First-time restaurant owners
Use the cost drivers and the three-tier phasing plan to decide what must be bought before opening and what can wait for the first months of trading.
Buying guide · Costs and budgeting
Commercial Kitchen Equipment Cost in the UAE: What Drives the Budget
There is no single price for a commercial kitchen in Dubai, because cost follows your menu, your covers and the building. The biggest drivers are equipment class, stainless steel material and gauge, capacity, gas or electric, brand level, custom versus standard fabrication, hood length and duty, and installation and utility works. Budget from an itemised equipment schedule, then add the hidden costs.
Ask five suppliers how much a restaurant kitchen costs and you will get five different answers, and every one of them can be honest. A 40-seat cafe with a single range and a pastry display is a different project from a 150-cover restaurant with a grill line, a walk-in room and a dish-wash area. A number given before the equipment schedule exists is a guess.
This guide does not quote prices. It shows you what moves the cost of each type of equipment, how a budget is normally divided, which costs get missed, and how to read quotations so that you are comparing like with like. When your schedule is ready, send it through the contact page and ask for an itemised quotation. If you are still working out the sequence of a project, read the commercial kitchen setup checklist alongside this page.
What actually drives the cost of a commercial kitchen?
Seven things decide the final figure on almost every project. Notice that the size of the room is not one of them. Cost follows what you cook and how much of it you cook at once.
- What is on the menu. Fried food, grilled food and baked food need different equipment and different ventilation. A menu that is mostly cold or assembled needs far less cooking plant and a lighter hood.
- Covers and peak hour. Capacity is priced. A fryer that recovers fast enough for your busiest hour costs more than one sized for a quiet cafe, and so does the refrigeration behind it.
- Material and gauge. SUS304 stainless steel is the usual standard for food areas. Thicker sheet, fully welded joints and reinforced frames cost more to make and last longer. Our SUS304 vs SUS316 guide explains when a higher grade is worth paying for.
- Gas or electric. Gas appliances and electric appliances are priced differently, and each changes the building work: gas needs pipework, a safe route and ventilation; electric needs supply capacity, cabling and sometimes a three-phase upgrade.
- Brand and specification level. Equipment with digital controls, energy recovery or a long-established brand name sits at a higher level than a plain, robust model that does the same job.
- Custom or standard. A standard size is cheaper per unit. Custom work is cut to your drawing, which removes gaps and wasted space, and it is priced for that fabrication time.
- The building around the equipment. Ventilation, drainage, power, gas, water and fire protection are often a separate scope from the equipment, and in an older unit they can be the largest surprise.
What moves the price of each equipment class
The table below goes through the main classes you will buy. It is written to help you decide what to specify and what to ask. It does not give prices, because those depend on model, brand and the date of the quotation.
| Equipment class | What pushes the cost up | What you can control | Ask for in the quotation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cooking: ranges, fryers, ovens | Number of burners or wells, power rating, built-in oven or cabinet base, controls, fuel type. A gas cooking range with 6 burners at up to 15 kW each carries more than a 4-burner model. | Size the line to your real menu. Decide LPG or natural gas early, because it changes burner jetting. | Burner count and kW, fuel type, frame material, optional extras listed separately. |
| Refrigeration and display | Internal volume, number of doors, display glass, temperature range (chiller or freezer), refrigerant, compressor brand. | Choose chiller or freezer by what you store. Our chiller vs freezer guide helps avoid paying for freezing you do not need. | Internal volume, temperature range, power supply, whether shelves and castors are included. |
| Stainless steel fabrication: tables, sinks, shelves, cabinets | Sheet thickness, grade, length, number of undershelves, drawers and doors, welded splashbacks, sink bowl size. | Standardise dimensions across the kitchen so more items repeat. See custom stainless steel fabrication. | Grade and gauge in writing, dimensions, finish, leg type, drawing for approval. |
| Extraction hoods | Length, duty class of the equipment below, filter type, built-in suppression or water mist, collar size, ducting and fan, which are often a separate scope. | Keep the cooking line compact. Every extra metre of hood adds fabrication, ducting and exhaust airflow. | Length, gauge, filter count, whether fan and ducting are included. See our kitchen hood guide. |
| Dishwashing and grease management | Machine type (undercounter, hood-type or conveyor), booster heater, water softener, pre-rinse sink, drainage, grease trap size. | Match machine type to plate count at peak. Plan drainage and the trap before ordering. | Utilities needed (power, water, drain), trap capacity, included sinks and spray units. |
| Food preparation machines | Motor power, bowl or hopper capacity, safety features, number of attachments. | Buy for the volume you really prepare. A mixer that is too large wastes space and power. | Attachments included, capacity, power supply, spare blades and parts. |
| Pantry and beverage | Brand, number of groups or bowls, plumbing, water filtration, chilling. | Decide whether you need a full machine or a smaller unit that suits your opening menu. | Water and drain connections, filter included, power supply. |
How is a restaurant kitchen budget normally divided?
