Restaurant owners of all kinds need food and beverage chilling machines and equipment. Even if your restaurant only uses perishable items occasionally, at the very least you'll need something to hold condiments and drinks. There's a wide variety of equipment you can use to accomplish this, no matter if your needs are minimal or expansive.

Think about what types of foods and beverages you'll need to chill, as well as their use (e.g., dining room only versus catering events). In most restaurants, you'll need beverage chilling equipment if you want to serve drinks and you'll need some kind of food refrigeration device, whether for food ingredients or just for condiments.

1. Install beverage chilling machines to ensure that drinks are ice cold. This is especially important if ice isn't available.

2. Make sure your fresh food stays that way using food chilling equipment. There are several options for keeping food refrigerated.

3. Use an outdoor beverage chiller if your restaurant does catering events. Even if you cater to indoor events as well, buying something that works outdoors can usually double for use indoors.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Serve cold drinks from beverage chillers

You can't always use ice to cool down drinks. In some cases, like serving canned soda or wine, it's just not practical or appropriate, so using a beverage chiller is wise.

I recommend: Select a self-contained display cooler from Bush Refrigeration. Chill white and sparkling wines in a refrigerated wine storage unit from CompactAppliance.com.

Refrigerate perishables using food chillers

Every restaurant has food that can spoil if left at room temperature. Depending on how many items you need to store, you can buy a small food chiller or a large walk-in cooler to suit your needs.

I recommend: Install a walk-in cooler or freezer for all your food chilling needs; Instawares Restaurant Supply stocks over 1,000 of them so you're sure to find what you need. For smaller items, use a half door reach-in refrigerator from BigTray.

Utilize a portable chiller in your catering division

When you need to keep something cool while away from your restaurant, you need something that transports easily. Using portable food and beverage chillers will make your life a lot easier.

I recommend: The indoor/outdoor portable beverage chiller from More Kitchen Appliances can hold an amazing number of cans and bottles. Fill the portable tabletop buffet bar from Belson Outdoors with ice and put cool food packages into the ice to keep them chilled.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If your restaurant has a full bar and makes chilled mixed drinks, you may need to install a liquid chiller for your bartenders. These machines are common for chilling margarita mix. You can also use one of these machines to keep frozen drink mixes in a more liquid state for easy dispensing.