In recent times, commercial kitchens are proving to be a very useful & comparatively cost-effective replacement for setting kitchen infra.
Commercial Kitchens are fully equipped prep kitchens that are given out for rent & are used in shared spaces. They are also known as shared kitchens, culinary kitchens, community kitchens, or food hubs!
There has been a rise in commercial kitchen models. This is due to the increase in small-scale entrepreneurial ventures opening up in the restaurant industry. Bakeries, food trucks, cloud kitchens, delivery services, social media chefs, and other small-scale businesses are benefiting greatly from using a commercial kitchen for their operations rather than setting up their own kitchens.
Although working out of a commercial kitchen has several obvious benefits over doing business out of your own home, doing so is not very simple. Renting the ideal commissary kitchen needs a proper understanding of your needs and budget. After you’ve assessed all of your requirements and specifications, you can begin looking for a restaurant kitchen that will best meet your demands.
Let us first understand how beneficial are these restaurant kitchens for your business.
Why You Should Rent A Commercial Kitchen?
1. Economical
When compared to other possibilities, the hourly or daily rates that commercial kitchens are rather reasonable, especially for startups and smaller businesses on a tight budget. Scheduling is also flexible, so you never waste money on unused hours or square footage.
2. Security
Because the owner of a commercial kitchen is responsible for obtaining a license and insurance, you do not need to be concerned about any of the legal ramifications associated with having such a place under your own name.
3. Temporary Renting Possible
Cloud kitchen enterprises or food businesses which run on seasonal demands may need to rent a space for a temporary basis in order to complete the high volume of delivery orders received from a single area. The concept of renting commercial kitchens makes this possible without too much effort or huge financial investment.
What Are The Different Types of Commercial Kitchens?
1. Catering Kitchens
If you’re short on restaurant kitchen space and would like to consolidate your food production into one central location for convenience or to accommodate a growing customer base, a central production unit could be the answer.
2. Cloud Kitchen
Commercial kitchens known as “cloud kitchens” are rented by small businesses that solely accept delivery orders and don’t offer dine-in service. The terms virtual kitchens, ghost kitchens, and dark kitchens are also used to describe them. The location of cloud kitchens is quite important because customers usually order food from their homes. In this situation, accessibility serves a critical role.
3. Central Production Units
Private companies often set up central production units or kitchens, at one central site and transport the prepared meals to several branch locations. This is a common practice in restaurants that want to expand their dining area and move their kitchen somewhere else. In this approach, there is minimal overlap between the two operations, and no unnecessary room is wasted.
Tips to Rent a Commercial Kitchen
1. Assess Your Needs
There are 3 different formats of a commercial kitchen. The prices of course vary with every format. The three formats are
- Commissary Kitchen: These buildings are approved to be used as kitchens and cold storage. Bakers, freelance chefs, and those who operate food trucks sometimes rent space in commercial kitchens.
- Shared Space: The primary function of a shared area is to facilitate group work. The fact that you have to reserve a time slot in advance indicates that multiple tenants use the commissary kitchen at any same time. There are many restaurants that rent out their space to other parties during off-peak hours at cheap rates.
- Private Kitchen: Those who prefer total independence in the kitchen will appreciate the benefits of a private commissary kitchen. There is no time limit on your use of the kitchen. It can also be used for food storage, and appliances can be rearranged to suit individual needs.
2. Check for Safety Measures
Carelessness in your commercial kitchen can have a direct impact on your customers’ health since they will consume the food you prepare with the expectation that it is safe and healthy. Just like you would check a building for safety precautions if you were looking to rent a house, you should also make sure that the commercial kitchen has all the safety measures it needs.
3. Kitchen Equipment
Your restaurant kitchen equipment requirements will vary depending on the type of business you run. Before signing the lease, make sure that the commissary kitchen meets the needs of your company. If it’s a cloud kitchen, for example, you’ll need a parking area outside the kitchen for drivers to park their vehicles while they pick up the food.
4. Location of the Kitchen
Before signing the lease, double-check the accessibility of your commercial kitchen. People are more inclined to order from your restaurant if it is located in a downtown area because the meal will be delivered in less time. If you intend to establish a central production unit, ensure that the location is central to all franchises.
Follow the advice in this blog to find the best commercial kitchen for your company. Before signing the contract, pay close attention to its conditions. You don’t want to commit to additional expenses that you could have avoided entirely by simply reading the lease once.
Hope this helps. For more restaurant-industry trends & updates, follow us on Instagram!