We will not give you percentages, because they vary with concept, building and landlord. The order of the blocks is more reliable than the proportions, and it is the order that tells you where to spend your attention.
On most restaurant projects the two largest blocks are the equipment package and the building works that serve it (ventilation, electrical, plumbing, drainage, gas and fire protection). Which one is larger depends on the unit. A shell with no kitchen services pushes the second block up. A site that was a restaurant before pulls it down.
- Cooking line and hood. The densest spend per metre of kitchen. The hood, duct and fan belong in this block, not in the building budget, or you will under-count it.
- Refrigeration. Often a bigger share than first-time owners expect, because it runs all day and has to cope with Dubai ambient temperatures.
- Stainless steel work. Tables, sinks, shelving and counters. Individually cheap, collectively a large number of items.
- Warewashing and waste. Dishwasher, sinks, pre-rinse, grease trap and bins. Easy to forget until the drain is drawn.
- Small equipment and smallwares. Pans, GN containers, knives, thermometers, utensils. Small each time, noticeable in total.
- Contingency. Hold a reserve for items that change after the layout is approved. A kitchen with no reserve ends up cutting something that mattered.
What are the hidden costs most owners miss?
These rarely appear in a headline equipment price. None of them is unusual, but each can add up if it is discovered on site instead of at quotation stage.
- Delivery and offloading. Transport, crane or forklift, access through the lift or the loading bay, and any timing restrictions from the mall or building.
- Installation and positioning. Levelling, fixing, wall protection, connecting to services. Ask whether installation is in the quotation or separate.
- Commissioning. Testing gas appliances, balancing the hood airflow, checking temperatures on refrigeration, and demonstrating machines to staff.
- Utility upgrades. Extra electrical capacity, a gas line or cylinder store, a larger water heater, a new drain run, a grease trap in the right place.
- Approvals and consultant time. Drawings, comments and re-submissions, the owner's consultant, and any authority review. Rules vary, so confirm what applies to you.
- Spare parts and consumables. Spare filters, gaskets, blades, heating elements and descaler for the first year.
- Staff training. A combi oven or a dishwasher that nobody can operate properly wastes its own price.
- Downtime and waiting. A delayed hood or a missing sink holds back an opening date, and the rent keeps running.
New or refurbished equipment: which is cheaper in the end?
Refurbished equipment is attractive when the budget is tight, and it can work well for items with no moving or refrigerating parts. It deserves more care for anything that runs hard every day.
Stainless steel tables, shelving, sinks and cabinets are the best candidates: a clean, sound frame does not wear out like a motor. Refrigeration, fryers, ovens and dishwashers are riskier, because condition, spare-part availability and remaining life are hard to see from outside.
- Buy new when the item is central to your menu, runs all day, or has a compressor, heating element or electronic control that you cannot easily inspect.
- Consider refurbished when the item is passive stainless steel, a spare, or a short-term solution while the business proves itself.
