Restaurant food suppliers enable restaurants to purchase food safely, reliably, and in an organized manner. Suppliers also connect restaurateurs to a vast network of ingredients. Ordering from suppliers gives restaurants price breaks on staple ingredients, prevents them from paying unnecessary taxes on goods they intend to resell, and enables most restaurants to pay for supplies after they have earned a profit.
Food suppliers are a key component of food safety for many reasons. More than just a logistical chain that transports food from producers to restaurants, the best food suppliers ensure that foods and food-related products are prepared, tracked, and delivered safely no matter where they originate.
Suppliers for restaurants vary based on region and cuisine style. We’ve included all the basics to help you find the best food suppliers for your restaurant.
Mainline Distributors
Mainline food distributors carry a lot more than food. You can purchase virtually anything a restaurant needs, from blenders to condiment packets, from a mainline distributor. These providers are great for hard-to-find items, longer-shelf life products, and essentials you need to buy in bulk.
These are national—and sometimes multinational—brands that deliver to virtually every location in the US. Mainline distributors tend to be large brands, so they are incredibly easy to order from. Some have dedicated apps, for example. In most cases, you can order online or over the phone if an app is not available. Most of them also integrate directly with inventory management software or point-of-sale (POS) systems that support electronic data interface (EDI) integrations, saving you hours of administrative time.
The “Big Two” mainline distributors are Sysco and US Foods. They carry everything from frozen and canned goods to meats, pantry staples, paper products, cleaning products, and to-go containers. These purveyors usually deliver once a week to small operations or rural locations and up to two or three times per week for large operations in metropolitan areas.
Keep in mind a “large operation” to a mainline distributor is a hospital or a college cafeteria. Even high-volume restaurants in busy city centers may only get one Sysco delivery per week. So, keeping your orders organized is important to ensure you get everything you need. It is also important to establish relationships with your reps at each distributor to get a full understanding of your delivery windows and the expectations you have as a business.
| pros | cons |
|---|---|
| Extensive inventory from food to equipment | Does not deliver daily |
| Most operate nationwide | Not great for highly perishable foods like dairy products |
| Easy to place orders online, via email, phone, app, or EDI integration |
When to Use a Mainline Distributor
All restaurants need at least one mainline distributor; however, it’s hard to make a mainline distributor your only restaurant supplier. If you have limited storage space, your supplies might get lean before their next delivery date rolls around. In that case, having a smaller local supplier as a backup is a good idea. Use these suppliers for your essentials, which you can use regularly but can order enough to last through one or half of a week.
Perishables & Produce Suppliers
Smaller, local purveyors usually handle highly perishable products like produce and dairy items. These vendors can deliver daily, and generally only need 12 to 24 hours between the time an item is ordered and the time it is delivered. They are great for fresh ingredients or ingredients that you need in a hurry.
The best produce purveyors offer fair pricing and quality products on a consistent basis. The best way to find a produce supplier in your area is to ask other restaurants who they use. Not only that, but each vendor will offer you a pricing guide, which you can then use to determine which purveyor has the best rates. You can also look through the FoodCo Directory of US food distributors, which lists suppliers by state.
| pros | cons |
|---|---|
| Most deliver daily | Fewer product options than a mainline distributor |
| Typically turn orders around in 12 to 24 hours | Prices may be higher for pantry staples |
| Most will source special request products for you. Some pricing can be flexible. | Not as tech savvy as mainlines; may not have online ordering or EDI options, but you can work around this with apps. |
When to Use a Perishables & Produce Supplier
These suppliers are the best place to order fresh produce, juices, fresh herbs, milks, butter, cheeses, and other items with a short shelf life. Additionally, negotiating pricing with these suppliers will be much easier than mainline accounts.
Fish & Shellfish Suppliers
Fish and shellfish are a special food category. Because they are especially prone to carrying foodborne illnesses, the FDA has a list of Certified Shellfish Shippers. This list can change monthly. You’ll want to order from one of these suppliers, and if you order live shellfish (lobster, mussels, oysters, etc.), you’ll need to keep the control tags for 90 days after the container has been emptied.
If you sell seafood in your restaurant, choosing a seafood purveyor will be your most consequential decision. Shellfish, in particular, is prone to foodborne illness, and purchasing from a licensed seafood vendor is the best way to keep your staff and customers safe. Fin fish is also prone to mislabeling, so purchasing from a respected vendor that guarantees its products is important.
