New restaurant equipment costs $40,000 to $200,000 depending on your concept. A quick-service restaurant might spend $40,000-$80,000. A casual dining restaurant might spend $60,000-$120,000. A full-service restaurant with a bar might spend $100,000-$150,000. A fine dining kitchen with a combi oven, sous vide setup, and custom fabrication can hit $200,000+. A cafe or bakery might spend $35,000-$70,000. A food truck: $25,000-$50,000.
I've helped outfit 12 restaurant kitchens. The owners who overspent bought everything new from a single dealer who "gave them a package deal." The owners who spent smart bought new where it mattered and used where it didn't. The difference was usually $30,000-$50,000.
Cooking Equipment
Ranges and Ovens
A 6-burner gas range with a standard oven: $3,000-$8,000. Garland, Vulcan, and Southbend are the standard brands. Buy new. Used ranges have burner issues, oven thermostat problems, and grease buildup you'll never fully clean.
A double-stack convection oven: $8,000-$15,000. Blodgett or Vulcan. Buy new or lightly used from a restaurant auction. A 3-year-old Blodgett for $5,000 is a good deal if a tech inspects it first.
A combi oven: $12,000-$25,000. Rational or Alto-Shaam. Buy new with a warranty. Used combis are repair nightmares.
If you don't need a full-size commercial oven, a countertop specialty oven can save serious money. The Ooni Koda 16 gas pizza oven hits 950°F, runs about $600, and is popular with food trucks and small kitchens that can't justify $8,000 for a deck oven.
A fryer: $1,000-$3,000 per vat. Pitco or Frymaster. A 2-vat fryer runs $2,000-$5,000. Buy new. Used fryers have oil degradation in the lines and burner issues.
A griddle: $1,500-$4,000. Vulcan or Star. Buy new. A warped griddle surface is unfixable and ruins cooking consistency.
A charbroiler: $1,500-$4,000. Vulcan or MagiKitch'n. Can buy used if the grates aren't warped and the burners fire evenly.
Small Cooking Equipment
Microwave: $200-$500. Buy new. Commercial microwaves last 3-5 years. A $200 Amana commercial microwave is fine.
Salamander (overhead broiler): $1,500-$3,000. Buy new. Used salamanders have burner issues and grease buildup.
Steam table: $1,000-$2,500 per well. Buy used. It's a heated water bath. Not much to break.
Heat lamps: $100-$300 each. Buy new. They're cheap enough that used isn't worth the risk.
Refrigeration
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Walk-in cooler (8x10): $12,000-$25,000 installed. Buy new. The installation quality matters as much as the box. A poorly installed walk-in will have problems forever.
I had a client in Atlanta whose walk-in floor wasn't properly sealed. Water got under the floor panels and froze. The ice expanded and cracked three floor panels. $4,200 to replace. The installer had saved maybe 2 hours by skipping the sealant. Don't let your installer cut corners on the walk-in.
Reach-in refrigerator (2-door): $2,500-$5,000. True or Turbo Air. Buy new or certified refurbished. A used True with a new gasket set is fine.
Reach-in freezer (2-door): $3,000-$6,000. True or Turbo Air. Buy new. Freezers work harder than refrigerators. Used freezers are more likely to fail.
Undercounter refrigerator: $1,500-$3,000. True or Beverage-Air. Buy new. These sit under the line and get kicked, spilled on, and abused. Used ones are beat up.
Prep table (refrigerated): $2,000-$4,000. True or Turbo Air. Buy new. The cutting board surface on used prep tables is always trashed.
Ice machine (500 lb): $3,000-$5,500. Hoshizaki or Manitowoc. Buy new. Used ice machines have scale buildup and slime issues you'll never fully resolve.
Food Preparation
Commercial mixer (20 qt): $2,000-$4,000. Hobart. Buy used. Hobart mixers last 30+ years. A 15-year-old Hobart for $1,500 is a better buy than a new no-name mixer for $1,200.
Food processor (continuous feed): $800-$1,500. Robot Coupe. Buy new. The blades and bowls on used ones are always damaged.
Slicer: $1,000-$2,500. Hobart or Berkel. Buy used if the blade is sharp and the carriage moves smoothly. A new blade costs $200-$400.
Prep tables (stainless steel): $300-$800 each. Buy used. Stainless steel tables don't wear out. Check for rust at the welds and leveling feet that still adjust.
Shelving (wire): $100-$300 per unit. Buy used. Wire shelving lasts forever. Check for bent shelves and missing clips.
Warewashing
Dishwasher (door-type): $6,000-$12,000. Hobart or Jackson. Buy new. Used dishwashers have pump issues, scale buildup, and chemical dispenser problems.
3-compartment sink: $500-$1,500. Buy used. It's a sink. Check for leaks at the welds.
