Hospitality and retail

Commercial kitchen finance from 48+ Australian lenders.

A kitchen is bought as a package from several suppliers. We fund it as one facility so you open with cash still in the bank.

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See which commercial kitchen finance options fit your business.

Tell us what you are buying. A Lyft Money broker compares 48+ lenders and explains the rate, balloon, fees and total cost before you decide.

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Access to 31+ commercial kitchen finance lenders

Lenders on our panel that fund commercial kitchen finance.

  • Banjo Loans
  • Bizcap
  • Capify
  • Dynamoney
  • Finance One Commercial
  • Finstro
  • Lumi
  • Moneytech
  • Moula
  • OnDeck
  • Prospa
  • ScotPac
  • FlexiCommercial
  • Shift
  • TruCap
  • Judo Bank
  • UME Loans
  • Earlypay
  • Angle Asset Finance
  • Automotive Financial Services
  • Azora
  • Firstmac
  • Liberty
  • Metro Finance
  • Morris Finance
  • Pepper Money
  • Quest Finance
  • Resimac
  • Selfco
  • Maple Commercial Finance
  • Branded Financial Services

At a glance

Commercial kitchen finance: the numbers that matter.

Typical price
$25,000 – $400,000
Terms
Up to 72 months
Indicative rates
9.5% – 22% p.a.
Typical speed
3–10 business days
Usual structure
Fit-out finance
Useful life
About 12 years

In plain English

What is commercial kitchen finance?

Commercial kitchen finance is funding for cooking, refrigeration, preparation and dishwashing equipment in a hospitality kitchen, secured against the equipment. Australian restaurants and cafes commonly finance an entire kitchen package on one facility, including installation, exhaust and gas fitting.

A commercial kitchen is a system, not a shopping list. The equipment has to match the menu, the service style and the space, and the utilities have to support it. Combi ovens have replaced a lot of traditional cooking lines in Australian kitchens because they do more in less space with less labour, but they need the right power supply and ventilation to work.

Financing an entire kitchen at once has a practical advantage beyond cash flow: everything is on one term at one rate, and it can settle as each supplier delivers. Free-standing equipment is straightforward security. Canopies, benches, coolroom construction and gas works usually fall under fit-out finance. Your broker will read the quotes and split the funding so nothing falls between two lenders.

How lenders assess commercial kitchen finance

Kitchen equipment is funded readily for established venues, and a full package from multiple suppliers can settle under one facility. Lenders distinguish between free-standing equipment such as combi ovens, fryers, fridges and dishwashers, which is good security, and fixed works such as exhaust canopies, benches and gas fitting, which are usually funded under fit-out finance instead. Start-up venues are assessed on the operator’s hospitality experience, the lease and the fit-out budget, and often need a deposit or additional security.

New or used

New equipment carries warranty and compliance certification; used equipment from closed venues is cheap and readily available but harder to finance on its own.

Before you buy

  • Design the kitchen around the menu before you buy equipment; a combi oven suits a very different service style to a chargrill and fryer line.
  • Get exhaust canopy, gas fitting and electrical works quoted separately, as they are financed differently to free-standing equipment.
  • Check that used equipment still meets current gas and electrical compliance requirements before you commit.

Commonly financed

  • Rational iCombi Pro combi oven
  • Waldorf cooking suites
  • Hobart and Washtech dishwashers
  • Skope and Williams refrigeration
  • Robot Coupe food processors
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Anthony Di Martino, senior broker, walking a client through their finance options
Anthony · Senior Broker
Kris, Lyft Money co-founder, comparing lender quotes at his desk
Kris · Co-founder

A clear next step

How to finance a commercial kitchen.

Our AI helps check lender fit across 48+ lenders. Your broker reviews the options and explains what they mean for you.

  1. 01

    Split the quote

    Separate removable, serial-numbered equipment from fixed leasehold improvements across every supplier quote.

  2. 02

    Structure the funding

    Your broker funds the equipment as secured asset finance and the balance through the cheapest available unsecured option.

  3. 03

    Draw against progress

    Funds are released as builder and supplier invoices fall due through the build.

Documents lenders commonly ask for:
  • Itemised builder and supplier quotes
  • Signed premises lease showing term and options
  • Bank statements, financials or projections for a new site

The lender makes the final credit decision. Available options depend on your business and the lender’s assessment.

Before you make a decision

Estimate your commercial kitchen repayments.

Adjust the price, rate, term and balloon to see the repayment and the total cost over the term.

