Restaurant Electrical
Installation & Repairs
Restaurants are one of the most demanding electrical environments around, commercial kitchen loads, hood systems, health code requirements, and a kitchen that can't afford to go down on a Friday night. We install and repair electrical systems for restaurants and food service operations across West Palm Beach and Palm Bay.
Request a Quick Quote
Free · No obligation · We respond same day
New Restaurant Installations
- Full electrical build-out for new restaurant spaces
- Commercial kitchen equipment circuits, ranges, ovens, fryers, dishwashers, walk-in coolers
- Hood exhaust and makeup air system wiring
- Service upgrades to handle kitchen loads
- Sub-panels for kitchen, bar, and outdoor areas
- GFCI protection throughout kitchen per code
- Emergency and exit lighting
- POS system and low-voltage wiring
- Exterior signage and parking lot lighting
Restaurant Electrical Repairs
Equipment Circuit Failures
When a piece of kitchen equipment loses power or keeps tripping, we find the cause and fix it, not just reset the breaker.
Health Inspection Violations
Electrical violations flagged by the health department or fire marshal need to be resolved fast. We review the issues and correct them with documentation.
Lighting & Exhaust Fan Issues
Dining room and kitchen lighting failures, and hood fan electrical problems that fail health inspections.
Adding New Equipment
New fryer, walk-in cooler, or commercial dishwasher arriving? We wire the dedicated circuit and hook up the equipment properly.
Common Restaurant Electrical Violations in Florida
These are the violations most frequently flagged by health inspectors and fire marshals in Florida food service operations. All of them are correctable, and all of them need to be addressed before you can reopen or pass re-inspection.
No GFCI Protection in Kitchen Wet Areas
Florida and NEC code require GFCI protection at all receptacles within six feet of a sink or water source in commercial kitchens. Missing or failed GFCI outlets are one of the most common violations.
Improper Hood Exhaust Wiring
Commercial hood systems require dedicated circuits, proper grounding, and wiring that can handle heat exposure. Improperly wired hoods are both a code violation and a fire hazard.
Extension Cords as Permanent Wiring
Extension cords are not permitted as permanent wiring in commercial kitchens. If equipment is plugged in via an extension cord on a regular basis, a dedicated circuit is required.
Overloaded Circuits on Commercial Equipment
Commercial ranges, fryers, and ovens draw high amperage. Running them on circuits rated for lower loads causes breaker trips, overheating, and potential fire risk.
Missing or Non-Functional Emergency Lighting
Emergency and exit lighting must illuminate upon loss of normal power. Non-functioning emergency lighting is a life-safety violation that will result in a failed inspection.
Undersized Service for Kitchen Load
A kitchen that has added equipment over time may be drawing more than the service panel was designed to handle, a condition that may not show up until an inspector reviews the load calculations.
Restaurant Electrical Costs
Restaurant electrical costs vary widely based on the size of the space, the equipment load, and the condition of the existing electrical infrastructure. For a new build-out, a typical 2,000 sq ft restaurant electrical rough-in, including service, panel, kitchen circuits, GFCI protection, and emergency lighting , runs $15,000–$40,000. Larger spaces or kitchens with heavy three-phase equipment will be at the higher end of that range or above it.
Adding individual dedicated circuits for new equipment typically runs $300–$800 per circuit, depending on the amperage required and the distance from the panel. If your facility needs a service upgrade to handle increased kitchen loads, budget an additional $3,000–$8,000 for the service entrance work.
One of the most important things you can do before signing a commercial lease for a restaurant space is to have an electrician assess the existing service and panel capacity. Electrical capacity issues discovered mid-build can significantly blow a restaurant budget. Contact us before you commit to the space.
Why Restaurant Electrical Is Different
Commercial kitchen loads are extreme in a way that most electrical contractors outside the food service world do not fully appreciate. A single commercial range can draw 50–80 amps on its own. A full kitchen line, range, oven, fryer, dishwasher, walk-in cooler compressor, and hood system, can easily require 400 amps of service or more. Most residential and light-commercial panels cannot support a full kitchen without significant upgrades. Getting the service sizing right at the start of a build-out is not optional; it determines whether the kitchen can run at full capacity.
Health code and electrical code intersect in commercial kitchens more than anywhere else in a building. A missing GFCI outlet or improperly wired hood system is simultaneously an electrical code violation and a health inspection failure. We understand both sets of requirements and wire kitchens to meet them, so violations don't become the reason your opening gets delayed or your operation gets shut down.
Downtime in a restaurant is revenue loss, measured in real time. A kitchen that goes down on a Saturday night does not just lose that evening's covers, it affects reservations, reviews, and staff morale. When we plan work on a restaurant that is in operation, we coordinate around your service hours, structure the work in phases where possible, and minimize how long any part of the kitchen is offline. We have done enough of this work to know that the schedule matters as much as the technical work itself.