felt by all of your patrons. This is why it is so crucial for restaurant owners to properly maintain the equipment that makes up the heart of their restaurant.
Maintaining commercial kitchen equipment is not like maintaining the appliances in your home kitchen. This commercial equipment comes with its own set of required maintenance, potential problems and things to look out for. Not only is the equipment in your restaurant’s kitchen built differently from that in your home kitchen, but it also undergoes a completely different type of wear and tear.
A breakdown of any piece of your commercial kitchen equipment can at best slow your business down, but at worst, it can bring your restaurant to a complete halt, resulting in revenue loss and even threatening your reputation. Keep reading for some of the most common reasons restaurant owners experience issues with their commercial kitchen equipment and how you can avoid equipment failure.
1. Improper Deep Fat Fryer Care
Most restaurants have a deep fat fryer and not properly caring for this piece of equipment can quickly lead to bigger issues. One of the most common causes of kitchen fires is a malfunctioning or improperly cared for deep fat fryer, meaning it’s critical to regularly inspect yours for any potential issues. It’s important to regularly clean and maintain your deep fat fryer according to the manufacturer’s guide. It’s also important to utilize a professional technician to perform regular checks on the equipment to help reduce the risk of fires or breakdowns.
2. Inadequate Ventilation
Proper ventilation is very important in a commercial kitchen, not only for the comfort of your staff, but for the safety of your staff and customers as well. Vents and overhead hoods can become clogged with grease overtime, resulting in inadequate ventilation. If you find that your kitchen is getting extra hot then this may be a sign that your ventilation system is underperforming due to grease build up. Properly cleaning your ventilation system, like the vent hood and ducts, is crucial to keep your system working at full strength. A ventilation system that’s not working correctly will eventually lead to much bigger problems for your kitchen.
3. Lack of Cleaning
Just like you regularly clean the kitchen at your home, it’s crucial to regularly clean your commercial kitchen. However, your commercial kitchen equipment requires more than just your typical wipe down if you want to avoid issues, costly repairs and even health hazards. No matter what type of kitchen your restaurant has, you should aim to have it professionally cleaned at least twice a year. In addition to professional cleanings, you still need to regularly clean your equipment, especially your vent hood and duct, to avoid grease build-up.
4. Improper Care or Use
You can’t be everywhere at once unfortunately, which makes training your staff properly crucial for your business’ success. While kitchens are naturally going to get messy and be chaotic from time to time, it’s important that your staff knows the proper way to not only use, but care for your commercial kitchen equipment as well. The components of your commercial kitchen were a big investment for your restaurant, so it’s important to arm your staff with the knowledge they need to treat the equipment properly. By teaching your staff how to use your equipment, you’ll help prevent issues that can arise from mishandling the equipment, and they’ll also be more likely to spot problems early on. Additionally, it’s important that your team knows the importance of proper care, cleaning and maintenance, since using the wrong tools or cleaners could end up doing more harm than good.
5. Dated Equipment
Sometimes restaurant owners struggle between investing in new equipment or holding onto their current, outdated equipment until it completely breaks down. While getting your money’s worth out of outdated equipment can be tempting, it also means you run the risk of the equipment breaking down unexpectedly and disrupting your business. Additionally, sometimes running inefficient equipment is more costly overall than investing in new equipment.
6. Lack of Maintenance
One of the most common culprits of commercial kitchen equipment failure is lack of maintenance. Just like your car needs regular maintenance in order to continue performing, your commercial kitchen equipment does as well. The key to proper maintenance is that it should be proactive and preventative, meaning, you shouldn’t wait until a problem arises to have your equipment serviced. If you wait until your equipment is struggling to perform maintenance, then you run the risk of a small problem turning into a bigger problem. While maintenance is certainly a cost, it can help your business avoid even bigger costs due to equipment failure or paused operations. Ultimately, regular service and maintenance is key to help your commercial kitchen equipment perform at its best and for a long time.
7. Forgoing Part Replacement
Even with proper maintenance, you’ll still need to replace certain parts eventually to keep your equipment functioning properly. How often parts need to be replaced will vary depending on the type of equipment you have and how it’s used, but, inevitably, parts will need to be replaced. Ultimately, proper maintenance will only go so far if you ignore the technician’s recommendations regarding replacement parts. It’s much better to plan for a part replacement than to ignore it and be caught off guard with equipment failure during your restaurant’s lunch or dinner rush.
Keeping your business running smoothly means keeping your kitchen and its equipment running smoothly, too. Our team is equipped with the knowledge, training and expertise required to prevent equipment failure due to lack of maintenance. Since lack of maintenance is one of the most common causes of commercial kitchen equipment failure, it’s crucial to have your equipment regularly maintained and serviced. With our help, you can avoid the stress and extra costs that come with equipment failure.
