Restaurant and kitchen equipment finance
Restaurant and kitchen equipment finance funds commercial ovens, ranges, walk-in fridges and freezers, dishwashers, extraction and bar fit-out, spreading the cost over the equipment life instead of a large up-front spend. It is often blended with wider fit-out funding when a site is being built or refurbished. The usual routes are hire purchase, which gives ownership at the end and suits keep-forever core kit, and finance lease, which can be more tax-efficient where equipment is refreshed over time. The equipment is the security and commercial kitchen kit holds value reasonably well over the term, so lender comfort is good for established operators. First-time hospitality applicants face a higher bar and should expect to provide trading projections and evidence of the chef or brand behind the venue. For restaurants, pubs, caterers and dark kitchens, financing the kit keeps cash free for stock, staffing and the working capital a new site burns through in its early months.
At a glance
- Category
- Hospitality
- Typical tickets
- £10,000 to £100,000
- Typical term
- 36 to 60 months
- Best finance type
- Hire purchase for keep-forever; finance lease for tax-efficient usage with refresh.
How financing restaurant and kitchen equipment works
The lender funds the equipment and you repay over a fixed term, with the kit as security. Hire purchase transfers ownership at the end; finance lease keeps it a leased asset over its usable life. Lenders look at trading history, the strength of the site and the operator track record. Heavy daily use makes maintenance plans important, both for the equipment and for the lender comfort on resale value.
Typical terms
Terms typically run 36 to 60 months. Established multi-site operators get the keenest terms; first-year venues pay more and need a larger deposit plus projections. Build in maintenance costs, because commercial kitchen equipment is used hard.
Who it suits
Restaurants, cafés, pubs and gastropubs, contract caterers and dark or delivery kitchens. Established operators opening or refitting a site are the core fit; first-time hospitality applicants can still qualify with a strong deposit, projections and relevant background.
What to check
- Whether first-year hospitality status raises the bar, and what projections and background the lender wants.
- Maintenance plans, because heavily used kitchen equipment fails without them.
- How the equipment finance interacts with any wider fit-out funding.
- Resale value of specialist kit, which affects lender comfort.
Why asset finance fits
Commercial kitchen equipment holds value over the term. Lender comfort is good for established operators; tighter for first-time hospitality.
New to the structures? The guide to hire purchase, finance lease, operating lease and refinance explains how each route is taxed and accounted for, and the asset finance cost compare calculator puts them side by side on the same asset.
Top sectors
- Restaurants and cafés
- Pubs and gastropubs
- Catering
- Dark kitchens
Top UK lenders
- Aldermore
- Time Finance
- Specialist hospitality asset finance lenders
Watch outs
- First-year hospitality applicants face higher bars; provide trading projections and chef / brand background.
- Equipment gets heavily used; maintenance plans matter.
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Open restaurant and kitchen equipment finance eligibility checker →Last reviewed: 2026-04-26.