Restaurant smallwares are an expansive category that could literally refer to any item used in a restaurant, either by kitchen staff or front of the house employees. Restaurant suppliers, however, know that kitchen grade smallwares usually refer to products on the low end of the cost scale, such as egg slicers, coffee mugs, mixing spoons and even placemats.

Pricing and costs of restaurant smallwares does not have to significantly impact your budget. In fact, seasoned restaurateurs caution against buying one of everything before you even open the door. Many of these smallwares are gadgets that your staff can do without. The only way to know what is necessary is to buy as you go, remembering that less is more when it comes to restaurant smallwares. Compare the prices among these restaurant smallwares suppliers.

1. Compare prices of food preparation kitchen smallwares.

2. Find the lowest prices for specialty foodservice smallwares.

3. Search for competitively priced front of the house restaurant smallwares.

4. Choose durable yet inexpensive commercial grade smallwares for dining room use.

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

Search for the best prices on food preparation kitchen smallware

Food preparation utensils include potato mashers, garlic presses and egg slicers--the non-electronic tools that make any cook's work easier and more efficient.

I recommend: Prima Supply carries garlic presses ranging between $3.00 and $10.00, potato mashes between $6.00 and $23.00 and egg slicers that cost between $5.00 and $7.00. Find thousands of kitchen utensils at Food Service Direct, and most at discount prices. Manual can openers range between $3.00 and $8.00 while electric models run from $10.00 to $18.00. Heavy-duty electric can openers at Can Opener World range from $500.00 to $1,000.00.

Calculate the relatively low cost of other foodservice smallwares

It's easy to forget the extras, like food safety products, cookie sheets for catering jobs and ingredient bowls that make food preparation easy.

I recommend: Webstaurant Store sells sets of stainless steel mixing bowls ranging from $5.00 to $17.00. It also carries cut-resistant gloves for between $11.00 and $12.00 per unit. Get plastic squeeze bottles for condiments that range between $3.00 and $12.00. KaTom Restaurant Supply offers sheet pans at $5.00 to $7.00 each or bun and biscuit pans for $5.00 to $20.00 per piece.

Compare prices on restaurant equipment smallwares for the front of the house

These smallwares are on display in the front of the house. They help to create a professional and organized look to the sections of your restaurant that your patrons will see.

I recommend: Restaurant Solutions carries front of the house smallwares, such as stainless steel condiment racks for $17.00 to $20.00. You can also get tray stands ranging from $29.00 to $47.00 and menu covers ranging from $47.00 to $60.00 per dozen. Able Kitchen Restaurant & Kitchen Supplies carries salt and pepper shakers for $7.00 to $47.00 per dozen. Its serving trays range from $4.00 to $6.00 per unit.

Find low prices on commercial grade smallwares for your counter and dining room tables

Sturdy dinner plates and trendy glassware tell your patrons that you pay attention to every detail that will enhance their dining experience.

I recommend: Nextag offers industrial smallware grade dinner plates by the dozen, between $65.00 and $85.00 per set. Dinner knives range from $36.00 to about $52.00 per dozen. Get glass diner style coffee mugs at Diner Decor that cost between $2.00 and $5.00 per unit.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When purchasing restaurant grade smallwares, try to find products made of the most durable materials to avoid frequent replacement costs.

Restaurant equipment smallwares may not seem to be the most vital concern when starting up a food business, but don't be fooled into thinking that restaurant smallwares are inconsequential. Customers notice the chipped mugs chip and cracked dishes. Your cooks and food prep employees slow down when utensils get misplaced. Because kitchen smallware supplies can dwindle fast and unexpectedly, stay ahead of the game by knowing how you can quickly replenish these restaurant must-haves.

An expansive category, restaurant commercial grade smallwares include just about every item your establishment depends on to prepare and serve food. Spruce up a modest deli counter with personalized ceramic mugs, give your food prep cooks the time-saving utensils they need to increase productivity or keep your chefs happy with dependable commercial grade cookware. Cover all the bases by considering the different categories of available foodservice smallwares:

1. Equip your kitchen staff with handy utensil-like restaurant smallwares.

2. Consider promotional foodservice smallwares to effectively market your brand.

3. Provide your chefs with durable and high-performing kitchen grade smallwares to satisfy their cooking needs.

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

Locate restaurant smallwares suppliers who carry cooking and baking utensils

Cooking utensils comprise an expansive category. They include every tool or gadget your kitchen preparation staff relies upon to peel potatoes, whip egg whites or fashion perfect cylinder-shaped omelette's. The choices here are endless: from tiered cupcake stands for chic cafes to egg rings for the grill at your breakfast-lunch stand.

