If you’re running a restaurant and don’t have the time to go shopping every day, you might be surprised to hear that today, it’s possible to get the freshest ingredients delivered right to your doorstep through restaurant food suppliers.
These service providers have quickly risen to become an important component of the restaurant and catering scene. Why? Because they save you two of the most important things: time and money!
Below, we’re going to explore how you can choose the best restaurant food suppliers by looking at factors like price, minimum order quantity, and quality of product!
The Most Important Step: Reading Reviews
When searching for a restaurant food supplier, it is crucial to make informed choices that balance high-quality service, product excellence, and affordability. To begin your evaluation, research the reputation of potential suppliers by conducting an online search. Utilizing search engines such as Google and including keywords such as “restaurant food supplier” can provide links to reviews and experiences from previous customers, making it a valuable starting point in your search.
If you’re not happy with the results, keep reading until you find something that works for your needs. There are many different types of suppliers; some specialize in certain foods, while others offer everything from produce to meat. Some are better stocked than others; some have more employees who know more about food preparation than others.
You should also consider whether or not they deliver their products or if they subcontract delivery work out to other companies who specialize in just that type of service.
Other Hacks for Choosing the Best Restaurant Food Supplier
And now that we’ve covered the most important, here are some more tips and hacks to ensure you’re choosing the best restaurant food supplier:
1. Choose What You’re Going to Serve
The first step in choosing a restaurant food supplier is determining what type of food products you need. You might want to focus on one type of cuisine, such as Italian or French, or you may want to offer several different cuisines at your restaurant.
Additionally, it is crucial to consider the type of cuisine your restaurant offers when selecting a food supplier. For instance, if you are opening a seafood restaurant, it would be most beneficial to choose a supplier who specializes in a diverse selection of seafood products. This not only enables you to expand your menu as necessary, but it also provides a centralized source for acquiring the necessary raw ingredients.
2. Do your research
Before looking at suppliers, try doing online research on their websites. You’ll find information about the types of ingredients they offer and at what prices. This is a very, very important step because frankly, it’s a hassle to choose a provider and then find out they don’t provide a certain type of ingredient, like seafood.
You can also see if they have any special offers that may help you save money. Suppliers will often have offers if you place orders above a certain quantity threshold. You should also watch out for seasonal offers, which you’ll see the most with seasonal vegetables and fruits.
3. Look at their reviews on social media sites like Yelp or Facebook
These pages offer honest feedback from customers who have tried out each restaurant’s dishes and liked them or not. If there are negative comments about a particular restaurant, it’s probably best to avoid going there since those customers were not satisfied with their experience.
Checking out their social media pages is important because these restaurant food suppliers’ reviews are from restaurant managers just like you. If you see an issue consistently pop up, that means that provider has a problem with their service.
However, you shouldn’t take one bad review to heart. If you’re interested in a particular provider but they have bad reviews, you can call them and find out more about what the issue is.
4. Make sure they’re licensed
Finally, make sure that any potential suppliers are licensed by local governments before signing any contracts. This is a pretty important step and, unfortunately, something that often goes overlooked.
The Takeaway
Choosing the right restaurant food supplier can be a daunting task. With so many different products and companies to choose from, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. The best tip we could give you is this: keep a cool head and follow the tips here, and you won’t make the wrong choice!