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Restaurant Equipment Finance

Spread the cost of restaurant equipment from £5,000 to £200,000+ with flexible finance options. HP, lease, or refinance, compare rates from 40+ lenders.

Can you finance a restaurant equipment?

Yes, restaurant equipments are financed as a standard asset purchase, usually on hire purchase or a lease, with the machine itself acting as the security. UK prices typically run £5,000 to £200,000, and most deals are written over 12–60 months with a deposit of around 10–20%. Decisions typically take 24–48 hours. Used machines are financeable too, usually with a shorter term.

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Typical Cost

£5k – £200k

Approval Speed

24–48 hours

Same-day for < £30k

Rates From

5.8% APR

What would a restaurant equipment cost per month?

£45,000
10%
60 months
9%
£0

Your estimate

Indicative only. Not a quote and not an offer of finance.

Pre-filled with a typical restaurant equipment price. Indicative only, not a quote.

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Finance options

Hire Purchase (HP)

Rate
From 6.2% APR
Term
12–60 months
Deposit
10–20%
Ownership
Yours at the end
Best for
Restaurateurs wanting to own equipment outright

Finance Lease

Rate
From 5.8% APR
Term
12–60 months
Deposit
None required
Ownership
Return or buy (balloon payment)
Best for
Tax-efficient, claim 100% of payments against profit

Operating Lease

Rate
From 6.5% APR
Term
24–48 months
Deposit
None required
Ownership
Return at end
Best for
Upgrade equipment as your restaurant grows. Off balance sheet.

Representative example

On a purchase price of £45,000: a 10% deposit of £4,500, then 48 monthly payments of £949 at 5.9% APR representative (fixed). Total amount payable £50,052, including the deposit. The rate you are offered depends on your business and the asset.

What buyers actually specify

Guide prices for sizing a finance agreement, not quotes. Manufacturers in this market mostly price on application, so where a current UK list price could not be confirmed the row describes a specification class rather than naming a model. Your supplier quote is what the agreement is written against.

Machine or specification Guide price Type
Rational iCombi Classic 6-1/1 £7,000 – £11,000 Combi Oven
Hoshizaki IM-240ANE £3,500 – £5,500 Ice Machine
True TWT-48SD £2,500 – £4,000 Prep Counter Fridge
Lincat Opus 800 Suite £15,000 – £30,000 Full Cooking Suite

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Tax benefits

Restaurant equipment qualifies for Annual Investment Allowance (AIA), letting you deduct the full cost from taxable profits in year one. HP allows capital allowances. Lease payments are fully deductible from profits.

Market context

Restaurant equipment, cooking, refrigeration, prep and front-of-house kit, is bought by independent restaurants, pub groups and small chains, usually as part of opening a new site or refitting an existing kitchen against a fixed opening date. Finance is widely used because equipping a kitchen bundles many items into one project cost, keeping cash available for stock, staff and the first months of trading, when income is least predictable. Replacement is generally driven by breakdown risk and a kitchen's changing menu and covers rather than a fixed age. An active market in used and refurbished equipment gives smaller independents an affordable way into decent kit.

Bad credit?

Several of our 200+ lenders specialise in businesses with imperfect credit histories. You may need a larger deposit or personal guarantee, but options exist. Checking your options here does not affect your credit score, because we do not run a credit search to match you. A lender will run their own checks only if you decide to apply.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I finance a full restaurant fit-out?
Yes. Cooking, refrigeration, prep and front-of-house equipment for a new site or a kitchen refit is commonly financed as one package, which suits restaurants well because equipping a kitchen against a fixed opening date bundles many separate items into a single project cost. Financing the fit-out as one facility rather than several smaller agreements also tends to be quicker to arrange, since the lender assesses one specification and one supplier schedule rather than approving each piece of equipment individually. Any building works, such as extraction ducting or flooring, are usually financed separately from the equipment itself.
What deposit do I need for restaurant equipment finance?
Hire purchase typically asks for a deposit of around 10 to 20% of the equipment cost, with the balance spread over the agreed term and ownership passing to you at the end. A finance lease or operating lease usually needs no deposit at all, since the lender's security is the equipment itself, which is why many restaurants opening a new site choose a lease structure to keep more cash available for stock, staff and the first months of trading. The deposit a lender asks for also depends on whether the business is newly formed or already trading.
Can new restaurants get finance?
Yes, though a newly opened restaurant is usually asked for a larger deposit, a personal guarantee from a director, or a shorter term than an established business with several years of trading history and accounts. Lenders will look at the operator's experience in the sector, the site's lease terms and any pre-opening bookings or trading forecasts, since a kitchen fit-out is a significant commitment before the business has generated any income. Comparing several lenders is particularly worthwhile for a first opening, since appetite for newly formed restaurant businesses varies considerably between lenders.
How quickly can I get restaurant equipment finance?
A straightforward equipment package from an established supplier is commonly approved within 24 to 48 hours once your application, the supplier's quote and basic company details are with the lender. A full kitchen fit-out for a new opening typically takes a little longer, around one to two weeks, since the lender is reviewing a larger facility and a fuller specification across cooking, refrigeration and prep equipment. Given restaurant openings usually work to a fixed date, it is worth starting the finance application as soon as the equipment specification is confirmed rather than waiting until fit-out begins.
Can I finance used or refurbished kitchen equipment?
Yes. There is an active market in used and refurbished restaurant equipment, and financing it is a common way for smaller independents to fit out a kitchen more affordably than buying everything new. Lenders will generally want to see the age and condition of the equipment, and a refurbished item sold with a warranty through a specialist catering equipment dealer is usually easier to finance than a private sale with no history. Mixing new and used equipment on the same finance agreement is also possible, provided the supplier's quote itemises each piece clearly.
Can delivery, installation and commissioning be included in the finance?
Yes. Most lenders will finance the full cost of a restaurant fit-out project, including delivery, installation and commissioning of cooking, refrigeration and prep equipment, rather than just the equipment purchase price, provided the supplier's quote sets these costs out clearly. This keeps your cash flow smoother during an opening or refit, since the repayment schedule then reflects the whole cost of getting the kitchen running rather than leaving installation as a separate cash cost on top. It is worth requesting an itemised quote from your equipment supplier so this can be confirmed before you apply.

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Guides and resources

What Is Asset Finance? HP vs Leasing Operating vs Finance Lease Best Asset Finance Companies Close Brothers Review Lombard Review

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