Start With the Menu and the Floor Plan
Every equipment list should start with the menu, projected volume, and the physical space. A taco counter and a white-tablecloth kitchen need almost nothing in common beyond the basics. Work backward from each dish: what cooking appliance produces it, what refrigeration protects its ingredients, and what holding equipment keeps it at serving temperature. Then lay the resulting list over your floor plan to confirm clearances, aisle widths, and hood coverage before you order anything.
The Cold Chain Comes First
Refrigeration is the most critical system in the building, so plan it first:
- Reach-in refrigerators and freezers — most are 27 to 60 inches wide and hold one to four sections of shelving. Undercounter units fit tight kitchens.
- Prep tables — refrigerated bases with cutting boards and often cold wells; they keep 34 to 40°F and put ingredients at arm's reach.
- Walk-in coolers and freezers — for anything over about 40 to 60 cubic feet of storage need; they are built on-site and take the longest lead time.
- Ice machines — sized in pounds per day; match to bar and beverage demand, and budget for a water filter.
Buy refrigeration early, because it has the longest lead times and the most install complexity, and because a failure anywhere else in the opening week is easier to survive than a failed cooler.
Cooking Equipment
Match the cooking battery to the menu: ranges (typically 36 to 72 inches wide, with 6 to 8 burners and an oven below), convection ovens, fryers, griddles, charbroilers, and specialty items like steamers, pasta cookers, and rotisseries. Full-size gas fryers are usually rated around 100,000 to 150,000 BTU, and gas ranges commonly still need 208/240V for the oven controls even when the burners are gas. Verify gas type (natural vs propane) and voltage before ordering.
Ventilation and Fire Suppression: Non-Negotiable
A Type I hood with grease filters, an exhaust fan, makeup air, and a wet chemical fire suppression system is required wherever grease-producing equipment lives. Plan this system first, not last — it is typically the longest-lead purchase, it dictates where equipment can sit, and inspectors will not let you open without it. NFPA 96 governs most of the installation, and the suppression system must be professionally installed, tagged, and on an inspection schedule from day one.
Prep, Storage, and Sinks
- Stainless worktables and utility carts for prep.
- Shelving throughout — most kitchens use 14 to 18 inch deep shelving in dry storage and walk-ins.
- A three-compartment sink for manual washing, a dedicated hand sink, and a mop sink. Most health departments require all three, with the hand sink within reach of food prep.
- Cutting boards, food storage containers, and labeled dry storage.
Warewashing
Commercial dish machines range from undercounter models for small cafes to conveyor and flight-type machines for high volume. Most need a dedicated 208/240V circuit, and nearly all need a booster heater to deliver the 180°F final sanitizing rinse required by code. Plan chemical dispensers and a three-compartment sink as a backup for the busy shift. A dish machine that breaks on opening weekend will shut you down, so buy this one with a warranty or a service plan.
Holding and Serving
Order holding cabinets, steam tables, heat lamps, soup wells, and beverage dispensers so hot food stays above 140°F and cold food stays below 40°F between the kitchen and the guest. See the CookBidSpecs holding cabinet and steam table guides for the details on sizing and features.
Smallwares: The Budget Line Everyone Forgets
Smallwares — pots, pans, knives, cutting boards, containers, utensils, thermometers, and tabletop — routinely get underestimated. Budget roughly 10 to 15 percent of your equipment spend for them, and expect to replace much of it within a few years. It is the difference between opening night running smoothly and opening night with one saute pan for a four-burner range.
Furniture, POS, and Back of House
Dining room furniture, point-of-sale terminals, printers, a safe, uniforms, signage, and office basics all count as opening costs. Order POS early: menu setup, staff training, and payment processing take weeks, not days.
What to Buy First, in Order
1. Ventilation, fire suppression, and plumbing rough-ins — the building work.
2. Cold chain: walk-ins, reach-ins, prep tables, ice machine.
3. Cooking battery and warewashing.
4. Holding and serving equipment.
5. Smallwares, furniture, POS, and office.
This order protects your opening date: the longest-lead and most code-critical items go first, while smallwares and furniture can be sourced quickly if the schedule slips.
New vs Used
Spend new on hoods, fire suppression, dish machines, and anything food-contact that cannot be sanitized. Buy used — often at auction — for stainless tables, shelving, some reach-ins, steam tables, and heavy cooking equipment that you can inspect and test. Compare the spec sheet for any used unit against the original on CookBidSpecs to confirm voltage, dimensions, and capacity match your building.
Final Word
Write the checklist from the menu, protect the cold chain, and never compromise on ventilation and warewashing. With the ordering sequence above and spec lookups on CookBidSpecs, the equipment side of opening day becomes a schedule you can manage instead of a crisis.