Ignoring that weird rattle in your freezer might feel like you’re “saving money,” but honestly? You’re doing the exact opposite. Appliance repair isn’t something that gets cheaper when you wait. It just gets bigger, louder, and more expensive. And when something finally packs in, it can take your business down with it.
Let’s start with the hard costs. If your fridge dies and you lose all your stock, that’s hundreds—maybe thousands—straight in the bin. One dodgy freezer can wipe out meat, dairy, desserts, even your prepped sauces. You can’t serve spoiled food, so it all goes. No refunds. No getting that money back.
Then there’s the loss in sales. You can’t sell what you can’t cook or keep cold. If the fryer breaks, say goodbye to chips. If the coffee machine’s knackered, there goes your breakfast rush. Suddenly, your best-selling items are “off for today,” and that’s not good for business.
Now throw in the refunds, discounts, and comped meals to keep angry customers happy. Add on overtime because staff are scrambling to cope. Add express delivery fees for replacement stock. It adds up. Fast.
And what about your team? When stuff breaks, they’re the ones dealing with the fallout. Morale dips, shifts drag on, and stress builds. You might even lose good staff if this becomes a regular thing. Constant breakdowns wear people down.
Now let’s talk about long-term pain. Your reputation. Customers notice when your equipment keeps failing. They’ll say things like, “They’re always out of half the menu,” or “It’s chaos in there.” One bad Google review about cold food or long waits sticks around. New customers will see it. And trust me—they believe reviews more than your Instagram.
Insurance? That’s another one. If you’re constantly making claims for equipment failures, your premiums can go up. Worse—if your insurer finds out you didn’t keep up with basic maintenance, they might not cover you at all.
And all of this? It usually starts with something tiny. A strange noise. A drip. A blinking display. Something that might’ve cost £50 to fix at the start. But you left it. And now it’s a £500 job—or worse.
Preventative maintenance is always cheaper than a breakdown. Always. It’s the same logic as changing oil in your car. Skip enough, and your engine blows. Simple.
You should treat appliance repair like you do stock or wages. Budget for it. Book in regular service checks. Teach your staff to spot signs early. Make it normal to report problems. Don’t let pride or “it’s probably fine” thinking cost you thousands.
Run your gear into the ground, and it’ll take your profits with it. Don’t be the business that learns this the hard way.
And please—don’t ignore that blinking warning light. It’s not being dramatic. That machine’s trying to tell you something is about to get very, very expensive.
