You Are In: FAQ's

Hot meals: Do I need an A3 /A5 licence to sell hot food?
The first thing to realise is that you do not need an A3/A5 licence to sell hot food, provided you are not cooking it from raw. The beauty however, lies in providing an efficient service by offering pre-prepared meals such as lasagnes that you can heat in the oven and put straight onto the hot food display - enticing customers in, with the aroma and instant hot food, ready to go.

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The edge: How can I compete with the large chains?
As a small business, you can enjoy an edge over large commercial competitors and high street chains by offering better quality food, at better prices and with a quicker, more personalised service. Get creative and make the food in your hot displays attractive and appetising. When customers at cafe chains are waiting 10 minutes for simple Paninis, you know that you can offer so much better! 

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Why should I change my display?

It’s all about image!The best salesperson: a Refrigerated Display or Hot Display. Not only is it economical, but also the most hardworking salesperson you will ever employ! It also means the difference between either, your food looking mediocre, or, amazingly tantalising. The Refrigerated Display or Hot Display will help the image of your outlet because, not only does it look good, it works well too, serving as a magnet that will attract passers-by to pop in for more than just a small bite to eat. Refrigeration equipment is a speciality here at Catersales. With most of our Refrigerated Display featuring two shelves, there is plenty of space to get creative with an image that will tempt the hungry (and even the not so hungry) customers to step inside! Your choice of Refrigerated Display or Hot Display and arrangement of the display within it can also help to create a very specific brand image, again helping to differentiate yourself from your competitors. Your food display tells the customer everything. It speaks for you so you don’t have to, meaning it saves you the energy of explaining the same thing many times a day. Your food display, whether you opt for counter top fridges or hot displays, also speak for themselves in terms of quality, type of food and cleanliness. So be the best! 

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Air-conditioning: Do I need to invest in air-con?

Air-conditioning is an important asset as it will both cool and heat your premises. Making customers feel comfortable and encouraging them to linger makes the difference between buying a second cake or coffee and staying a while, or simply leaving spending less. Convenient for all climates, we have a selection of air-conditioning units that provide heating during the colder months and cooling during the warmer months. Climate Control Systems not only distribute heat more evenly, but are also a lot more energy efficient and economical than gas central heating. A warming or cooling facility will help to create a welcoming ambience which is essential for repeat business. 

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Should I change my glass drinks fridge for a dairy cabinet?

Our experience tells us that a Dairy Cabinet often makes all the difference between customers buying and not buying. Why? Because a dairy cabinet means there is no barrier between the customer and the products and when this is the case, they are far more likely to impulse purchase. 

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We supply a large range of refrigeration equipment which includes refrigerated understorage. This provides a convenient place for keeping extra stock, without taking up extra floor space. Choosing a Refrigerated Display with this design will save money by not having to buy extra refrigeration. 

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What do I do if my equipment breaks down?

Don’t panic if your equipment breaks down or is broken, remember that we offer a one-year on-site warranty on all new equipment purchased from us. Keep the relevant documentation in a safe place and simply give us a call should the worst happen. In the unlikely event that a problem occurs within this period, it will be fixed with parts and labour included (glass breakages, misuse and general wear and tear excluded) We also hold a large stock of spares, so even outside the warranty period, you can call us out to repair your equipment as effectively and economically as possible. 

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Can you help me plan the design and choose the best products for my space?

Yes. We offer a CAD design service which will make light work of choosing the most appropriate commercial catering equipment for your business. We will also guide you through the best equipment for your requirements and the Environmental Health requirements which may affect the layout or equipment you choose. We can either do a site survey or you can simply bring in the dimensions of your space and a qualified team member will produce CAD drawings for you, with suggested layouts for you to consider.  For clients that would like to see a 3D visual of what there shop will look like before installation, we now offer a 3D CAD design service, giving clients the opportunity to see exactly what there shop will look like, from a choice of perspectives.

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Conveyor toasters will be the next hot thing as they not only do Paninis and toasted sandwiches, but they can also do melts, pizzas, cheese on toast, toast bread, bagels, muffins and much more. Choose the largest Refrigerated Display/Hot Display you can accommodate – the more you display, the more you will sell. Have plenty of choice and display the fillings and cakes/pastries in attractive dishes to make them more appealing. Offer weekly specials in order to introduce some variety from your normal menu to keep customers interested. Note that, as well as commercial cooking equipment, we also stock business-specific items such as coffee shop equipment, beverage equipment and back bar counters.