FAQs

Temporary Kitchens & Rental

Q: What is a temporary kitchen?

A: A temporary kitchen is a temporary catering facility that can either comprise of modular buildings, our trailer kitchens, our flat pack kitchen  or a number of items of catering equipment, which is used to provide a foodservice operation during kitchen refurbishments, during events or during emergencies. They can also be used to compliment your existing kitchen to provide additional capacity during busy periods of the year.

Temporary kitchens may be referred to by a number of names including temporary kitchens, portable kitchens, mobile kitchens, event kitchens, container kitchens, outage kitchens or pop up restaurants.

Q: Do you offer help in choosing a temporary kitchen to suit my needs?

A: Yes. Cook, chill, regeneration, sous vide, traditional, bulk – you name it, we have designed kitchens incorporating just about every type of food production system. The kitchens can produce from 50 to 50,000 meals per day. Our experienced customer service team will take you step by step through the process of hiring a portable kitchen from Temporary Kitchens and recommend the best kitchen to you.

Q: Do you offer surveys of my proposed site?

A: Yes. We offer free site surveys where we can discuss your project and your requirements. A site survey also ensures that we deliver a facility that is suited to your site and that there is suitable space for its delivery.

Q: Are your temporary kitchens on wheels?

A: Our Temporary Kitchen Trailers do have wheels, our modular building temporary kitchens and the flat pack kitchens do not and are not designed to be moved once sited.

Q: Do your units need planning permission?

A: Dependent on your site, you may require planning permission. We would advise that you discuss your intentions with your local planning authority. However our wheeled trailer units rarely require planning permission.

Q: Is it possible to position a temporary kitchen indoors?

A: Yes. You can position a temporary kitchen inside as long as health and safety requirements are met with regards to extraction of gases and ventilation. Whether your needs are short or long term, you could also consider a Temporary Kitchens Mobile Canopy. It is a self-contained extraction canopy system with all service connections and is easy to install into existing premises. Using flexible ductwork, all cooking fumes are ducted to outside areas with the minimum of disruption and cost.

Q: Can I put my own catering equipment in a temporary kitchen?

A: Yes. We can install your own catering equipment inside one of our units but we would ask that you discuss the items with our customer service team to ensure that the unit has the correct services. Often our kitchens use a mix of client supplied and Temporary Kitchens supplied equipment.

Q: Do your portable kitchens comply with health and safety regulations?

A: Our temporary kitchens are supplied with a wide range of health and safety features to ensure that we provide you with a safe and compliant catering environment. Ventilation is supplied in accordance with industry guidance DW172 and BS6173 while kitchens are supplied with a gas interlock. Floors in our kitchens comply with BS7976. All of our kitchens and catering equipment are tested for safe levels of carbon monoxide and dioxide before the hire process begins.

Q: Can you supply all electric kitchens?

A: Yes. Temporary kitchens can supply all electric units. You have to bear in mind that cooking equipment often requires a lot of electricity so you need to ensure a suitable supply is available.

Q: Can you supply all electric kitchens?

A: Yes. Temporary kitchens can supply all electric units. You have to bear in mind that cooking equipment often requires a lot of electricity so you need to ensure a suitable supply is available.

Q: Are your temporary kitchens gas safe?

A: All of our temporary kitchens are supplied with a current Gas Safe certificate.

Q: How do you offload a temporary kitchen?

A: This depends on the type of temporary kitchen that you are having. Our trailer units are towed to site, the modular building temporary kitchens are brought to your site by flatbed and HIAB lorries meaning that units can usually be manoeuvred into place by our installation team. Where units need to be lifted over buildings or a greater distance, a larger crane is required. Temporary Kitchens will organise this as part of the installation process.

Q: Can the temporary kitchens be used on greenfield sites?

A: Yes. Temporary kitchens are designed specifically for use on Greenfield sites. Water and waste can be run from internal or external tanks and electricity from a generator.

Q: Do I need to clean the temporary kitchen or catering equipment before collection?

A: YES: We ask that clients undertake a thorough clean of the unit or items of catering equipment prior to collection ensuring that it is returned in the same condition as when it was delivered. If you would prefer we can arrange for this clean to be carried out after return which will be invoiced separately.

Q: If I finish with my temporary kitchen early, do I pay for the full length of the hire?

A: All of our hire charges are based in part on the length of hire. We would ask for full payment as a rule, based on the minimum contract originally negotiated. Although in extenuating circumstances we can discuss alternative arrangements. Uniquely we will also guarantee you extension of hire availability if your project takes longer than expected. Ask for details.

