Used Restaurant Equipment Market – Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, Segmented By Type (Kitchen Purpose Equipment, Cooking Equipment, Food & Beverage Preparation Equipment, Refrigeration Equipment, Food Holding & Storing Equipment, Others), By End Use (Full-service Restaurants & Hotels, Quick-service Restaurants & Pubs, Catering, Others), By Distribution Channel (Online, Offline), By Region & Competition, 2021-2031F

Forecast Period	2027-2031
Market Size (2025)	USD 7.45 Billion
CAGR (2026-2031)	7.63%
Fastest Growing Segment	Online
Largest Market	North America
Market Size (2031)	USD 11.58 Billion

Market Overview

The Global Used Restaurant Equipment Market will grow from USD 7.45 Billion in 2025 to USD 11.58 Billion by 2031 at a 7.63% CAGR. The Global Used Restaurant Equipment Market consists of the trade of secondhand commercial kitchen appliances and furniture for food service operations. The primary driver of this sector is the necessity for capital preservation among new ventures and existing businesses facing tight profit margins. High operating expenses compel proprietors to reduce initial capital outlay by purchasing inventory from the secondary market. According to the National Restaurant Association, in 2025, 96% of restaurant operators cited rising labor costs as a top challenge, creating a financial landscape that necessitates the purchase of economical used machinery.

A major impediment to market growth is the concern regarding equipment quality and the lack of warranty protection. Buyers frequently face the risk of acquiring units without manufacturer guarantees, which exposes them to potential breakdowns and unforeseen repair bills. This uncertainty regarding the remaining life of the equipment often deters cautious buyers and restricts market expansion.

Key Market Drivers

The High Rate of Business Turnover in the hospitality sector functions as a fundamental engine for inventory generation within the used equipment landscape. Fierce competition and thin profit margins frequently force establishments to close, leading to the liquidation of commercial-grade appliances and furniture back into the supply chain. This cycle ensures a continuous availability of stock, ranging from refrigeration units to cooking ranges, often in excellent condition due to the short operational lifespan of the failed ventures. Such a consistent influx of assets is critical for sustaining the secondary market, as it provides auction houses and dealers with the necessary volume to meet buyer needs. According to Startups.co.uk, September 2025, the UK hospitality industry witnessed a sharp 19.8% increase in insolvencies between January and July 2025, highlighting the severity of the attrition that fuels these inventory levels.

Significant Cost Advantages and Capital Preservation drive buyer demand, especially as the price gap between new and pre-owned machinery widens. For small and medium-sized enterprises, the ability to acquire essential infrastructure at a fraction of the retail cost is often the deciding factor in business viability. Recent trade policies have further intensified this necessity, as rising import duties drastically increase the expense of new units. According to Aldevra, August 2025, tariffs on imported commercial kitchen equipment are being applied at rates as high as 50%, effectively rendering fresh installations financially burdensome for many operators. This economic pressure has catalyzed substantial sector growth, with KMC Sales reporting in September 2025 that the global used restaurant equipment market was projected to be valued at $7.7 billion for the year.

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Key Market Challenges

The apprehension surrounding equipment condition and the absence of warranty safeguards significantly retard the expansion of the Global Used Restaurant Equipment Market. Potential buyers often view the acquisition of secondhand machinery as a high-stakes gamble, primarily because the financial burden of mechanical failures shifts entirely to the restaurant operator immediately upon purchase. Without the safety net of a manufacturer's guarantee, the perceived risk of immediate breakdowns creates a psychological and financial barrier. This uncertainty discourages investment, as the lower upfront price of used inventory is frequently outweighed by the fear of exorbitant, unpredictable maintenance costs that can disrupt operations.

This aversion to risk is intensified by the precarious financial reality many food service establishments face, making them intolerant of the variance associated with non-warrantied assets. When operators are struggling to maintain positive cash flow, the prospect of an unbudgeted repair bill serves as a strong deterrent to entering the secondary market. According to the National Restaurant Association, in 2025, 39% of operators reported that their restaurant was not profitable in the prior year. For these vulnerable businesses, the inability to absorb the cost of a failed used unit drives them toward more secure, albeit more expensive, new equipment options or forces them to defer purchases entirely, thereby stifling market growth.

Key Market Trends

The expansion of online B2B auctions and digital marketplaces is fundamentally altering how secondary assets are liquidated and acquired within the global supply chain. Unlike traditional local sales, these platforms offer global visibility, allowing sellers to recover higher value for assets while providing buyers with transparent pricing histories and centralized inventory access. This digitization streams the procurement process, moving the industry away from fragmented dealer networks toward tech-enabled hubs that efficiently handle high-volume transaction flows for surplus inventory. The scale of this shift is evident in the performance of major platforms; according to Liquidity Services, February 2025, in the 'Fiscal First Quarter 2025 Financial Results', the company recorded a Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV) of $386.1 million, marking a 26% increase from the previous year, underscoring the accelerating adoption of digital channels for managing commercial assets.

