We compare business gas and electricity from 20 plus suppliers for independent restaurants. Typical bills run £10.3k to £37k a year and businesses that switch with us save 40 per cent on average, typically 30 to 50 per cent. The figures on this page are estimates from published UK benchmarks, not quotes.
Get my free proposalFree estimate. No obligation to switch. Delivered by email and WhatsApp.
We do the hard work for you, compare live prices with following trusted UK providers
Still in a contract? Even with 3, 6 or 9 months left, you can lock in today's cheaper rates now, protecting your business from price rises when your current deal ends.
What a typical independent restaurant uses and pays across the UK, from published benchmarks.
Figures are estimates from published UK benchmarks priced at 25p/kWh electricity, 7p/kWh gas and about £365 a year in standing charges. They are not quotes. See how we estimate.
Owner operated restaurants, bistros and casual dining sites. A metered study of 14 UK pub restaurant kitchens, published in 2016, measured 1.52 to 3.32 kWh of electricity per meal served and an average kitchen consumption of 294 kWh a day, with refrigeration taking roughly 41 per cent of kitchen electricity and cooking the other 59 per cent. The same study found consumption barely fell when meal counts more than halved, which is why a quiet week does not produce a quiet bill. Add front of house heating, cooling, lighting and dishwashing and a mid sized independent restaurant carries one of the highest energy intensities of any UK SME. Figures below are estimates at 25p per kWh electricity, 7p per kWh gas and about £365 a year standing charges.
Multiple ovens, ranges and grills all lit through a four hour service
Extraction and make-up air running the full length of every shift
A walk-in cold room and freezer pulling around the clock, closed days included
Front of house heating and cooling for guest comfort regardless of how full the room is
Typical equipment loads across hospitality and food venues, with annual kWh and cost bands from published benchmarks.
| Equipment | kWh a year | Cost a year (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial deep fryers (x2, electric) | 12,000–26,000 kWh | £3,000–£6,500 |
| Extraction canopy and make-up air | 5,000–14,000 kWh | £1,250–£3,500 |
| Walk-in fridge and freezer | 9,000–19,000 kWh | £2,250–£4,750 |
| Commercial ovens and ranges (gas) | 25,000–90,000 kWh | £1,750–£6,300 |
| Dishwasher and glass washer | 3,500–9,000 kWh | £875–£2,250 |
| Lighting, HVAC and hot water | 8,000–22,000 kWh | £2,000–£5,500 |
Bring the cooking line up in stages tied to your booking sheet, not to the chef's arrival time
Use induction on any station you are replacing, it puts far more of the energy into the pan than an open gas burner
Run the dishwasher on full racks and keep the wash tank lidded, part loads are the most expensive plates you will wash
Service the extraction and change filters quarterly, a loaded filter makes the fan work harder for less air
Set front of house heating and cooling on a schedule tied to service times with a proper dead band between heat and cool
Illustrative example
Around 60 covers a day with a full commercial kitchen
Ovens, extraction and walk-in refrigeration run through every service, and cold storage never switches off.
Illustrative example, not a real customer. Figures are estimates based on published UK benchmarks. See how we estimate. See all worked examples.
An equipment-by-equipment breakdown of restaurant energy costs. Find out which items cost the most and where the savings are.
Read articleThe common contract traps and hidden charges that inflate takeaway energy bills, and what you can do about them.
Read articleIf your energy contract has expired you could be paying 40 to 60% more than you need to. Here is how to check and what to do.
Read articleBuilt for owner-run businesses in hospitality, food retail, motor trade, farming, personal care, accommodation, food production, leisure, care homes and laundry
Switching your energy supplier is just the start. Our team can help you reduce consumption too — with expert energy audits, LED lighting upgrades, refrigeration optimisation, and solar PV installations.
Get a comprehensive analysis of your energy consumption with actionable recommendations.
Learn moreCut lighting costs by up to 80% with commercial LED retrofits.
Learn moreOptimise your fridges, freezers and cooling systems for maximum efficiency.
Learn moreUpgrade your heating systems with smart controls to reduce waste.
Learn moreGenerate your own electricity and slash daytime energy costs.
Learn morePart of the Smart Energy group — trusted by businesses like Bargoed YMCA and Treforest Football Club for energy efficiency solutions across Wales and the UK.
Get a tariff matched to how a independent restaurant actually uses energy: the equipment, the hours and the fuels on your meters.