A major role in choosing your seafood vendor is how they source their fish and the transparency they have when you receive the product. The fish should be fresh and in great condition. Tags and markings should be legitimate regarding the source, and no product should expire or be on its last leg. Seafood deliveries need to happen multiple times a week, so knowing this and having this expectation of purveyors is crucial.
| pros | cons |
|---|---|
| Most deliver daily (except Sundays) | Fin fish is prone to mislabeling |
| Typically turn orders around in 12 to 24 hours | Prices can fluctuate widely throughout the year |
| Can source special orders for you | May not have online ordering or EDI options |
When to Use a Fish & Shellfish Supplier
When you serve fresh seafood, it is better to purchase from a licensed supplier than an unlicensed seller due to the increased risk of foodborne illness in fish and shellfish. You also want to ask your local restaurant community who is most reliable, due to the volatile nature of fresh seafood.
Mislabeling of fish and shellfish is very common, so it is important to buy from a reputable supplier. Some studies have found fish to be mislabeled up to 30% of the time. The FDA recently started spot-DNA testing commonly mislabeled fish at the wholesaler level to ensure that fish are labeled correctly. An easy spot to check is to match the box in which the fish arrive to the tags on the fish themselves, especially if overnighted from out-of-state. This information should be credible.
Restaurant Beverage Suppliers
Most beverage suppliers specialize in either nonalcoholic beverages or in beer, wine, and spirits—though in some regions, you can get your beer and soft drinks from the same vendor. In most cases, however, you’ll get the best deals if you spread your beverage business between a few companies. If your restaurant has a bar, you’ll definitely need multiple vendors since liquor supplies are more tightly regulated than soft drinks.
You don’t need a wholesale coffee supplier. You can easily purchase coffee from a mainline supplier, and if you don’t have a full-scale coffee program with espresso beverages, that may make more sense. However, many restaurants choose to work with smaller roasteries or specialty coffee vendors.
The chance to work with local coffee roasters helps ingrain your business into the community, and it shows your knowledge of the local food scene. When you serve locally, you are showing customers your dedication to the food industry close to you, so I highly suggest local coffee producers when possible.
Consumers are increasingly knowledgeable about coffee products, and partnering with a respected, visible coffee brand can drive coffee sales. A wholesale coffee vendor may also offer services like creating a signature blend for your restaurant or loaning you coffee equipment, like brewers and espresso machines.
If at any point you choose to do business with another coffee purveyor, however, you must be prepared to return this equipment. Many roasters also offer complimentary staff training and equipment support to their wholesale clients.
| pros | cons |
|---|---|
| Free staff training | Most only ship; local delivery is not common |
| Loaned or leased brewing equipment | Not a great fit if coffee is not your focus |
| Sales boost from offering a popular or exclusive brand | Susceptible to shipping delays when demand is high |
When to Use a Wholesale Coffee Supplier
If you offer a full complement of coffee beverages, from brewed coffee to espresso drinks, a coffee wholesaler makes sense. If you sell a lot of coffee and want a signature house roast, a wholesaler is your best bet. If your business will tout coffee quality, then having a solid wholesale supplier is an excellent investment for your business.
Soft drinks are in a specialized category with its own distribution system. Just like coffee companies, the “Big Two” soda companies, Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, will usually provide your restaurant with some complimentary equipment to make it easy to serve their products. To find a sales representative in your area, it is best to reach out to those brands directly through their websites.
| pros | cons |
|---|---|
| Complimentary or low-cost equipment | Deals are exclusive; you’re either a Coca-Cola restaurant or a Pepsi restaurant |
| Sales boost from offering a popular brand | Usually only deliver once per week |
When to Use a Soft Drink Supplier
If you plan to serve soft drinks from a drink dispenser or soda “gun,” a soft drink supplier will help you save some money on equipment and supplies. A soft drink supplier is also a good fit if you want to sell ready-to-drink (RTD) soft drinks and don’t mind customer-facing refrigeration units with beverage branding.
Alcoholic products have different licensing and regulations than food products, mostly due to the historical imprint of Prohibition. Liquor control laws establish three tiers for alcohol purchases: manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers. Manufacturers must sell their products to wholesalers or importers, and retailers purchase beer, wine, and spirits from these distributors.
The federal government licenses manufacturers, wholesalers, and importers, while retailers are licensed by the state where they operate. Restaurants are considered retailers in the three-tier system.
Just as with food products, spirits suppliers come in all sizes. Large companies like Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits and Republic National Distributing Company supply a wide range of wine, beer, and liquor products at all price points. Smaller distributors tend to have more local and specialty products.
It is important to know which local products are available, as customers will look for you to carry locally-made alcohol depending on your business type. Some spirits suppliers only sell wine, beer, or liquor. Depending on your restaurant type, you may work with several spirits distributors to cover all your bases.
The three-tier system is set in place to ensure that no one arm of buying or selling alcohol gains absolute power. This prevents fraudulent alcohol from being sold, allows for proper tax collection, and gives the buyers of the alcohol the security they need to know it is legit and priced fairly. Without the three-tier system, alcohol prices could be raised exorbitantly high, and the legitimacy of the origin of products would be in constant question.
