Benefits of Purchasing Restaurant Equipment In Store vs. Online
Today’s consumers purchase virtually anything online, from clothing and airline tickets to big ticket items such as cars and furniture. Many businesses also purchase their commercial equipment needs online as well, including some in the foodservice industry. However, when it comes to procuring big ticket items necessary to create and operate a busy commercial kitchen in a restaurant, hotel or college cafeteria, having a hands-on, in person purchasing experience in a fully stocked wholesale restaurant equipment outlet like Restaurant City has some distinct advantages. You don't need to know how a refrigerator works to be a great chef, that's where we come in! And we just may save you some money in the process.
Restaurant City is a large restaurant equipment warehouse outlet with multiple locations. Each location has completely stocked inventories with dozens of pieces of equipment in every product category on display for you to peruse, all at pricing that is extremely competitive with online dealers.
When purchasing restaurant equipment online, you have to rely on photos in a catalog instead of actually seeing and touching the equipment and comparing brands, features and price points side by side. In person you can also take advantage of one of the largest showroom selections of factory specials, scratch & dents, demo units and overstock items on the east coast. We have a much larger amount of these items on display than most traditional dealers and these deals can often save you anywhere from 10-40%.
The biggest advantage of buying restaurant equipment in person is the ability to tap into the knowledge of the sales staff. It's easy to find out what the "best" piece of equipment is online (highest quality, most features, etc), but you need expertise to decide which one is the best one "for you!" Restaurant equipment is heavy-duty and technical. Restaurant City’s experienced sales team can be invaluable in helping make sure your product needs match up with the technical requirements of the equipment you are purchasing. This includes understanding clearance requirements, electrical/voltage requirements, configurations available, cooking power, power source options, etc. No need to overspend or purchase something that might not be the right fit for your operation.
When you need fast replacement of an existing broken piece of equipment like a range or refrigerator, buying from one of our locations means you can often get an in-stock product within a week, not two weeks, four weeks or six weeks as may be the case when buying from an online source. Let’s face it, no restaurant owner wants to shut down because of an equipment failure and have to wait days or weeks for a replacement to be shipped. We also provide full-service (delivery, installation, design services, quoting, etc.) at every store through our collaboration with local service partners. That way, you don’t have to worry about spending hundreds of dollars on labor and installation when your appliance arrives at your doorstep. We handle everything for you.
For added convenience, some restaurant equipment outlets like Restaurant City often locate their facilities near a Restaurant Depot where chefs purchase their ingredients on a regular basis. This co-location concept makes it convenient for them to stop by to check out equipment and related restaurant supplies as their needs arise.
“Nothing really compares to the in-person buying experience when it comes to making an informed choice on restaurant equipment,” said Taylor Lackey, Sales Associate at Restaurant City Waterbury. Yes, online purchasing is convenient. But given the potentially large investment in a commercial quality range, refrigerator, or dishwasher, many customers are willing to take the time for a more informed purchase that ultimately will save time and money.”
Visit us at your nearest store and speak with a member of our team.
Not able to drop in at the moment? We can also email our team at your convenience.