Q: Do you provide permanent kitchens?

A: Yes. We can provide permanent modular kitchens as well as a full commercial kitchen design and installation service for your premises.

Maintenance and Services

Q: Who do I contact if my temporary kitchen or catering equipment breaks down?

A: Every hire from Temporary Kitchens is covered by 24 hour, 365 days a year technical support service that is on hand to assist you should you have any problems with your kitchen or catering equipment on hire. Our support service covers everything from providing assistance for any operational issues you might have with equipment to organising an engineer to visit your site.

Q: Can you diagnose my fault over the phone?

A: To ensure that you are back up and running in as quick as time possible, we will try and diagnose and where possible fix your issue over the phone. Once we have diagnosed your issue, and if it cannot be fixed over the phone, we will organise for an engineer to visit your site.

Q: If I have a technical issue, who will fix it?

A: If a site visit is required, we employ our own technical support engineers, while also work with a team of specially selected subcontractors to ensure that we can deal with your problem in the quickest and most efficient way possible.

Q: Can I have a Temporary Kitchens engineer on site for the length of my hire?

A: For large events in particular, we provide you with the option to have an engineer to remain on site for the duration of the hire.

Q: How quickly do you aim to fix on site breakdowns?

A: A lot of service problems can be fixed over the telephone. Where an engineer is required, a standard service callout response is usually made within 24 hours, while calls placed before 10.00am are normally attended on the same day.
Our engineers carry an extensive range of spare parts so that most problems can be corrected immediately. If the engineer does not carry the part, we will post the part from our Parts Management Centre to site so that on his return the engineer can rectify the problem.

Q: Do you offer preventative maintenance?

A: For longer term hires in particular, we will usually suggest a programme of preventative maintenance whereby one of our service engineers will visit your site at an agreed number of dates throughout the hire period. During this visit, we will undertake a kitchen walk around to assess the equipment. This helps to identify any issues there may be with the equipment before they develop into anything more serious. The preventative maintenance visit also gives an opportunity for members of your kitchen staff to discuss any operational issues they might have with the catering equipment.

Delivery

Q: Can I specify a time for my temporary kitchen to be delivered?

A: We are happy to deliver at a time suitable to yourselves.

Q: Can you deliver/collect at weekends?

A: Yes we are able to do this.

Q: What delivery area do you cover?

A: We are able to deliver throughout the UK and Europe.

Q: How quickly can you deliver to site?

A: Provided we have the item you require in stock and depending on our transport team availability, we are usually able to deliver within 24 hours of order. In emergencies, we can usually deliver on the same day.

Q: How are  temporary kitchens delivered?

A: This depends on the type of temporary kitchen that you are having. Our trailer units are towed to site, The modular building Temporary kitchens are brought to your site by flatbed and hiab lorries meaning that units can usually be manoeuvred into place by our installation team. Where units need to be lifted over buildings or a greater distance, a larger crane is required. Temporary Kitchens  will organise this as part of the installation process. When planning for your temporary kitchen please check access routes to site taking into account potentially soft ground, gateposts, low bridges, trees, overhead wires and turning circles. If access is a problem we can install a flat pack kitchen.

Q: What happens if we need to close the road?

A: For projects that may require road closures we are able to arrange and project manage this on your behalf. Simply advise your customer service contact of this during your site survey and we will then make the necessary arrangements.

Q: Can you deliver on grass?

A: Yes, subject to site survey.

Q: How do you level the temporary kitchen units?

A: Your delivery team will level the units on site for you using the corner support legs.

Q: Do you provide Method Statements and Risk Assessments?

A: Yes. In line with good practice, Temporary Kitchens have Risk Assessments for all delivery, installation and construction works. These are provided as required. For large projects, detailed Method Statements are supplied for both installation and removal. Please contact our customer service team to discuss this in more detail.

Q: Can I contact the driver?

A: All of our transportation team have mobile phones (with hands free kits fitted to our vehicles) and can be contacted on the road.

Q: Do I need to be on site for delivery and collection?

A: We would ask that there is a pre-designated contact on site for the time of delivery and collection to ensure that the handovers are completed correctly. They will not need to assist with any of the positioning of the units. We also like to run a health and safety program run through of the kitchen and its equipment with the staff that will be using it. This can be carried out at a different time from delivery if required.

Q: Can I pick up my own temporary kitchen?

A: No.