4 Simple Steps On How To Choose the Best Restaurant Suppliers

Unless you are building your own furniture from trees behind your business, everything you use in your business comes from somewhere else. If you own a restaurant, you will be ordering supplies like food, equipment, alcohol, and more. The quality of your suppliers and what they provide are a huge part of your success or failure. That’s why you need to be smart about mixing affordability and quality. Here are 4 simple steps on how to choose the best restaurant suppliers.

Step #1 – List Your Needs

What do you need to before you open your restaurant, or if it’s already opened, what do you need to keep it profitable? Here’s a list to get you started:

  • Food and Beverages
  • Cooking utensils
  • Small Appliances
  • Food storage and work surfaces – like counters, warmers, prep tables, etc.
  • Cooking utensils and Silverware
  • Bar Items
  • Front of house items like chairs, tables, décor, carpet, etc.
  • Point-of-Sale (POS) System
  • Cleaning Supplies

Step #2 – Research, Research, Research

Now that you have identified what you need. Do a simple Internet search to find some restaurant suppliers. Start to compare costs. Find the restaurant supply stores that are near you. It’s good to visit these stores for quality, and to get a feel of what is available near you. Also, don’t forget to look for used equipment for large items like stoves, walk-in refrigerators, tilt-skillets, etc. Keep in mind in most cases you will not have a warranty with these large items.

Food Supplier

You’ll probably find that you will spend quite some time researching your food supplier. Choose someone with great food quality and prompt delivery service. They will be the lifeline of your business. Without them you have nothing to serve your customers.

POS System

Researching POS software may also take some time. A high quality point-of-Sale (POS)system like Bepoz can help with more than just transactions. It’s more like a business management system helping you with inventory control, customer relations management (CRM), reporting and analytics, and so much more.

Step #3 – Find Commercial Kitchen Repair Providers

What will you do if your dishwasher breaks down in a rush or if your refrigerator goes out? Come up with a list of commercial kitchen repair providers. It’s more stressful to have to dig and research in the middle of a dinner service. So be prepared with someone to call when it happens, because it will.

Step #4 – Vet Your Suppliers

Be sure to interview and even ask other restaurant owners who they use to supply their needs. It’s important to partner with someone you can trust who provides excellent service and products.

This industry can be challenging, but if you can set a strong foundation with the right restaurant suppliers, you can at least start on the right track toward success. Interested in learning more about Bepoz for your restaurant POS needs? Give us a call today to set up a free demo.