Guide
Better terms, without a fight.
Most restaurants have never asked. Prices that were competitive three years ago rarely still are.
In short
Review supplier pricing annually with actual volumes in hand, ask for terms rather than only price, and get a comparison quote before you negotiate. Price is one of several levers: delivery frequency, payment terms, minimum order and consolidation all affect your real cost.
Updated 28 August 2026
Bring your numbers
Volume is your leverage and most operators cannot state theirs. Before any conversation, know what you spent with that supplier over twelve months and what your top ten lines by value are. A supplier facing a customer who knows their own numbers negotiates differently from one facing a guess.
Ask for more than price
Price is the hardest thing for a supplier to move and often not the most valuable to you. Payment terms improve cash flow. An extra delivery day cuts spoilage. A lower minimum order lets you buy little and often on short-life lines. These are frequently easier to win and worth more.
- Payment terms
- Delivery frequency and cut-off times
- Minimum order value
- Price holds on your top lines for a fixed period
- Consolidating spend for a better rate
Get a comparison quote first
Not to threaten, but so you know whether your current terms are good. Ask a second supplier to quote your top ten lines by volume. Half the time you discover you are being looked after, which is worth knowing. The other half you have a specific, factual basis for a conversation.
Review annually, not never
Supplier relationships drift. A price that was sharp when you signed gets uncompetitive quietly, because nobody revisits it. An annual review, diarised, is the whole discipline. It also signals that you pay attention, which affects how you are priced next time.
The honest limitation
A good supplier who delivers on time, takes a call on a Saturday and sorts a problem is worth paying slightly more for. Switching on price alone to a supplier who lets you down mid-service costs more than the saving. Negotiate hard, but value reliability properly.
Questions, answered straight.
Not covered here? Just ask us.
Should I use one supplier or several?
Consolidating improves your leverage and simplifies deliveries. Having a credible second supplier keeps the first honest. Most operators land on one main plus one backup.
How often should I renegotiate?
Annually as a discipline, and whenever your volumes change significantly. Growth is the best moment to ask.
What if my supplier will not move?
Ask what would need to be true for them to move: more volume, fewer deliveries, faster payment. That reframes it as a trade rather than a demand.
Are buying groups worth joining?
For smaller independents they can improve rates meaningfully. Check the commitments and whether the range covers what you actually buy.
See it run your restaurant.
Twenty minutes on your menu and your numbers. We'll show you what actually changes in the first month and exactly what it costs. If it's not right for your restaurant, we'll tell you that instead.
- Live in days, not months
- We build your menu and train your staff
- No contract, and thirty days to change your mind
Rather just ring us? +353 87 438 8032
Tell us about your restaurant
We reply the same day, usually inside a couple of hours.