Foodservice operators can prepare and store their food in commissaries, which are commercial kitchens that can be rented out. Food trucks and other mobile vendors can park overnight and have their equipment stored in many commissary kitchens. Rentable commercial kitchens are utilized by a range of off-premise dining businesses, even though they frequently offer food trucks extra services.

What’s Going on in Commissary Kitchens?

A commissary’s owner designs a commercial kitchen that complies with all applicable health and safety codes and pays the necessary permits. Food trucks, ghost kitchens, and caterers are examples of premises-free dining enterprises that either rent or lease their commissary from the owner. Restaurants, bakeries, and social clubs occasionally use their up-to-code kitchen rooms as commissaries to generate additional revenue.

A common business model known as KaaS (kitchen as a service) is the conversion of commercial cooking space by commissary owners into a rentable service. Similar to any other landlord-tenant relationship, the landlord expects his tenants to follow the laws and regulations of their area, and the tenant expects specific kitchen supplies and amenities from him.

Commissary kitchens are used by who?

Food Vans

Unseen Kitchens

Restaurants (as online queues for orders for delivery or takeout)

Servants

Refreshment Stands

Pop-up Eateries

Rentable Commercial Kitchen Types

In order to help you locate a commercial kitchen that meets your demands and budget, we have broken down the four primary categories of rentable kitchens:

Shared Commercial Kitchen: The proprietor lets food trucks, caterers, and pop-up chefs use their commissary kitchen at the same time. Usually, they designate storage areas and times when tenants are allowed to use the kitchen. This is a cost-effective choice because renters split the costs and the space.

Private Commercial Kitchen: Since you are responsible for the entire lease, private commissary kitchens are the priciest alternative. But you’ll get exclusive access to a room with just the supplies and materials you require. For well-known virtual eateries that require commercial cooking space during regular business hours, private commissaries are perfect. A private commissary might be required for a mobile vending idea with several cars in order to establish a central hub.

Renting a Restaurant’s Kitchen: Hiring a restaurant’s kitchen is an additional choice. You can use the full kitchen without paying for a separate commissary if you rent out a restaurant’s kitchen during off-peak hours. Because most restaurants operate on set hours, you’ll be aware of the precise times you’re allowed to access the kitchen. Some eateries are incorporating online franchising prospects and creating a menu for a ghost kitchen in addition to their own. For food trucks, renting a restaurant kitchen might not be an option because they probably won’t offer parking.

Unique Commercial Kitchen Designs Churches, social clubs, retirement homes, and schools all have commercial-grade kitchens that are equipped to code and that may be rented out. These unconventional spaces offer a terrific opportunity to access a commercial kitchen fully equipped with appliances at a reduced rental cost. Non-traditional commercial kitchens are more difficult to locate and have fewer amenities and specialty cooking instruments than a typical commissary kitchen.

How Much Does a Commercial Kitchen Rental Cost?

Provisional Kitchen

The cost of renting a commercial kitchen depends on the type of commissary and its location. Usually, renting by the hour is the least economical choice for your restaurant.

Generally speaking, renting kitchen space is less expensive the more often you use it (weekly or monthly). Location is a factor. It will be more expensive in areas where parking and real estate are in high demand.

Never forget to plan for the future and estimate your monthly income. It might be time to construct your own commercial kitchen if you are outgrowing the available area.

Are Commissaries Needed for Food Trucks to Use Them?

Commissaries aren’t only a practical choice for food trucks—local regulations frequently mandate them. Food truck owners are forced to prepare their meal ingredients in a professional kitchen since most cities forbid them from selling food that has been made at home. You might not be permitted to cook in your car if you’re not operating in a city that welcomes food trucks. In that case, you’ll have to use a commissary for all of your culinary needs.

You won’t be able to use the majority of non-traditional commissary kitchens if your city mandates that food trucks park there overnight. To find the requirements for a food truck commissary in your area, check the laws and ordinances of your community.

Benefits of Food Truck Commissary

Commissary kitchens are needed by some local rules for food truck owners to use, although many prefer to do so anyhow. Here are some more advantages of having a commissary kitchen:

More Room: More space means more room for equipment. While most food trucks have limited space in their kitchens, commissary kitchens offer a wide range of equipments and devices for use in the kitchen.