- Whatever you choose, ask for the model number, age, service history, who tests it and what happens if it fails in the first months. Make sure the gas or power rating suits your site.
- Check the match. A second-hand unit built for a different gas type or voltage can cost more to convert than it saved.
How do you compare quotations apples to apples?
Two quotations for the 'same' kitchen can differ by a large amount and still be honest. The usual cause is not margin, it is scope: one quote includes delivery, installation and a hood with filters, and the other quietly leaves them out. Use this table to check every quotation you receive, and ask each supplier to fill the gaps in writing.
| Item | What the quotation should state | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Model and specification | Brand, model number, key dimensions, capacity, power or gas rating | Stops substitution later and lets you check it against your layout |
| Material and gauge | Stainless steel grade (for example SUS304) and sheet thickness for every fabricated item | Thickness is the main difference between two tables that look alike |
| Drawings | Whether a drawing is provided for approval, and who owns changes | Custom items must be approved before fabrication starts |
| Included accessories | Shelves, filters, castors, attachments, taps, drain fittings | Small items are the usual source of extras |
| Delivery | Where, when, who offloads, who pays for the lift or crane | Delivery to site and delivery to the final position are different things |
| Installation and commissioning | Included or excluded, and who connects utilities | The biggest scope gap between quotations |
| Spares and service | Availability of parts, service contact, warranty terms as written | You will need them, so check before you buy |
| Lead time | A delivery period stated in the quotation, and what could change it | Needed for your opening plan and for deciding what to order first |
| Exclusions and validity | What is not included, how long the offer is valid, payment terms | Avoids disagreements on the day of the invoice |
How do you phase purchases and set a budget that holds?
- Fix the menu and covers first. Every other number depends on these two. Changing the menu after the equipment is ordered is the most expensive change there is.
- Draw the layout and write the equipment schedule. List every item with dimensions and utility needs. The schedule is what suppliers price, and it is the base of your budget.
- Split the schedule into three tiers. Must have before opening (cooking line, hood, refrigeration, wash-up), should have in the first months (extra prep machines, display), and later (second oven, upgrades).
- Get itemised quotations for tier one from at least two suppliers, using the checklist in the table above. Ask for the lead time and for the utilities each item needs.
- Add the hidden costs from the previous section as separate lines, and add a reserve for changes.
- Order long-lead and custom items first. Hoods and fabricated stainless steel need approved drawings, so they should be started early. Smaller machines can follow once the layout is frozen.
How do we price a project at FIAMMA?
FIAMMA supplies commercial kitchen equipment and custom-fabricated stainless steel items made to your drawing, so most quotations start from your equipment schedule and layout. We do not publish a price list for projects, because a custom extraction hood cut to 3 m is not the same item as one cut to 5 m, and a fabricated infill table depends on its dimensions and gauge.
What we can do is itemise the quotation clearly, state the material and thickness of each fabricated item, and tell you which items you will need to coordinate with your MEP contractor. Ask for lead time, delivery and installation scope in writing, as in the table above. If you are choosing between a supplier, a fabricator and a full contractor, our manufacturer vs supplier vs turnkey guide lays out the trade-offs. You can also browse our restaurant kitchen equipment range to see what a typical line includes.
Where it is used
Cafes and bakeries
Lighter cooking plant and heavier refrigeration and display. The refrigeration and display sections of the table matter most here.
Cloud and dark kitchens
Cooking-heavy lines in small units, where hood length and utility capacity decide the budget more than the equipment list.
Fit-out contractors and consultants
The quotation table can be handed to suppliers as the basis for pricing, so that every bid covers the same scope.
Owners renovating an existing kitchen
Replacing equipment on existing services is cheaper than starting from a shell, and the hidden-cost list shows what to check before you order.
Benefits
Budget from drivers, not guesses
Knowing why equipment costs what it does lets you adjust the right variable when the budget is tight.
No surprise costs on site
The hidden-cost list moves delivery, installation, utilities and approvals into the plan before they become extras.