Estimated monthly repayment
$4,523.97
Number of repayments
60
Balloon at end of term
$42,600
Total interest (est.)
$101,038
Total repaid (est.)
$314,038

This calculator is a guide only. It uses simplified assumptions, excludes fees and charges unless stated, and is not an offer or quote. Actual repayments are confirmed by the lender in its loan contract.

From Lyft Money clients

Clear advice.
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keeping us informed every step of the way
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He explained all the financing options clearly
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helped out my business
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Ways to finance a commercial kitchen

Key terms

What is commercial kitchen finance?

Commercial kitchen finance is a loan or lease used to buy cooking, refrigeration and dishwashing equipment for a hospitality venue, with the equipment as security. Terms usually run 36 to 72 months and multiple suppliers can settle under one facility.

What is the difference between kitchen equipment and fit-out?

Free-standing equipment such as ovens, fryers, fridges and dishwashers can be repossessed and resold, so lenders treat it as equipment security. Fixed works such as canopies, benches, plumbing and gas fitting cannot, so they are usually funded through fit-out finance instead.

Straight answers

Commercial kitchen finance FAQs.

Have a question?

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Can a whole commercial kitchen be financed as one package?

Yes. Cooking lines, ovens, fryers, refrigeration, dishwashers, exhaust canopies, benches and installation can be financed together under one contract, with progress payments to the kitchen supplier and builder funded during the fit-out. A broker packages the supplier’s quote and the builder’s contract into one application.

Is a commercial kitchen financed as equipment or fit-out?

Both. Movable equipment such as ovens, fryers and refrigeration is financed as equipment with the items as security, while fixed works such as canopies, plumbing, floors and joinery are funded through a fit-out loan. Lenders often combine the two under one facility, and the split affects the rate and term, so your broker structures it deliberately.

Can a new restaurant finance its kitchen?

Yes, with the right lender. New venues are approved with a deposit, a signed lease, a business plan, hospitality experience and a clean personal credit file, and equipment from major brands is easier to finance than bespoke items. Established operators opening a second venue usually qualify on their trading history.

Can I finance second-hand kitchen equipment?

Yes. Used equipment from dealers and auctions is financed with a PPSR clearance and, for larger items, an inspection, usually on terms of three to four years. Refrigeration and cooking equipment from major brands holds value and is easy to finance; very old or unbranded items may need a deposit.

Can franchise finance include the fit-out and equipment?

Yes, and it is usually best arranged as a package. The fit-out is often funded by a business loan or fit-out finance, the equipment by a chattel mortgage or lease secured on the equipment itself, and the franchise fee and working capital by the main loan. Structuring it this way keeps each part on the cheapest available terms. Lyft Money arranges the parts together so settlement lines up with the franchisor’s opening timetable.

Can I finance equipment for a new practice?

Yes. Lenders regularly fund new practices for registered practitioners with a track record as an employee or associate, because the profession itself gives them confidence. A business plan, the lease on the premises and evidence of qualifications are the main requirements, and the fit-out, equipment and working capital can be funded together as a package so the practice opens fully equipped.

What does fit-out finance cover?

Fit-out finance funds the works needed to open or refurbish a site: joinery, counters and benches, flooring, lighting, partitions, plumbing and electrical, signage, air conditioning and the removable equipment such as kitchen gear, chairs, refrigeration and IT. Lenders treat the removable equipment and the fixed building works differently, so the two are usually funded on separate structures under one arrangement, each priced correctly.

Why are the fixed works and the equipment funded separately?

Because removable equipment can be repossessed and resold, lenders finance it as a normal asset with the equipment as security, at asset finance rates. Fixed works such as joinery and flooring become part of the landlord’s building and have no resale value, so they are funded as a business loan against the strength of the business, sometimes with a director’s guarantee or other security. Splitting the two keeps the equipment portion cheap and makes the fixed portion fundable.

Does the length of my lease matter for fit-out finance?

Yes. Lenders want the lease, including options, to run at least as long as the loan term, and preferably longer, because the fit-out is only valuable while you occupy the premises. A five-year fit-out loan on a three-year lease with no options is hard to fund. Securing the lease term or options before finalising the fit-out budget makes the application straightforward.

How much can I borrow for a fit-out?

Fit-out finance commonly ranges from $20,000 to $1.5 million. The equipment portion can usually be funded at 100 per cent of the invoice. The fixed works portion depends on the business: established businesses with financials can fund most of it, while new businesses are typically asked to contribute 20 to 40 per cent or offer security. Landlord contributions, common in shopping centres, reduce what needs to be borrowed.

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