Centralized Location: A commissary kitchen might offer a central area for you to prepare your food and disperse it among your food trucks or carts. Seek out a commissary kitchen nearby to major thoroughfares and/or close to your consumers.

Amenities: In order to comply with health code laws, certain commissary kitchens will offer specific amenities for your food truck, like water and grease disposal.

Equipment: Commissary kitchens have access to a wide range of commercial equipment pieces, whereas food trucks have restricted room. Ensure that the kitchen of your food truck is equipped with the necessary specialist gear, such as smokers, woks, or waffle makers, before entering into a contract.

Parking: Commissary kitchens that provide parking for the night are quite beneficial, particularly in areas where it is mandated. If parking is available at the kitchen, find out whether it’s covered, open, and how secure it is.

Storage: You’ll never have enough room for your food truck, no matter how neatly you arrange it. Find out how much storage space you get—including refrigerated space—before choosing a commissary. This is particularly important to consider while searching for a shared kitchen because they divide the storage area across multiple groups.

Compliance: A few localities mandate that food trucks cook their meals on-site and/or spend the night in a commissary kitchen. To ensure that you are following the rules in your area, examine the ordinances in your large city. Most major cities have laws and regulations regarding food trucks.

Additional Perks: If you’re not good with tools, it’s a fortunate thing that certain commissary kitchens have a mechanic on staff to take care of truck maintenance. Some may have a manager who may assist you in completing the paperwork required to have your truck inspected and brought up to code. Additionally, commissary kitchens can offer crucial networking possibilities for securing event and party hires.

Commissary Kitchens: Benefits and Drawbacks

Commissary kitchens are a good option if you’re new to the foodservice sector, operate an off-premises restaurant, or need a separate kitchen area to prepare meals for delivery from your restaurant. The benefits and drawbacks of renting a commercial kitchen are discussed below.

Fully Equipped: Since commissary kitchens are pre-configured, there are no initial expenses.

Less Maintenance: The commissary owner is in charge of maintaining the appliances and licenses.

Temporary Savings In the near run, renting a commissary kitchen is less expensive than creating your own compliant commercial kitchen.

Long-Term Costs: Although commissary kitchens save money in the near term, they might not be a wise long-term investment. The cost of a commissary kitchen varies depending on the location. Additionally, rent may go up with time.

Remote Locations: Commissary kitchens are frequently found outside of cities, where real estate is less expensive and they may accommodate greater spaces. This lowers the cost of the rental, but it also means spending more on gas and lengthening your commute.

Conflicts in Scheduling: If your commissary is shared with other companies, you will need to rearrange your timetable so that everyone has equal access.

How Commercial Kitchens Are Rented

The methods listed below will help you locate and reserve the ideal commissary kitchen for your requirements, whether you must rent one in order to conduct business or you simply think it’s the most practical and cost-effective choice.

List the supplies and storage space you’ll need. Not every commissary has the same equipment available. Have a list of things to check prospective commissaries against if you know you’ll need specific instruments to construct your menu.

Locate commissaries nearby: You can search for commissary kitchens by state or city in a database of commissary kitchens found on websites such as The Kitchen Door. To inquire about renting a commercial kitchen at a lower cost, you can also get in touch with non-traditional commercial kitchens, such as community centers.

Availability: After you’ve compiled a list of local commercial kitchens, evaluate if the time slots they provide will work for you.

Investigate your options — While you look through the possibilities you still have, be sure to look at the following: Scores for health and safety inspections, whether or not they have cleaning facilities, whether or not they need insurance, and what kind of insurance they do require. You should also take notice of any other services the commercial kitchen provides, including a mechanic, classes, or marketing support.

Signing the deal: Before signing a commissary contract, we advise having a legal expert examine it.

Since the current food truck trend started in 2008, commissary kitchens have become more and more common to handle the increase of food truck entrepreneurs. Ghost kitchens and concession stands are just two of the many enterprises that use commercial kitchens as their bases. See if renting a commercial kitchen is the right decision for your company and learn how to locate the finest commissary kitchen.