Useful Tips for Restaurants Looking to Expand Their Cold Storage
Cold storage is the backbone of every restaurant. It does not matter whether you are a fast food or fine dining restaurant; you need to ensure that your ingredients and dishes are kept at a consistent temperature. This allows you to create the best meals for customers, as well as ensure health and safety.
If you are looking to expand your cold storage, there will be a few things you need to consider. From the type of equipment that you need to how you are going to fund the expansion. Here are some useful tips for restaurant owners on how to can achieve their goals.
Understand Your Needs
Yes, you want to have more cold storage space. But, you need to dive deeper than this and really understand your restaurants’ needs. For example, do you only need more equipment during the summer and when your establishment is busy? Do you require more refrigeration all year round because you are expanding your menu? Some restaurants will be looking for permanent solutions, whereas others will benefit from having temporary expansion during certain times of the year.
Understanding your needs is essential for choosing the right equipment. It will dictate the size you need to get, as well as whether you are going to hire or buy the equipment. Hiring is often a great solution for temporary expansion, as well as being affordable long-term. Icecool Trailers offers fridge and freezer trailers, plus cold room and freezer room options. This allows you to select the type of equipment your restaurant requires. What’s more, you can choose how long you hire it for, plus the size you need. Alternatively, you might prefer to buy equipment if you are looking for a long-term cold storage expansion. The key is knowing your needs first.
Be Aware of Your Budget
Every restaurant is going to have a budget they need to stick to when it comes to expanding cold storage. You need to take the time to understand what yours is, including how much money you have to spend on the equipment. Some businesses might have large budgets that give you the freedom to select any cold storage you want. Others will be more restrictive and require careful planning to suit your needs and stay on target.
Note that there are two ways you can get equipment. You can choose to buy cold storage, or you can consider hiring it. The latter is becoming more popular since you can spread out payments, and this allows you to enjoy larger and more sophisticated equipment for your restaurant. So, if you are on a more restrictive budget or just do not want to pay out much money at once, you might be best to go down the road of hiring.
Know Where the Storage Will Go
Another consideration you have to make is where you are going to put the new cold storage unit you choose. For example, you might be happy to position the unit indoors and have enough space that this is not an issue. But, other businesses might be more restricted in what they can have.
So, you need to pay attention to the size of the unit. Of course, you need a size that suits your needs. But, you also need to check the measures for its location. Note that there are some cold storage options that can be positioned outside. Thus, even if you do not have much space indoors, this does not rule out expansion. Instead, you can find a good location outdoors that still makes it accessible and an asset to your business.
Consider the Best Type
Remember that there are different types of cold storage you can get for your restaurant. For example, you can choose to get a cold room, which can allow you to walk in and see all of the items you need. Then, there are freezer rooms if you wish to keep items for longer and be more cost-efficient with some of the food you have.
Therefore, take the time to consider what the best type of cold storage will be for your restaurant. Consider your menu and the items you want to store. If you keep things fresh, you might be better off with a cold room or refrigeration system. Alternatively, if you want to explore your freezer space, this can also be a good option. Both are going to be available to hire and buy for your restaurant.
