5 Signs Your Commercial Kitchen Equipment Needs Servicing – Before It Breaks Down!

Running a busy kitchen? Then you know—when your oven or fryer fails, chaos follows. But most breakdowns don’t come out of nowhere. The truth is, commercial catering equipment gives off warning signs before it gives up completely.

At CaterCare, we help restaurants, hotels, schools, and foodservice operators across the UK stay ahead of costly failures with expert servicing of ovens, fryers, hot cupboards, salamanders, griddles and more.

Here are 5 signs it's time to call in the pros—before your kitchen grinds to a halt.

1. Uneven Cooking or Heating

If your food isn’t cooking consistently—hot spots in your oven, one fryer tank slower than the other—it’s not just annoying. It’s a sign of worn heating elements or blocked gas injectors. Ignoring this risks inconsistent service and safety issues.

2. Noises That Weren’t There Before

Grinding, rattling, buzzing—equipment sounds can change when fans wear out, screws loosen, or motors strain. What sounds minor today could be tomorrow’s emergency call-out.

3. Burn Marks or Excessive Heat

If the outside of a hot cupboard, griddle or salamander is overheating, or you notice burn marks, it could mean failing insulation or control system faults. This is both a safety and energy-efficiency issue.

4. Slow Recovery Time

A fryer or oven that takes longer to reach temperature wastes time—and energy. This may point to failing thermostats, clogged burners etc.

5. Increasing Energy Bills

Inefficient equipment drives costs up quietly. Regular servicing can identify hidden issues like failing gas valves or worn seals that cause energy waste.

Why Preventive Maintenance Matters

Waiting for a breakdown always costs more—in time, money, and reputation. That’s why CaterCare offers flexible planned preventative maintenance (PPM) packages to keep your commercial kitchen running safely and smoothly all year round.

Protect Your Kitchen With a CaterCare Maintenance Contract

CaterCare offers three tiers of Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) to suit different levels of kitchen demand and budget:

Bronze Level PPM Contract

• 2 PPM visits per year to check over the equipment ensuring it is safe and compliant.

• No call-outs or labour included

• Parts quoted separately as required

  
  

Silver Level PPM Contract

• 2 PPM visits per year (same as Bronze)

• Up to 10 breakdown call-outs included for the duration of the contract

• Call-out fees and labour covered for the 10 inclusive breakdown visits.

• Parts quoted separately as required

• Any additional call outs required after the 10 inclusive will be charged at our standard rates of service.

  
  

Gold Level PPM Contract

• 2 PPM visits per year (same as Bronze and Silver)

• All breakdown call-outs and labour included for the entire contract term

• No parts included (quoted separately as needed)

• Priority response for all breakdowns

  
  

With all plans, your catering equipment stays safe, compliant, and efficient—giving you peace of mind and reducing the risk of downtime.

Learn more or compare plans at: www.catercare.com/service-maintenance-contracts

Book a Service With CaterCare Today

Whether it’s an urgent repair or planned preventative maintenance servicing, we are on hand to help and assist you, our team have decades of experience in the industry, we hold a large van stock and are also able to source many common parts for next day delivery.

📞 Call us now on 01582 862000 to discuss your requirements or schedule a call out.

Alternatively you can email us at enquiries@catercare.com  or check out our website at www.catercare.com