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Not only does proper restaurant equipment maintenance reduce the likelihood of major equipment breakdowns, but it keeps your kitchen operation running efficiently. In today's blog, Fast Fix LLC offers some tips for determining if your equipment is in need of some professional maintenance. Keep reading for some signs to look for and questions to ask yourself. Restaurant Equipment Maintenance While some maintenance and repair needs are extremely noticeable, like when a piece of equipment doesn't turn on at all, other maintenance needs often go unnoticed. These small issues that remain unaddressed can lead to bigger, more expensive repairs and problems down the road. In addition, it can lead to premature failure and a shorter lifespan for the equipment. As your premier Missouri restaurant equipment maintenance company, we're here to help you understand when your equipment should be looked at. Questions to Ask Yourself  When determining if you're in need of Mi...

Christmas is almost here, and that means some delicious holiday foods. Whether you're eating at home or heading out to one of your favorite restaurants this holiday season, we hope you have a wonderful time with family and friends. In the spirit of Christmas, Fast Fix LLC wanted to share with you some fun facts about holiday foods. Holiday Food Fun Facts  1. Approximately 22 million people in the United States eat turkey for Christmas dinner. At Medieval Christmas feasts however, turkey was not the main dish. Instead, peacock was actually served on Christmas. Boat was also a Christmas mainstay during that era. It wasn't until Henry VIII had turkey for Christmas in the 16th century that it became the norm. 2. Mince pies date back to medieval times, if not earlier. Typically, these pies included minced meat, suet, fruits, nuts and spices like cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. The pie was originally crustless, but over time the crust was added. Today, the minced meat usually ...

Commercial refrigeration units are key components of any restaurant business. From walk-ins to freezers to ice machines, proper working refrigeration units are necessary to keep a restaurant up and running. Today's blog from Fast Fix LLC discusses a few things you can do to extend the life of your commercial refrigeration equipment. 1. Maintain Proper Airflow.  With the hustle and bustle that goes along with a restaurant kitchen, it's easy to let boxes and items pile up in places they don't belong, say next to refrigeration units. It's important that you keep these areas clear though to maintain proper airflow around the condenser coil. Most manufacturers recommend at least 2-4 inches of clearance. The more air that can freely move around, the less power will be consumed by the unit. Keeping the refrigeration units from working too hard will help the vital components last longer, extending the life of your equipment. 2. Keep the Condenser Coils Clean.  The co...

The holiday season is upon us and now is the time to start thinking about decorating your restaurant for Christmas! Something as simple as adding some lights can help brighten the mood and bring the holiday spirit into your environment. Keep reading to learn a few tips for decorating your restaurant from Fast Fix LLC . Holiday Lights  One of the simplest ways to decorate your restaurant for the holidays is to put up some holiday lights. From the exterior of the building to the dining room, some holiday lights will set the mood for the holidays. Exterior lights and decorations will help draw people into your establishment. Once they're inside, dazzle your customers with some beautiful holiday lights around the dining room.  Christmas Trees  If you have space, likely in the entryway of your establishment, consider setting up a Christmas tree! Besides lights, Christmas trees are one of the most common holiday decorations. Having a tree in your restaurant helps p...

During the holiday season, family and friends gather together in celebration. With all the hustle and bustle that goes on in December, many people choose to dine out and avoid the mess at home. How are you going to get those people in your door this holiday season? Fast Fix LLC has a few tips on how you can promote your restaurant for the holidays. 1. Book Holiday Parties.  This is the time of year for parties and many people don't have a space of their own large enough to host everyone at once. Those people are seeking out places, such as your restaurant, to host their event. If your restaurant has a private room, that's an even bigger plus for people to host their parties at your establishment. Make sure to spread the word that you're available for hosting holiday parties. 2. Emphasize Your Catering Services.  While many people can agree they don't want to prepare a large meal, not everyone wants to celebrate the holidays in public. Many people would rath...

When running a commercial kitchen, there's a lot of grease involved. This poses a risk for grease fires if you're not careful. Thousands of restaurants report fires each year. The National Fire Protection Association estimates that these fires cause an average of $246 million in property damage. A major fire can ruin a business and lead to a lot of lost revenue. The majority of restaurant kitchen fires begin when flammable cooking material, such as oil and grease, ignite. Today's blog from Fast Fix LLC discusses how to handle a grease fire, as well as some prevention tips. How to Put Out a Grease Fire The most important thing to remember when a grease fire occurs in your commercial kitchen is not to use water. For small kitchen fires, start by turning off the heat source. Then attempt to remove all the oxygen that's fueling the fire. This can be accomplished by covering it with another pot or baking pan. If you are unable to cover the fire, dump baking soda on top...

