3 WAYS TO REDUCE YOUR RESTAURANT'S ELECTRICAL COSTS

Instead of the cleaning crew arriving after the building is empty, the crew should come at the same time the employees are performing closing tasks. When the employees and the cleaning crew work together, you can turn off the lights, turn up the air conditioner, and perform other electricity-reducing steps earlier. Shortening the business day by an hour might not seem like a lot, but when you add up the savings over a year, your efforts will prove to be valuable.

You can also streamline tasks like inventory delivery to minimize electrical costs. Each time the door to your refrigeration closet opens, the temperature will lower. The more frequently the door opens, the more the temperature drops. In order to maintain freshness, the system has to work hard to quickly increase the temperature. Try to combine your inventory delivery times so that you don't have to open the doors as often throughout the day.

Outdated appliances can quickly drive electrical consumption up. If you have appliances that are very old, they likely are not equipped with the latest energy-efficient technology. For example, older dishwashers use more hot water than newer models. The more hot water the dishwasher uses in a cycle, the more electricity necessary to heat the water.

Older appliances also lose some of their efficiency overtime, which means that they burn more energy than they did before to perform the same task. Newer appliances generally come with fewer maintenance needs, which can also help you keep your cost low.

If you've never had an energy audit performed, now is a great time to schedule the service. As part of the audit, an energy professional will assess the function of your electrical systems to see which devices are wasting energy, including your appliances. Replacing outdated appliances is an investment in long-term savings.

You strive to provide each customer with fresh food, but fresh doesn't always have to translate into cooked to order. You can prepare some dishes beforehand, and with the right storage practices, the food can taste like it came straight from the oven when delivered to the table.

Look over your reports to see what your most popular dishes are and look for ways to prepare these dishes in bulk, while preserving their freshness. Cooking processes account for around 14% of a business's electrical consumption. When you cook in larger quantities, you may be able to reduce the number of times you have to use your oven and other appliances throughout the day, which will ultimately help you reduce your consumption and cost.

Additionally, during high-traffic periods, large ovens heat up the kitchen, and if you have an open kitchen concept, the dining room temperature may also increase. Whenever the air temperature is higher, the air conditioning has to work harder.

Keep your electrical costs reasonable so that you can put more money into improving your business. Whether it's an upgrade to your electrical system or questions about additional cost-saving tips you can take advantage of, Langer Electric Service Co. is here to serve you. Contact us today.