Quotations you can actually compare
The checklist table turns different quotations into like-for-like scopes.
A phasing plan that protects opening day
The three-tier approach protects the items that cannot be changed later.
Related products
Equipment from the FIAMMA range that goes with this page.
Stainless Steel Kitchen Extraction Hood with Water Mist Suppression
Heavy-duty SUS304 stainless steel extraction canopy engineered for high-heat commercial cooking lines. Integrated baffle grease filters, welded drip channels, and an optional built-in water mist fire suppression manifold contain grease-laden vapor and suppress flare-ups at the source, keeping kitchens compliant with UAE Civil Defence fire-safety codes.
Custom Fabricated EquipmentView details →
Commercial Gas Cooking Range
Heavy-duty open-burner gas cooking range built on a fully welded SUS304 stainless steel frame for continuous high-volume service. Cast-iron pan supports, independent burner valves, and an optional oven base combine high-heat output with the durability commercial kitchens demand day after day.
Cooking EquipmentView details →
Commercial Upright Freezer
Single-door commercial upright freezer with forced-air ventilated cooling. Built with thick cyclopenthane insulation, self-closing magnetic door gaskets, digital control panel, and adjustable heavy-duty shelves. Designed to operate efficiently in hot kitchen environments up to 43°C ambient temperature.
Cooling and Display EquipmentView details →
Industrial Hood Type Dishwasher
Heavy-duty commercial pass-through hood type dishwasher designed for inline installations with entry and exit tables. Features a high-pressure wash pump, automated dosing pump for rinse aid and detergent, 3 wash programs (60, 90, 120 seconds), and built-in booster heater for 85°C sanitizing final rinse.
Washing Equipment and Sink UnitView details →
Frequently asked questions
How much does a commercial kitchen cost in Dubai?
It depends on the menu, number of covers, equipment level and the building. Any figure given before the equipment schedule exists is a guess. This page explains the drivers so you can budget from an itemised schedule instead.
What is the biggest cost in a restaurant kitchen setup?
On most projects it is the equipment package or the building works that serve it, such as ventilation, electrical, plumbing and gas. Which is larger depends on the unit and what it was used for before.
Why do two quotations for the same kitchen differ so much?
Usually because of scope, not margin. One may include delivery, installation, filters, drawings and commissioning, while the other leaves them out. Compare them line by line using the table in this guide.
Is stainless steel grade important for cost?
Yes. SUS304 is the usual standard for food areas, and gauge matters as much as grade. A thinner, lightly welded table is cheaper to make and shows it after a year of use. Always ask for the grade and thickness in writing.
Is gas or electric cheaper?
Neither is simply cheaper. They cost different amounts to buy, and each changes the building work: gas needs pipework and ventilation, electric may need extra supply capacity. Decide with your MEP consultant before ordering.
What hidden costs should I plan for?
Delivery and offloading, installation, commissioning, utility upgrades, approvals and consultant time, spare parts, staff training, and the cost of delays. Add each as its own line in the budget.
Is refurbished kitchen equipment worth it?
For passive stainless steel items it often is. For fryers, ovens, dishwashers and refrigeration, check age, service history, spare-part availability and fuel or power match before you decide.
Can I buy equipment in phases?
Yes, for items you can add without rebuilding, such as extra tables, prep machines or display units. Do not phase the hood, drainage or electrical capacity, because fixing them after opening usually means closing the kitchen.
Does FIAMMA publish prices?
No. Custom items depend on dimensions, gauge and specification, so quotations start from your equipment schedule and drawing. Send them through the contact page and ask for an itemised quotation.
What should I send to get an accurate quotation?
Your equipment schedule, the kitchen layout (PDF or CAD if you have it), the fuel type on site and any comments from your consultant or the building. Ask for lead time, delivery and installation scope to be written into the quotation.
Related guides and solutions
Need an itemised quotation for your kitchen?
Send your equipment schedule and layout. We will itemise each item, state the material and thickness, and note what needs coordinating with your MEP team.
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