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Restaurant & Kitchen Equipment Glossary

51 definitions for restaurant operations, finance, and commercial kitchen equipment. Built for owners, managers, and first-time operators.

Equipment

  • Blast Chiller Equipment that rapidly cools hot food through the danger zone for safe holding or storage.
  • Charbroiler Open-flame or radiant broiler for grilled marks and high-heat proteins.
  • Combi Oven A commercial oven combining convection heat and steam for versatile cooking and holding.
  • Commercial Dishwasher High-temperature or chemical sanitizing machine for rapid ware cleaning.
  • Convection Oven Oven with fans that circulate hot air for even baking and roasting.
  • Deep Fryer Commercial fryer for submerged-oil cooking of fries, proteins, and coated items.
  • Fire Suppression Automatic system that extinguishes cooking fires in hoods and on appliances.
  • Grease Trap Plumbing device that intercepts fats, oils, and grease before wastewater enters the sewer.
  • Holding Cabinet Heated enclosure that keeps cooked food at safe serving temperature.
  • Hood System Ventilation assembly that captures grease, smoke, and heat from commercial cooking equipment.
  • Ice Machine Equipment that produces ice for beverages, bar, and sometimes display.
  • Prep Table Stainless work surface, often refrigerated, for ingredient prep and line assembly.
  • Reach-In Refrigerator An upright commercial refrigerator with doors for line or prep access.
  • Salamander High-heat overhead broiler used to finish plates, melt cheese, and toast toppings.
  • Steam Table Hot well unit that holds pans of food at temperature for service lines.
  • Three-Compartment Sink Health-code sink with wash, rinse, and sanitize bays for ware and tools.
  • Type I Hood Grease-rated exhaust hood with fire suppression for high-grease cooking appliances.
  • Type II Hood Condensate hood for steam, heat, and odor without grease capture requirements.
  • Undercounter Refrigeration Compact refrigerators and freezers installed beneath counters or bars.
  • Walk-In Cooler A refrigerated room for bulk cold storage of perishable ingredients.

Finance & Metrics

  • Break-Even Point The sales level at which total revenue equals total fixed and variable costs, yielding zero operating profit.
  • Check Average Average revenue per guest or per transaction, depending on POS configuration.
  • COGS Cost of goods sold; direct cost of products sold during a period.
  • Controllable Costs Expenses managers can influence in the short term, such as food, labor, and smallwares.
  • EBITDA Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization; a cash-flow proxy for operations.
  • Food Cost Percentage Cost of food sold divided by food sales, multiplied by 100, for a given period.
  • Labor Cost Percentage Total labor cost including wages, taxes, and benefits divided by gross sales, expressed as a percentage.
  • Prime Cost The sum of cost of goods sold (food and beverage) plus total labor cost, expressed as a percentage of sales.
  • Unit Economics Profit and loss mechanics of a single location, often per cover or per day.
  • Yield Usable product weight or portion after trimming, cooking loss, or fabrication.

Legal & Permits

  • Liquor License Government authorization to sell alcoholic beverages on premises or for delivery.
  • Occupancy Load Maximum number of occupants allowed in a space per fire code.

Operations

  • 86 Kitchen slang meaning an item is sold out or removed from service.
  • BOH Back of house: kitchen, prep, dish, and storage areas not open to guests.
  • Commissary A licensed central kitchen that prepares or stores food for satellite locations or brands.
  • Covers One guest served one meal; used to forecast volume, labor, and inventory.
  • Fast Casual Counter or limited service with higher quality perception and check than QSR.
  • FIFO First In, First Out; inventory rotation so oldest product is used first.
  • FOH Front of house: guest-facing areas and roles including service, bar, and hosting.
  • Ghost Kitchen A delivery-focused kitchen without guest dining room, often hosting one or more virtual brands.
  • HACCP Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points; systematic food safety plan for risk control.
  • Menu Engineering Analyzing item popularity and contribution margin to optimize menu design and pricing.
  • Mise en Place French for "everything in its place"; the prep organization required before service.
  • Par Level Target on-hand quantity of an ingredient for a period, triggering reorders when reached.
  • Portion Control Standardized serving sizes using scales, scoops, and training to protect margin.
  • QSR Quick-service restaurant; counter service with fast ticket times and limited table service.
  • Seat Turn Number of times each seat generates revenue during a service period.

Site Selection

  • Foot Traffic The number of pedestrians or vehicles passing a site, measured by time period and direction.
  • Second-Generation Space A commercial space previously used as a restaurant or food service operation.
  • TI Allowance Tenant improvement allowance; landlord contribution toward build-out costs.
  • Trade Area The geographic zone from which a restaurant draws the majority of its customers.

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