Buy Catering Equipment
A catering business can be a fun and profitable enterprise. One of the first items of business in starting a catering business - and one that will continue to some degree through the life of the business - is buying catering equipment.
There are a variety of sources available from which to buy catering equipment. The steps in this article will help you navigate through them and equip your catering business with the right tools to succeed.
Instructions
1. Prepare a list of the catering equipment that you need.
Depending on the kind of catering you engage in, this could include dishes, linens, serving pieces, or even something as large as a catering truck.
2. Decide if you want to purchase new or used equipment.
In all likelihood your catering equipment collection will be a combination of these things. By and large,however, quality catering equipment can be purchased used and will result in a savings over new.
3. Talk to any catering contacts you have.
This is an especially important step for those starting a new catering business. Find out what kind of equipment they consider necessary. If necessary, revise the list you prepared on Step 1.
Also, ask them if they know of any caterers who are going out of business and might have equipment to sell. This could become a good source of used catering equipment for you.
4. Visit a restaurant supply store.
With the list you created in step one, your first stop should be a restaurant supply store. Some of these are open to the general public and some are open only to those in the industry, so check before you make a trip.
A restaurant supply store will give you an idea of the kind of catering equipment that is available new and the prices. Some stores will sell used equipment as well.
5. Go online.
Comparison shop at eBay and Craigslist. You might also want to consider posting a "wanted" ad on Craigslist for the specific catering eqiupment pieces for which you're looking.
There are also restaurant supply sources online that sell both new and used pieces. Investigate those as well.
6. Consider renting.
Rentals of catering equipment are also available. This might be a good option, especially in the case of a piece of equipment that you only need occasionally. If you find yourself using the piece repeatedly, it might become a good candidate for buying.