As someone managing operations for a restaurant, you’re constantly pulled in different directions, trying to help your employees while keeping guests happy.
It doesn’t matter how busy your shift is; your daily to-do list is never ending—from keeping tabs on the guest experience, making shift schedules, and ordering ingredients, to managing vendor relationships, training new hires, and attending meetings.
Time is limited when trying to manage all the constantly moving parts in a restaurant. Unsurprisingly, many to-dos get pushed down the priority list.
Repairs, on the other hand? They immediately become an emergency because your restaurant simply can’t operate without functioning equipment.
Managing repairs properly can be stressful and time-consuming. But what if commercial restaurant equipment repair could be taken off your plate entirely?
Here’s how to tackle it efficiently—even when you’re drowning in work.
What is commercial restaurant equipment repair?
Commercial restaurant equipment repair is the process of responding to restaurant equipment issues, like an oven that won’t switch on or an AC that’s leaking, and finding a fix to restore it to its original working condition.
Common equipment issues that must be addressed include:
Why is commercial restaurant equipment repair important?
Much can be said for routine preventative maintenance. It’s crucial for daily operations because it helps avoid equipment breakdowns and last-minute emergencies that can be expensive to resolve.
But it can’t always prevent 100% of equipment issues. Equipment will inevitably break down. When that happens, it requires immediate attention: without functioning equipment, your restaurant cannot operate efficiently, staff can’t do their work, guests end up unhappy, and you lose sales.
Just think of…
- Your local cheesesteak spot. How can it operate and produce its flagship sandwich without a working flat top grill?
- The ice cream parlor around the corner. How can it serve soft serve without a working ice cream machine?
- The massive, international fast food chain spot known for its french fries. How can it give people what they want without a functioning fryer?
The short answer to these questions: they can’t.
But with an approach to commercial restaurant repair that’s already used by many other restaurants, they can get up and running in no time.
How do other businesses manage commercial restaurant equipment repair?
There are countless examples of restaurant operators who’ve fully committed to a repairs and maintenance (R&M) process—and reaped the benefits. Here are just a few of their stories:
Brandon Stewart of Starboard Investments dba Jimmy John's
Brandon was spread so thin hiring and managing employees that he had no bandwidth to train them on R&M—and even less time to focus on expanding his business. He was struggling to keep track of all repairs across every location.
But after partnering with a tech-enabled solution that’s focused solely on R&M management, he now has more time to devote to scaling his operation.
Richmond Green of gusto!
Richmond was spending way too much of his time managing R&M. “I was making sure we had the right vendor contract signed, that dates were being scheduled for visits, and that we were getting follow-up visits scheduled after vendor visits,” explains Richmond. “And then coordinating with the leaders of our shops with the specifics for each one of their locations. It was a lot of management on my end.”
By offloading communications with vendors, Richmond has freed up 5% of his time and saved roughly $200 per vendor visit.
Jeff Gelwix of Pacific Drive-Ins dba Sonic
Jeff audited his operations and discovered they lacked a standard procedure for managing repairs. As a result, Jeff “continued to dump money into equipment and had no way of attaching spend to specific assets besides recollection and memory.” After finding a better solution, his overall R&M spend dropped year-over-year.
Three options to manage commercial restaurant equipment repairs
Those committed to R&M typically track repairs with either manual record-keeping, facilities maintenance software, or a restaurant repair service.
Pen and paper or spreadsheets can work in a pinch—but they get increasingly difficult to use when repairs are documented differently across shifts, individual employees, and different locations.
And with facility management software, or a CMMS, operators still need to manage all the information around a service request, from documentation to contacting vendors to sourcing quotes to resolution. That’s not to mention the time spent getting the software set up and training staff on how to use the complex system.
A restaurant repair service, however, saves operators time and stress by handling repairs from end to end so they don’t have to. Brandon, Richmond, and Jeff all use this solution for the most efficient way to manage R&M.
They get a documented R&M process that’s easy for everyone on the team to follow, even when things get really hectic. Everyone knows exactly what to do when equipment fails: they simply call or text a number to reach a Customer Service team who helps them every step of the way, from troubleshooting to vendor dispatch to resolution.
The solution even tracks all repairs performed on equipment and provides access to a complete repair history online. This gives operators complete visibility into the entire R&M process. And with resources to help them interpret this data, they can make better R&M decisions, like whether to repair or replace equipment.
These three operators now have full control of their R&M strategy and enjoy decreased downtime, reduced costs, and more free time to spend keeping customers happy.
A simple solution for R&M that saves time and stress
Brandon, Richmond, and Jeff don’t just use any restaurant repair service—they’re all 86 Repairs customers. Our R&M solution is specifically built for the restaurant industry, so we understand operators’ unique challenges and are able to support the equipment and infrastructure found in restaurant kitchens.
Not only is 86 easy to use—requiring zero specialized training to get started—but it takes commercial restaurant equipment repair off the plates of our customers by managing all repairs on their behalf.
All they have to do is call or text one single number. Our team, with extensive industry experience, handles the rest—from finding new, trusted vendors when operators’ preferred partners are unavailable to sourcing more quotes when a vendor’s pricing seems too high.
We also go the extra mile by providing actionable data and insights to help operators make better R&M decisions that drive growth.
As Jeff Gelwix points out: “With 86 Repairs, we are able to trust the process, knowing we’re being as effective and efficient as possible in how we spend our dollars. We can trust that when we make a decision it’s the best decision..”
So, trust our R&M process: Book a demo to learn how 86 Repairs can simplify commercial restaurant equipment repair—and save time and stress.