Starter Guide on Used Restaurant Equipment

We have dabbled in restaurant management-related issues for quite some time now. 

To that end, our blog is laced with topics related to restaurant finance control, the best online order management system for food businesses, the ultimate business plan guide for a brand-new restaurant owner, and vice versa. 

If there’s one thing that we haven’t talked about yet, it’s some sort of guide on used restaurant equipment. And that’s mainly because used restaurant equipment purchase guides come much later into perspective – mainly when you have laid down the groundwork for your food business.

So, here’s to discussing the do’s and don’ts of used restaurant equipment; whether it should be purchased, maintenance expenses, what things you need to look for during the pre-purchase phase, etc. 

Read on…

What’s The Big Deal About Used Restaurant Equipment?

Precisely, it’s all about cost-cutting and benefiting from equipment that works just like the new one. However, when it comes to purchasing used restaurant equipment, first-timers can make many mistakes. 

Especially when you don’t have prior experience in how commercial-level cooking equipment works and the chinks you should be looking for, there’s a lot that could be put into perspective. 

That being said, shady sellers will do anything to sell used restaurant equipment. At best, it takes a new chrome coating and some sort of attractive product description to get potential buyers in. 

People usually jump at such opportunities since brand new commercial-grade restaurant equipment can cost a fortune. Therefore, most of those buying decisions are based on impulse, where restaurant owners are blindsided by the ‘too good to pass up on’ price tag and other features that make the equipment presentable. 

Here’s what you need to know from an in-depth perspective:

Pros

• Cost Saving: As a one-off solution (*if appropriately executed), buying used restaurant equipment saves money. 

We are looking at thousands of dollars worth of equipment that can be purchased at a reasonably lower price and in good condition. 

• Makes More Room In Budget: With the money saved on buying used restaurant equipment, the cash can be diverted to purchasing other important resources. You can also run multiple digital and influencer marketing campaigns for your restaurant.
• Environmentally Friendly: In most cases, used restaurant equipment goes to scrap yards and gigantic landfills. By purchasing used items, you are looking to prevent that equipment from filling up space in the environment. 

Cons:

• Lack Of Variety: Used restaurant equipment isn’t based on the latest technology. 

The models might be outdated by a few years. Therefore, don’t expect all the features of the product’s latest counterparts in the market.

• Availability Issues: There’s a massive market for used restaurant equipment these days. Many buyers hound the sellers by paying them a portion of the payment in advance. 

This way, this equipment is taken off of online auction sites immediately. Therefore, if you have your eye on something cool and shiny for your restaurant kitchen, don’t hesitate to make a down payment right away. 

• Equipment Incompatibility Issues: Since used restaurant kitchen equipment is slightly outdated, it may not be compatible with your latest products. 

What’s The Best Place To Buy Used Restaurant Equipment?

 

There are plenty of options available to you. 

Either you can buy used restaurant equipment through a mutual contact in the food and beverage industry, or you can hunt for something through online auction sites. 

At least, the above two are the most common trails that anyone would follow when looking for aftermarket items. But to be precise in giving you a head-on, here are a couple of tips that can get you started in no time:

• First of all, start by making a list of the essential used restaurant equipment that you absolutely need. 
• Cross out all unnecessary items that can wait until much later.
• Above all, do not make an impulse decision. If you are looking to buy any used restaurant equipment, especially online, make sure that you visit the seller in person for a physical inspection of the goods. 

Four Awesome Online Places To Buy Used Restaurant Equipment

 

• Facebook Marketplace:

As much as there is an abundance of active restaurant equipment sellers on Facebook, there are plenty of buyers out there as well. Besides, Facebook is a global social media where millions of people connect with each other frequently. 

With the Facebook marketplace, you can contact different individuals in groups specifically maintained to buy and sell used restaurant equipment. Before buying anything, don’t forget to do due diligence to not end up getting burned. 

• Central Restaurant Products:

Central restaurant products are an official hub for buying and selling brand-new and used restaurant equipment. In fact, to make things even better, they have a scratch and dent section where brand new restaurant equipment is available at a whopping discount. 

What’s the particular reason for selling new items at a lower price? 

As it turns out, the scratch and dent page on the Central Restaurant Products website is for those sellers who have returned slightly damaged brand new items. 

Usually, these items are damaged during shipping. Depending on the extent of the damage and the sellers’ description, you may or may not need to pay extra costs for repairs and any additional parts. 

Nonetheless, the website is worth checking out. 

• ACityDiscount:

Speaking of websites for selling used restaurant equipment, we have ACityDiscount. It’s an online portal where used items are available at very cheap rates. ACityDiscount has been in business for the last 40 years, so their userbase is pretty much a solid deal. 

• Gillette Equipment: 

No, this website is not for grooming products. While the name is similar to the famous men’s grooming kit brand, Gillette Equipment is well versed in showcasing used restaurant equipment in a dedicated Bargain Corner.

The Massachusetts-based business has been catering to the needs of buyers and sellers in the food and beverage industry. They show no signs of regressing, making the website an online platform worth checking out. 

Other than the online repositories discussed earlier, Craigslist and OfferUp are worth considering. In our experience, we don’t highly recommend Craigslist because of the awful number of scammers they have accrued over the last few years. 

However, if you have run out of options on Facebook Marketplace or any of the websites mentioned earlier, Craigslist and Offerup are worth a shot. You just need to be extra careful due to mislabeled products and misleading titles. 

What If I Want To Sell Used Restaurant Equipment?

If you are looking to sell used restaurant equipment, the first thing you need to do is estimate your equipment’s worth. 

Getting a cost estimate on used restaurant equipment is easy.

All you need to do is search for the same make and model on different websites, auction portals, Facebook, etc., to get a general idea of the equipment you are looking to sell. After that, if the equipment quality is much better than what the average sellers have listed, you can ask for a higher price.

Otherwise, to ensure that you have better chances of lining up a shot at getting a buyer for your used restaurant equipment, always price the item a little lower than what the sellers are asking for. Above all, don’t forget to be flexible for negotiating the price. Buyers expect a little bit of discount before shaking hands on a deal. After all, it’s used restaurant equipment that you are selling. 

The best places for selling used restaurant equipment are stated below:

• Facebook Marketplace

That’s right. As mentioned earlier, Facebook Marketplace is an active hub teeming with thousands, if not millions of sellers online. Ensure you have surveyed different online Facebook Marketplace hubs before listing your used products. The idea is to list your used restaurant equipment at a lower price than the ongoing rate.

• OfferUp

Either it’s OfferUp or Craigslist, where you’d want to list your used restaurant equipment. These websites are littered with great opportunities to sell anything online. 

Whether it’s used restaurant equipment or something else from your establishment, there’s always a buyer for it out there on both Craigslist and OfferUp. 

Either way, a lot of research is supposed to buy and sell used restaurant items. Although the entire process is time-consuming, we can assure you that once you have a dandy-looking commercial grade in your kitchen, it’ll be well worth all the ‘hassle.’