Pot and pan sink: $500-$1,500. Buy used. Same as above.
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Glass washer (undercounter): $3,000-$6,000. Hobart. Buy new if you're a bar. Used glass washers have chemical residue issues.
Bar Equipment
Kegerator: $1,500-$3,000. True or Beverage-Air. Buy new. Used kegerators have mold in the lines and compressor issues.
Back bar cooler: $2,000-$4,000. True or Beverage-Air. Buy new. The glass doors on used units are always scratched or fogged. The Avantco UBB-4G-HC 90-inch glass door cooler is a cost-effective alternative at roughly $2,000 with 4.2-star ratings.
Blender (commercial): $400-$800. Vitamix or Blendtec. Buy new. Used blenders have worn motors and dull blades.
Ice bin: $300-$800. Buy used. It's an insulated bin. Check for cracks and lid fit.
Furniture and Front of House
Tables: $100-$400 each. Buy new or used depending on your concept. Used tables from a restaurant auction can be $50-$100 each. Refinish them and they look new.
Chairs: $50-$200 each. Buy new. Used chairs have wobbly legs, torn upholstery, and mystery stains. Not worth it.
Bar stools: $100-$300 each. Buy new. Same reasoning as chairs.
Booths: $500-$1,500 per booth. Buy new. Custom booths need to fit your space. Used booths rarely fit right.
Host stand: $300-$800. Buy new or used. It's a podium. Used is fine if it looks decent.
POS System
POS terminal: $500-$1,200 per terminal. Toast, Square, or Clover. Buy new with a service contract. Your POS is not where you save money.
Kitchen display system: $300-$800 per screen. Buy new. Used screens have burn-in and touch issues.
Cash drawer: $100-$200. Buy new. They're cheap enough.
Receipt printer: $200-$400. Epson. Buy new. Used receipt printers have head wear and paper feed issues.
Smallwares and Kitchen Tools
Pots and pans: $2,000-$5,000 total. Vollrath or Winco. Buy new. Used pots have warped bottoms and loose handles.
Sheet pans: $10-$20 each. Buy new. They're disposable items. Budget 20-30 pans.
Knives: $50-$200 each. Victorinox for house knives, Wusthof or Shun for chef knives. Buy new. Used knives have worn blades and damaged handles.
Cutting boards: $20-$50 each. Buy new. Used cutting boards have deep grooves that harbor bacteria.
Smallwares (tongs, spatulas, ladles, whisks): $1,000-$2,000 total. Buy new. These are cheap and get lost constantly.
What to Skip Entirely
Panini press: Unless paninis are 20%+ of your menu, skip it. It takes counter space and gets used twice a week.
Specialty equipment for one dish: If a piece of equipment only makes one menu item, that item better be your bestseller. A $3,000 pasta extruder for a pasta dish that's 5% of sales is a bad investment.
Excess refrigeration: Every extra refrigerator costs $500-$1,000 per year in electricity. Buy what you need for 2-3 days of storage, not a week.
I'll add one more: the $800 Vitamix blender for a restaurant that doesn't do blended drinks. I see these in kitchens all the time. The owner bought it because "it's the best." It gets used once a week to puree a soup. A $100 Oster commercial blender would do the same job. That's $700 that could have bought sheet pans, cutting boards, and a case of tongs.
Total Cost Summary
| Category | Budget Range | Mid-Range |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking Equipment | $15,000-$50,000 | $30,000 |
| Refrigeration | $15,000-$40,000 | $25,000 |
| Food Preparation | $5,000-$15,000 | $8,000 |
| Warewashing | $5,000-$15,000 | $10,000 |
| Bar Equipment | $3,000-$10,000 | $5,000 |
| Furniture | $10,000-$30,000 | $18,000 |
| POS System | $3,000-$8,000 | $5,000 |
| Smallwares | $5,000-$10,000 | $7,000 |
| Total | $61,000-$178,000 | $108,000 |
Buy cooking equipment and refrigeration new. Buy stainless steel tables, shelving, and smallwares used. Your POS system, dishwasher, and ice machine should be new with local service available. Everything else is negotiable.
The goal isn't to spend the least. It's to spend once and not have equipment failures during your first year. A $4,000 used convection oven that needs a $1,200 repair in month 3 and a $900 repair in month 8 costs you $6,100 and two days of downtime. A $7,000 new one with a warranty costs you $7,000 and zero downtime. Sometimes the cheap option is the expensive one.
For deeper dives on specific equipment, read our guides on commercial ovens, refrigerators, dishwashers, and ice machines.
Equipment list ready? Now pick your POS system. Read our POS Comparison Guide to find the right system for your restaurant.
Disclosure: Some links in this article are affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. We only recommend products we've researched and believe will help restaurant owners.
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