I recommend: Check out Prima Supply and Foodservicedirect, both of which stock hundreds of essential smallwares for restaurants and bakeries. Pfeil & Holing has made its name by catering to the needs of baking professionals for decades.

Find foodservice smallwares for serving your patrons

Small, independent restaurants need commercial-grade dinnerware constructed for heavy use. Fine dining establishments seek out hand-crafted china created by skillful artisans.

I recommend: Able Kitchen Restaurant and Kitchen Supplies has promotional ceramic mugs. Bryan China Company sells restaurant grade smallwares directly to churches, schools, hotels and other foodservice establishments. Pickard China is a restaurant smallwares manufacturer that produces superior quality china to an impressive clientele that includes Air Force One.

Find kitchen grade smallwares for preparing your foods

The meat and bones of any commercial kitchen is the quality cookware your cooks and chefs use. Consider paying a little extra for name brands that last longer and deliver superior cooking results.

I recommend: Salamander Cookshop and Chef's Resource, which provide namebrand cookware sold individually or in cost-saving sets. Great Cookware carries well-known brands online

Knowing restaurant smallwares key terms before you start buying supplies for your commercial kitchen will help you make informed decisions. It's easy to get confused as you survey the hundreds of different smallwares for foodservice that restaurant smallwares suppliers provide.

Most restaurant grade smallwares fall into categories based upon where in the restaurant they are used and by whom. Chef's and prep cooks depend on kitchen tools while, in the dining room, your patrons will be using flatware and dinnerware. Once you've decided on your restaurant's particular needs, you'll be in a better position to decide which kitchen grade smallwares to buy.

1. Identify the restaurant gradeware smallwares known as baking supplies.

2. Find out what foodservice smallwares professionals consider as cookware necessary for commercial kitchens.

3. Get to know which commercial grade smallwares are flatware.

4. Know how restaurant smallwares suppliers describe kitchen tools.

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

Know which restaurant smallwares fall under the category of baking supplies

The term 'baking supplies' refers to all the tools professional bakers depend on to prepare cakes, breads, biscuits, muffins and pastries. These supplies are not only for use in commercial bakeries. They're also in food establishments, like diners, that do the baking on the premises.

I recommend: Read the product descriptions and view the images of commercial baking supplies at Restaurant Source and A Best Kitchen. These sites group the baking supplies according to their use, for either mixing or baking, and set forth the various materials these products are, such as stainless steel or copper. Read about the different packaging options for baked goods at Food Bakery.

Identify the foodservice smallwares that professionals call cookware

Even heavy duty cookware is considered a restaurant smallware. You'll need to be acquainted with the different categories of cookware-such as fry pans, sauté pans, saucepots-and the materials that they are.

I recommend: Read the product descriptions for commercial stainless steel stove top cookware at Maine Supply. Scanning the product descriptions at Nordic Ware will help you understand what size pots restaurants use for different foods. Learn why professional cooks consider copper cookware special by reading product descriptions at Bourgeat.

Learn which commercial grade smallwares are flatware

The term 'flatware' refers to the utensils you'll put on your restaurant tables for patrons to eat with as well as the serving utensils your wait staff will use in the dining room. View dessert spoons, dinner and dessert forks.

I recommend: Twin Supply and Central Restaurant have an extensive list of different kinds of flatware used by restaurants and caterers.

Get acquainted with restaurant equipment smallwares called kitchen tools

The term 'kitchen tools' refers to any utensil used by your cooks and kitchen staff to prepare food. Restaurant grade kitchen tools look quite different from those used by home cooks. That's why you should know what real commercial quality kitchen tools look like.

I recommend: Restaurant Solutions provides a list of wood handled utensils used by short order and grill cooks. Get more information on many different categories of catering kitchen tools at Burkett Restaurant Equipment & Supplies.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Restaurant smallwares key terms are essentially used in the same way from supplier to supplier. However, make sure you receive the product you want by specifying sizes and materials when placing orders for these smallwares.