When to Use a Liquor Vendor
If you sell wine, beer, or spirits, you need a liquor distributor. Due to federal, state, and local liquor control laws, there is no way to serve these items without purchasing from a licensed distributor.
Specialty Ingredient Suppliers
Imported Italian cheeses, Indian curry spices, Korean chili oils, Vietnamese noodles, specialty pastries, and signature meat cuts are all things that may fall outside the range of full-line suppliers. These purveyors can best be found by asking restaurants of a similar style where they source their ingredients. Some suppliers may be storefronts, while others are primarily ecommerce operations.
| pros | cons |
|---|---|
| Find hard-to-source ingredients | Can be pricey |
| Support creative menu development | Supplies are limited or even allocated |
| Small vendors are typically eager to source special requests | Many do not offer local delivery, only shipping |
When to Use a Specialty Supplier
A specialty purveyor may be your only choice for obscure imported or hard-to-source ingredients like rare chile pastes, handmade fresh cheeses, or items like jamon iberico that are only available in limited quantities.
Farms & Farmers Markets
A relationship with a local farmer comes with customization options. Small farm producers are usually eager to grow new crops if they know they have a buyer for them. If you work with a local farm, it is important to confirm that they have the proper business licenses and are registered with the appropriate agency—either the USDA or FDA—that oversees food safety for their product type.
The chef chatting while filling a basket with fresh produce from the local market is a great image for any restaurant. Potential customers shopping at the farmers market will see how sincere you are about the quality of your produce. It can also help build a community of farmers that are excited about your restaurant. As a bonus, repeatedly buying from the same farmers ensures they will start to hold the best produce aside for you.
The benefits of going to your local farmers market far surpass just products and deals. You will bump into other operators, giving way to collaborations and business opportunities. Farmers markets are also a great way to note what other products are popular in your community, and the people attending the market can give you ideas for menu items they may be looking for. Going to farmers markets weekly when I worked in restaurants was one of the most valuable moments of my week as far as food and community relationship development.
| pros | cons |
|---|---|
| All produce is local and seasonal | Stocks are limited; you need to rise early to get the best |
| Can request custom crops just for your shop | Some don’t offer local delivery; you’ll need to pick up your orders |
| Farmers are the best | May be pricier than mainline distributors |
When to Use a Farm Vendor
When your menu hinges on local, seasonal ingredients, farms and farmer’s markets are your best bets.
Cooperative Buying Clubs
Another option for restaurant supplies is to join a cooperative buying club or co-op. These are organizations of independent restaurants that all agree to order from the same vendors. By pooling their business, they are able to access rebates and bulk pricing rates typically only available to larger chains and restaurant groups. Some co-ops have fees to join, while others cost nothing but require members to order a preset amount from the co-op’s partner vendors. Most co-ops are designated as nonprofit organizations.
You’ll get the biggest benefit of joining a co-op if you place as many orders as possible through the group’s partners. So before committing to a co-op, check their preferred vendor lists and make sure your needs are covered.
| pros | cons |
|---|---|
| Gives small restaurants the buying power of large chains | Vendor selection might not be a fit for your business |
| A built-in network of fellow restaurant owners | Smaller restaurants may struggle to meet order minimums |
When to Use a Cooperative Buying Club:
If you are a small, independent restaurant trying to control costs and need few specialty ingredients, a cooperative buying club can be a great solution for you. If you have specialized needs, like a need for large amounts of Greek or Japanese ingredients, look for a co-op of similar-style restaurants.
How to Create Accounts With Restaurant Food Suppliers
Restaurants must open an account with individual suppliers to purchase from them. Smaller operations with a limited credit history may, initially, be required to pay their vendors immediately upon delivery of products. Over time, however, most restaurants in good standing with their vendors are extended a term of seven to 30 days to pay their purveyors.
Before opening an account with a purveyor, there are several things to consider. The cuisine you serve, available storage space, and sales volume help determine what products you need.
Here are eight specific steps to follow to find food suppliers and open accounts:
Tools for Managing Restaurant Suppliers
Wrangling restaurant food suppliers is an ongoing restaurant management process. If your restaurant is very busy or you have more than one location or a slim administrative staff, it can be difficult to stay on top of your vendor orders and invoices. It’s a lot of information to process.
There is also third-party inventory software that integrates with several different POS systems and offers vendor management, along with menu costing tools. If all you need help with is locating vendors, you can try a database app that supports a searchable supplier database with ordering tools. We list some of our top software recommendations in the table below.
Restaurant Supplier Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
These are some of the most common questions I encounter about food suppliers for restaurants.
Bottom Line
The restaurant industry works primarily with products that are highly perishable, creating a need for a full-spectrum plan to continually resupply your business. Assess your supply needs, and then meet with sales representatives from multiple companies to find the best fit for your business. If you need help managing your administrative tasks, tools like inventory management or POS software can help you place and receive orders from vendors.
