Essential Restaurant Equipment for the Spring Season

After the long cold days of winter and the challenges they can present for your restaurant, spring offers a bright opportunity to draw customers back to your business. Spring is the time to prepare for the inevitable summer rush — which means it is time to spruce up your business and invest in some essential equipment to boost sales and help you cope with the upswing in customer volume. Of course, your equipment needs depend on the type of venue you operate, but there are a few essential items no restaurant should be without this spring.  

Al Fresco Dining Essentials

After long winters spent indoors, customers love the option of al fresco dining. Not only will your customers enjoy eating under the warm spring sun, it is also financially beneficial for your business. An additional outdoor area means extra seating for potential customers, which means more profits for your business. Make the most of your outdoor space with these al fresco dining essentials for spring.

Outdoor Grilling Station

When it comes to al fresco dining, it is not only the scenery and warm weather that draws the crowds. Bringing the kitchen outdoors creates an engaging, entertaining dining experience that your customers are sure to remember and keep coming back for. An outdoor grill station is the ideal solution for your outdoor food preparation area. The type of grill you choose depends on the space you have available and whether you want the food prep area to be a permanent or seasonal feature. A built-in grill can be easily incorporated into a full outdoor food preparation suite including refrigeration unit and bar. These models are more durable but take up more space. Portable or towable units are better suited to catering; however, they can be an excellent option for small outdoor dining areas, as they can be easily rolled away when not in use. Source a grill with open burners and griddle plates for more flexible cooking options. Be aware of the type of fuel your grill uses. Charcoal imparts a unique flavor to the food, but it can make the temperature difficult to control. Natural gas is ideal for permanent grill stations, while propane is better suited for mobile units.

Outdoor Patio Heaters

Fickle spring weather can put a damper on customer service when it comes to outdoors dining. An outdoor patio heater will ensure your customers are always comfortable, regardless of sudden changes in the weather. Different types of heaters are suitable for different spaces. Typically, there are two kinds of heaters restaurants use: wall or ceiling mounted units and portable heaters. Each kind comes in a variety of models and sizes to suit various spaces. They are also available with an assortment of heat sources, from electricity to propane to natural gas. Choosing the right outdoor heater for your restaurant can have a significant effect on your bottom line. After food preparation, energy consumption is the biggest expense for most restaurants, so it is essential to choose a heating unit that consumes minimal energy while still efficiently heating your outdoor space. Mounted heaters leave room for more tables but are less efficient than larger portable units, meaning you need more of them to heat the same space. However, portable heaters, though bulky, can be easily moved out of the way once the weather warms up.

Portable Sinks

Keeping your outdoor area clean and ensuring the staff working in the outdoor area have hygienic work practices is imperative for your al fresco dining area. However, without a main water line outdoors, access to clean water can be difficult. One of the simplest and most effective solutions to this problem is a portable outdoor sink. A three-basin sink is a perfect solution to make sure hand washing stations and dishwashing areas remain separate, which ensures you remain compliant with health and safety standards. However, if your food preparation area does not need a dishwashing area, a single portable unit is more compact and still allows your staff to wash their hands without resorting to hand sanitizer.  

Equipment for New Spring Flavors

Spring signals the beginning of new seasonal ingredients to bring your customers’ taste buds out of their winter hibernation. Make the most of new spring flavors with some of these kitchen equipment essentials.

Ice Cream Machine

Savvy restaurant operators know that ice cream machines aren't just for capitalizing on warm-weather customer cravings. A quality ice cream machine can be used all year to create refreshing, delicious frozen desserts that will appeal to your customers and boost your dessert sales. Make the most of spring's seasonal bounty with a new ice cream machine for your kitchen. The type of model you choose depends on what you plan to prepare with the machine. Most restaurants opt for a large commercial-grade machine because it offers greater versatility, but another fun seasonal option is a soft-serve machine that can produce luscious soft ice cream and frozen yogurt.

Vitamix Blender

As the weather warms up, you may consider making changes to your food and drink menu to make the most of seasonal fruits and vegetables on offer during the spring. A great way to transition your menu from hearty winter dishes to lighter fare for the summer is with a Vitamix blender. A high-quality, durable blender allows your kitchen staff to create everything from refreshing cool beverages and smoothies to warming soups and purees for a flexible menu that adapts to the changing seasons. There are a number of exceptional Vitamix blenders available to suit the needs of your restaurant depending on the space and production volume of the kitchen.

