When your kitchen is flat-out on a busy shift, the last thing you want is your fridge, oven, or dishwasher letting you down. Repairs can be expensive, but the real cost is often in the lost time, spoiled food, or cancelled orders.
Over the years, we’ve seen how simple habits and the right maintenance plan can keep your equipment running longer and save you money. Here are five things every catering business should know (including some that most people don’t).
1. Stick to a Regular Service Schedule
Many catering businesses don’t service their equipment until it breaks down. But that’s always more expensive in the long run.
Our secret:
Scheduling a service is fine, but what truly matters is timing it around your actual usage, not the calendar. For example, a bakery using ovens for 10 hours a day will wear out heating elements much faster than a hotel breakfast station. Tailoring your service schedule to usage makes it far more effective (and saves on unnecessary expensive call-outs).
Also, manufacturers often require proof of regular servicing to honour warranties. Skipping it could cost you more than you think.
2. Daily and Weekly Cleaning Is Non-Negotiable
Most kitchen teams clean surfaces daily. But equipment needs more than a wipe-down.
Our secret:
Grease and dust build-up in ventilation grills, condenser coils, and fans reduces airflow, which can cause overheating. That’s one of the most common reasons we see why fridges and freezers fail.
One small tip that works is to keep a soft paintbrush in your kitchen to clean between fan blades or coil fins. It takes seconds and makes a real difference. Also, never use bleach-based cleaners on stainless steel or rubber seals. It dries them out and leads to cracking, which is expensive to fix and reduces hygiene standards.
3. Train Your Team to Spot the Small Stuff
Your team are with the equipment every day. Training them to notice early warning signs can honestly save thousands.
Our secret:
A slightly louder hum, a door that doesn’t shut as tightly, or trays that slide differently than usual are often the first signs of something starting to fail. Most engineers will tell you, by the time something smells burnt or stops working altogether, the damage has been done.
Training your staff to report “small odd things” (and acting on them promptly!) is one of the easiest ways to catch problems early.
4. Pay Attention to Layout, Access and Airflow
Many people assume equipment will just slot in and work wherever it fits. Not quite.
Our secret:
Your fridge or oven needs breathing space. If it’s boxed in tightly, especially near walls or heat sources, it has to work harder. That shortens the motor’s life.
Also, motor placement matters. In a hot kitchen, a top-mounted motor will be pulling in the hottest air in the room. It will overheat and fail sooner. In that environment, bottom-mounted motors tend to perform better. We’ve seen plenty of businesses swap fridges simply because they didn’t realise this.
Finally, always check if the fridge or freezer can even get through the door before you buy. You’d be surprised how many kitchens find this out too late!
5. Keep Records and Use the Right Engineers
I’ll have to make a sign that says “equipment logs are boring but essential”. If you’re not tracking what’s been done, you’re guessing and possibly losing money.
Our secret:
Engineers rely on your notes. A simple log showing “last serviced May 2024 – door gasket replaced” helps them work faster, diagnose better, and avoid repeating jobs. It also shows patterns, like if the same fault keeps cropping up, it might be time to replace rather than repair.
Also, make sure you're using engineers who are familiar with commercial catering equipment. Domestic repairers may not have the right parts or expertise. And for gas equipment, by law you must always use a Gas Safe registered engineer.
Final Tip
Maintaining catering equipment avoids breakdowns, but more importantly it protects your business, your time, and your reputation. When your kit works well, everything runs more smoothly, and that makes life easier for your team and your bottom line.
Do you need help choosing reliable catering equipment or getting expert advice? We’re always happy to help.
Best wishes,
Norman and Richard