As a restaurant owner, you want your kitchen equipment to last for years to come. Food service equipment is expensive, and Fast Fix LLC is here to help you keep it in tip-top shape for as long as possible. Follow these guidelines to extend the life of your commercial kitchen equipment. 1. Constantly Clean Your Equipment.  The single most important step in prolonging the life of your commercial kitchen equipment is to keep it clean. That means cleaning it daily, and sometimes multiple times per day depending on the piece of equipment and how often it is used. By avoiding the build up of grease and grime, which can cause premature malfunction. 2. Use Proper Cleaning Methods.  Not only is it important to clean your commercial kitchen equipment regularly, but it's important to clean it properly. That means using the proper cleaning supplies and chemicals that are safe for the type of equipment you are cleaning. Refer to the operating manual for guidelines to follow. U...

The holidays are quickly approaching, and that means both companies and individuals are going to be looking for the perfect spot to host their holiday parties. Your restaurant could be that spot! Today's blog from Fast Fix LLC offers a few tips for preparing your restaurant for holidays. From training your staff to prepping the kitchen, there's a lot to do to prepare for the holiday season. 1. Hire Seasonal Staff.  Not only are you likely to have an influx of customers during the holiday season, but your seasoned employees are going to want some time off. Be sure to over staff during the months of November and December to make sure you can cater to all your customers, and continue to provide great service throughout the holiday season. You want people to keep coming back, and in order to do that, they need to have a great experience at your restaurant. 2. Determine a Holiday Menu.  Many restaurants choose to offer special menu items during the holiday season. Now...

While not as common as stoves or fryers, some commercial kitchens use rotisseries for cooking chicken. These unique pieces of equipment require daily cleaning and maintenance to keep them working properly. Today's blog from Fast Fix LLC offers some tips for cleaning and maintaining rotisserie ovens. Cleaning Your Rotisserie Oven While you should clean every piece of equipment in your commercial kitchen each day, it's especially important to clean your rotisseries daily to maintain good performance. In order to do so, you will need a bucket of water with non-chlorinated soap, a spray bottle of floor and wall cleaner, a spray bottle of food-safe sanitizer, a bottle of food-safe coating spray, a scrub pad, a clean cloth, a squeegee, safety goggles, oven cleaning gloves and possibly a razor blade scraper. Cleaning Prep After the last cooking cycle of the day, be sure to power off the rotisserie. Make sure to let it cool off for at least 15 minutes before attempting to clea...

By better understanding the role of restaurant equipment in your commercial kitchen and how important that upkeep is, you'll be able to decrease your overall costs, improve your maintenance and repair budget, and schedule capital upgrade costs on your schedule and time frame. By making smart and informed choices about equipment maintenance, you'll be able to save money, time and frustration. Here's what you need to know about restaurant equipment maintenance in Missouri : 1. You Can Reduce Repair Costs Through Regular Maintenance.  Think of it like your vehicle; you perform regular oil changes to reduce the likelihood of needing engine repairs. The better you take care of your vehicle through regular maintenance checks, the less likely you are to need repairs. Reducing the amount of repairs needed will decrease the cost of repairs. Plus the cost of maintaining your equipment is typically much less expensive than paying for the repairs after neglecting a maintenance i...

While restaurants can fail for many reasons, about 80% of those that fail go under because they underestimated the startup capital needed. There are always unexpected things that come up with opening a new restaurant, and it almost always costs more than what you would think. Today's blog from Fast Fix LLC offers some advice to those just starting out in the restaurant business. Below you will learn several of the common unexpected costs of opening a restaurant. 1. Design Materials.  When opening a new restaurant, you want it to have a certain look. Obtaining that look can result in a pretty large expense. While you will start with a budget, any changes to in the plans after the project is started can incur extra costs. Maybe the materials you thought you wanted don't look at great in-person and you need to upgrade to something better. Be prepared to go over budget to get your restaurant to look great! 2. Construction Surprises.  When it comes to a building project,...