Simultaneously, the increased procurement of modular equipment by ghost kitchens and off-premise operations is driving demand for a specific segment of the used market. As dining habits pivot away from traditional sit-down experiences, operators are prioritizing compact, stackable, and high-speed machinery designed for smaller, delivery-centric footprints rather than full-service infrastructure. This structural change compels businesses to seek cost-effective, pre-owned modular units to test new delivery concepts without the financial risk associated with new custom installations. This operational adaptation is a direct response to evolving consumption patterns; according to the National Restaurant Association, February 2025, in the '2025 State of the Restaurant Industry' report, 66% of consumers expressed a desire for more takeout options, creating a sustained necessity for operators to acquire specialized production equipment on the secondary market.

Segmental Insights

The Online segment currently represents the fastest-growing distribution channel within the Global Used Restaurant Equipment Market. This expansion is primarily driven by the increasing reliance of foodservice operators on digital marketplaces that offer extensive inventory visibility and transparent pricing mechanisms. These platforms effectively mitigate the risks associated with purchasing pre-owned assets by providing comprehensive product condition reports and secure transaction methods. Consequently, restaurant owners prefer this efficient procurement model to source specific machinery without geographical limitations, marking a distinct shift away from traditional local auctions and physical dealerships.

Regional Insights

North America holds a leading position in the global used restaurant equipment market due to a high rate of business turnover within the foodservice sector. Operators in the United States and Canada frequently seek cost-effective alternatives to new machinery to manage capital expenditures. This demand is supported by a well-organized resale infrastructure, including specialized online marketplaces that facilitate efficient inventory redistribution. Additionally, adherence to rigorous safety standards set by NSF International ensures that refurbished appliances meet necessary health codes, thereby sustaining buyer trust and market activity throughout the region.

Recent Developments

• In September 2024, Ace Mart Restaurant Supply announced the acquisition of Curtis Restaurant Supply, an Oklahoma-based foodservice equipment and supplies dealer. This acquisition, effective in late September, allowed Ace Mart to further expand its distribution capabilities and geographical footprint. Ace Mart is a notable player in the industry that maintains a dedicated focus on used and scratch-and-dent equipment alongside new inventory. This consolidation of regional dealers supports the broader used equipment market by streamlining the channels through which surplus and traded-in kitchen assets are processed and made available to foodservice operators.
• In May 2024, TAGeX Brands managed a massive liquidation event following the closure of approximately 50 Red Lobster locations across the United States. The firm conducted a series of online auctions to sell the entire contents of these restaurants, including high-performance ovens, refrigeration units, and dining furniture. Described as one of the largest restaurant equipment liquidation events of its kind, this operation flooded the used restaurant equipment market with high-quality, late-model assets, providing a substantial inventory source for independent operators and resellers looking to acquire professional gear at secondary market prices.
• In April 2024, Imperial Dade, a leading distributor of foodservice packaging and supplies, announced the acquisition of Harbour Food Service Equipment. This transaction brought a widely recognized equipment and supply dealer into the company's extensive platform, reinforcing its ability to serve independent restaurants and corporate institutions in the Northeast. While Imperial Dade is known for supplies, the addition of a dedicated equipment dealer like Harbour is significant for the equipment market ecosystem, as such dealers often manage the flow of both new and traded-in inventory, which feeds into the secondary market for used restaurant equipment.
• In January 2024, Tech24, a national provider of commercial foodservice equipment repair and maintenance, completed the acquisition of 1-2-3 Equipment Solutions. This strategic move expanded the company's service capabilities in Virginia and North Carolina, adding expertise in the maintenance, repair, and replacement of hot-side kitchen equipment and refrigeration units. The collaboration was designed to bolster the support infrastructure for restaurant operators, a critical component of the used restaurant equipment market where asset longevity and refurbishment are essential for resale value. By integrating these services, the company aimed to provide a comprehensive solution for managing the lifecycle of commercial kitchen assets.

Key Market Players

• Aaron Equipment Company, Inc.
• Bid on Equipment, LLC
• Chicago Boiler Company, Inc.
• EquipNet, Inc.
• Heritage Global Partners, Inc.
• Hobart Corporation
• IronPlanet, Inc.
• KaTom Restaurant Supply, Inc.
• Machinery & Equipment Company, LLC
• Restaurant Equipment World, LLC

By Type	By End Use	By Distribution Channel	By Region
Kitchen Purpose Equipment Cooking Equipment Food & Beverage Preparation Equipment Refrigeration Equipment Food Holding & Storing Equipment Others	Full-service Restaurants & Hotels Quick-service Restaurants & Pubs Catering Others	Online Offline	North America Europe Asia Pacific South America Middle East & Africa

Report Scope:

In this report, the Global Used Restaurant Equipment Market has been segmented into the following categories, in addition to the industry trends which have also been detailed below:

• Used Restaurant Equipment Market, By Type:

• Kitchen Purpose Equipment
• Cooking Equipment
• Food & Beverage Preparation Equipment
• Refrigeration Equipment
• Food Holding & Storing Equipment
• Others

• Used Restaurant Equipment Market, By End Use:

• Full-service Restaurants & Hotels
• Quick-service Restaurants & Pubs
• Catering
• Others

• Used Restaurant Equipment Market, By Distribution Channel:

• Online
• Offline

• Used Restaurant Equipment Market, By Region:

• North America
• United States
• Canada
• Mexico
• Europe
• France
• United Kingdom
• Italy
• Germany
• Spain
• Asia Pacific
• China
• India
• Japan
• Australia
• South Korea
• South America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Colombia
• Middle East & Africa
• South Africa
• Saudi Arabia
• UAE