Ice Machine and Dispenser

The start of the busy season means restaurants require larger volumes of ice to keep customers happy and supply the kitchen. Smaller operations may see an ice machine as an exorbitant expense and prefer to bring in ice from a supplier. However, the convenience of producing ice on site far outweighs the initial cost of the machine, and the increased revenue from higher beverage sales during the warmer months makes an ice machine a worthwhile investment for your business. To ensure your ice machine is the right model for your business's needs, you should consider where the machine will be located, how often it will be accessed by staff or customers and the volume of ice you require. Under-counter machines are ideal for bars and open kitchens because of their ease of accessibility and sleek low profile. Larger modular units can produce higher volumes of ice and are more suitable for large establishments.

Buffet Station

The beginning of spring is also the start of wedding season, in addition to busy holidays like Easter and Mother's Day. Many high-volume operations capitalize on these holidays by providing specialized menus and buffet-style dining experiences. However, smaller operations can also benefit from a buffet station to draw in holiday crowds. There is an endless number of buffet configurations available to suit your restaurant’s aesthetic and the space limitations of your dining room. One of the most popular buffets trends in dining for 2018 is to have distinct food stations and displays set up around the dining area. This allows for customers to flow easily around serving stations and facilitates a more conversational atmosphere ideal for casual dining.  

Kitchen Upgrades

If you are updating your restaurant for spring, shelling out big bucks on new restaurant equipment may feel like a strain on your budget. However, upgrading your current equipment with quality replacement parts can be an economical way to ensure you have all the essentials ready for when the warmer months roll in.

Range Hood Exhaust Filters

Although the range may be the heart of the kitchen, the hood is the key to keeping your kitchen safe and in compliance with your state's health and safety codes. To ensure the range hood is functioning optimally, you will need to perform a thorough inspection in addition to your regular cleaning schedule. Filters become worn over time, so it is important to replace damaged filters in the spring in anticipation of higher customer volume during both spring and summer.

New Cutting Boards

The last thing your restaurant needs is a case of food poisoning shutting down your operation at the beginning of the busy season. In addition to excellent hygiene practices, it is a good idea to regularly replace items and utensils that are vulnerable to bacterial growth. Cutting boards can harbor harmful bacteria that can build up in cuts and cracks that appear in the boards over time. Thorough cleaning should be done after every use, and they should be sanitized after every service. However, once the boards become too damaged, cleaning no longer removes enough bacteria, and the boards need to be replaced. The FDA safe food handling guidelines recommend durable plastic cutting boards that are color-coded for different types of food to avoid cross-contamination.

Replacement Slicer Blades

The slicer is one of the hardest working pieces of equipment in the kitchen, and dull blades make non-uniform slices that can have an effect on portion control and reduce profitability. So while you are taking inventory and inspecting equipment for the spring, don't forget to check your slicer blades for wear and tear. Although most slicers have a built-in sharpener to keep blades from getting dull, whetstones and blades still need to be replaced on occasion. Check your user manual and only buy replacement blades from reputable parts suppliers.  

Safety Equipment and Sanitation

A clean kitchen is a productive kitchen. To take advantage of your increased customer volume now that the weather is warming up, make sure you have the right tools on hand to keep your restaurant safe and sparkling clean.

Cleaning Supplies

Spring cleaning your restaurant is the ideal way to deep clean those areas of the kitchen that are often overlooked. A thorough cleaning also provides an opportunity to take inventory of your equipment and assess what needs to be repaired and replaced. Standard cleaning supplies used for general cleaning may need to be swapped for more heavy-duty commercial-grade cleaners to remove built-up grime. Check user manuals and guides for food preparation surfaces to ensure you are using the right cleaner for the job and to avoid damaging delicate equipment when cleaning.

Fire Suppression Equipment

Fire inspectors suggest you recharge your fire extinguishers and replace suppression blankets annually to ensure they function correctly, but often the fire suppression system gets overlooked. Ask a fire inspector to check your fire suppression system to make sure there are no leaks or damage. Then consider upgrading to an automatic system, which senses smoke and heat. If a fire breaks out, the unit will kick in to eliminate the fuel source while simultaneously extinguishing the flames, minimizing financial loss and damage to equipment.

Rubber Floor Mats

If you haven't already invested in a set of non-slip mats for your kitchen, now is the time to do so. Not only are they essential for the safety of your kitchen staff by preventing slips and falls, but they are also a great way to make the end-of-service clean up a breeze. There are a few types of mats you may consider purchasing, though the most popular models are the perforated mats that allow for spills to fall through the holes. That way, you can clean them up later without interrupting the flow of service. Other types of non-slip mats include grease-resistant and anti-fatigue for improved employee comfort.  

Final Thoughts

Spring's warm weather and positive atmosphere signify the beginning of the busy hospitality season. With new produce available, it is the perfect time to offer new flavors and dining experiences to your customers to increase revenue. Invest in some of these spring restaurant essentials to make the most of the season.