What’s Inside This Checklist
Every restaurant, regardless of concept, needs the same foundation of essential restaurant equipment to run daily service. Whether you’re opening a new location or refurbishing an existing kitchen, this checklist covers the core categories every commercial kitchen needs covered before the doors open.
Cooking Line Equipment
Your cooking line is the heart of the kitchen. Ranges, griddles, fryers, ovens, and charbroilers make up the core of most menus, and the exact mix depends on what you’re serving.
Prep & Storage Equipment
Prep Tables
Stainless steel work surfaces for chopping, plating, and assembly.
Food Processors & Mixers
Speed up high-volume prep work like chopping, mixing, and portioning.
Shelving & Racks
Organized dry storage keeps inventory accessible and off the floor.
Sinks
Prep sinks, hand sinks, and three-compartment sinks are typically required by code.
Refrigeration
Reliable refrigeration protects your food cost and your health inspection score. Most kitchens need a mix of walk-in storage, reach-in units near the line, and specialty units depending on the menu.
Equipment by Category
| Category | Typical Equipment |
|---|---|
| Cooking | Ranges, ovens, fryers, griddles, charbroilers |
| Refrigeration | Walk-in coolers, reach-in refrigerators, freezers |
| Prep | Prep tables, mixers, food processors, slicers |
| Warewashing | Dish machines, three-compartment sinks, racks |
| Storage | Shelving, dry storage, walk-in racks |
- ✓ Match equipment capacity to your busiest expected service, not an average night
- ✓ Confirm power type (gas vs. electric) matches your space before ordering
- ✓ Check local health code requirements for sinks and warewashing
- ✓ Consider reconditioned equipment to stretch your opening budget further
- ✓ Build in room to grow as your menu or volume expands
Main Auction Services carries used and reconditioned restaurant equipment across every category on this checklist.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Start with your cooking line, since it defines what your menu can actually produce. Refrigeration and prep equipment follow closely behind, since food safety and workflow depend on them.
Yes. Commercial equipment is built for heavy daily use, and reconditioned units from a reputable seller can perform reliably for years at a fraction of new pricing.
Size equipment around your busiest expected service, not an average night. Undersized equipment is one of the most common and costly mistakes new operators make.
The core categories — cooking, refrigeration, prep, and warewashing — apply to nearly every concept. The specific equipment within each category will vary based on your menu.