Running a successful restaurant is hard, and choosing a foodservice distributor isn’t a decision you should take lightly. Here’s what you need to consider before signing any supplier contracts.
Price
Restaurants need to make money and finding the right price point is incredibly important when choosing a wholesale foodservice distributor. But saving money upfront isn’t always the best option for long-term profits. While pricing is important, make sure that the low price isn’t to the detriment of food quality, food safety, or additional services that might increase profits. You should also check for built-in ways to save money, like bundled purchasing plans, which are available at McDonald’s Wholesale.
Food Safety
Food safety should be at the top of your list when considering a wholesale foodservice distributor. During the research process, find out how your supplier ensures the safety of their products. McDonald’s Wholesale, for example, uses the HACCP approach, follows rigorous inspection protocols, and consistently receives ‘Superior” scores on yearly AIB International audits.
Product Availability
Dealing with multiple suppliers can be a real headache, so choosing a foodservice distributor with a wide selection of available brands and products is important. McDonald’s Wholesale offers over 1,100 national and local brands, including over 800 quality food vendors, 7,000 unique items, 21,000 specialty items, 40,000 dry, refrigerated, and frozen items, as well as a large selection of natural, organic, and free-range products.
Location
When it comes to choosing a foodservice distributor, location is important. While you obviously want to make sure that the supplier services your area, it’s also helpful to find a supplier who knows and understands your region. Because McDonald Wholesale only services Oregon, Washington, California and Idaho, we’ve been able to learn the ins and outs of food distribution in the area, which means we can help you make the important decisions.
Tailored Planning & Solutions
While Restaurant Depot offers large quantities of products at a low cost, you won’t get the same level of regional knowledge, tailored recommendations, and personalized solutions as you would with other foodservice distributors. Wholesale suppliers like McDonald Wholesale offer additional services, like restaurant marketing, menu analysis and engineering, personalized customer service and planning, reporting and auditing, and so much more.
Before you choose a foodservice distributor, be sure to contact us at McDonald Wholesale to find out what we can do for you. In the meantime, read our blog for even more great restaurant advice, including everything from grand opening ideas for your restaurant to tips for managing rising food costs.