Quick correction to my restaurant electrical post

I posted recently about checking the electrical before signing a lease for a restaurant, and a couple people correctly called out one of my examples.

I lumped POS equipment in with the major kitchen loads. That was a bad example. A POS system isn't what makes or breaks the electrical service.

My bigger point was that there isn't a standard amperage every restaurant needs. A small bakery with mostly gas equipment is completely different from an all-electric kitchen with ovens, water heating, refrigeration, hood and makeup air, HVAC, and dishwashing.

What you actually need is the equipment schedule—the voltage, phase, and nameplate loads. Then an electrician or engineer can compare the real load with what's available to that suite.

A panel photo and a few empty breaker spaces won't tell you that.

If an upgrade is needed, find out before the lease is final. That's when you want to know whether the capacity is available, whether the utility has to get involved, and who is paying for it.

Appreciated the correction on the last post.