Equipment provided by vendors?

[snowman]

Does anyone have a list of vendors that provide free or reduced price equipment? I know Coke does, but what about coffee, tea, refrigeration, dishwashing, etc?

 

[Deacon_V]

I’m new enough to not be your best answer man, but our Pepsi machine was provided by Pepsi. Our major food distributor placed a coffee machine at no cost, got the Iced Tea maker I’d picked up cheap on auction set up and running smoothly, and we lease our dish machine from them for an extremely low monthly rate on a 36 month “lease to own” program. They took care of all the install, the calibration, cleaning, and any issue that I may have with it all as part of the lease agreement. In three years, when it’s worn out…it’s all mine! :lol:

 

[ddariel20]

i know here in the northeast that us foods will do some programs as long as you are “sleeping” with them, which i won’t

 

[royster13]

There isn’t really any free equipment…Just equipment you pay for with a little extra built in to the cost of your purchases…If you are short of capital or in a jam it works but best if you can buy your own equipment…

 

[famouspizza]

one of the best things we did was go with a company called Auto-Chlor for our dishwashing. I sold me often-serviced undercounter dishwasher that cost me a fortune in chemicals and signed up with them instead and they provide the machine & chemicals for a monthly fee. Best part was that it was cheaper than what I was paying for chemicals alone and and repairs are their problem…wish I knew about them before I bought my own machine

Pepsi gave me 2-2door coolers and 2-6 head fountains and when I switched to them they gave me $5k which I used some of it to buy my own merchandising cooler where we keep desserts and overhead fountain ice machines

 

[Penelope]

another way to go is see if they have used equipment that they sell.

We bought our used dishwasher from our distributor for a great price, with the understanding that we would buy the chemicals from them (which we would of anyways) This was 14 years ago they came and set it up, and they still come out and do repairs and a yearly maintenance on the machine for free.

 

[snowman]

How long did you have to agree to put up with Pepsi? I cannot stand Pepsi and I know serving their products instead of Coke will cost me sales. But $5k is $5k. How’d you pull that off?

The problem with used equipment is not knowing what you’re getting. Things like a walk-in cooler where the walls are either there or they’re not is one thing, but I know nothing about dishwashers, how much they cost to repair, or even really how I’m going to use it (if that makes sense).

 

[Penelope]

snowman:

The problem with used equipment is not knowing what you’re getting. Things like a walk-in cooler where the walls are either there or they’re not is one thing, but I know nothing about dishwashers, how much they cost to repair, or even really how I’m going to use it (if that makes sense).

I look at this the opposite way—I would spend the money to buy new refridgeration. you don’t store perishable items in a dishwasher or coffee maker, you could loose a lot of money in inventory and sales if it goes down.

You maybe able to buy the walls for the walkin used, but the compressor and evaporator could cost up to $1000.00 to get new ones and get them installed.

 

[Piper]

snowman:

How long did you have to agree to put up with Pepsi? I cannot stand Pepsi and I know serving their products instead of Coke will cost me sales. But $5k is $5k. How’d you pull that off?

You will undoubtedly be able to get a similar deal from Coke. The also gave me $5k when I switched to them at the cost of a 7 year contract. That was a huge mistake for me.

I agree 100% with Royster. My advice is to not get in bed with any particular vendor to save a couple thousand dollars. You will pay for it, dearly, through the years.