- Best For: Restaurants, food trucks, churches, schools, and serious home cooks
- Catalog: More than 200,000 items from hundreds of manufacturers
- Free Shipping: Orders over $500 when signed in, some exclusions
- Based In: Kodak, Tennessee, with a 350,000-square-foot fulfillment center
- Financing: Available through Credit Key and Ascentium Capital
What KaTom Is
KaTom Restaurant Supply has been selling foodservice equipment for more than three decades. It sells everything a commercial kitchen runs on, from ice machines and fryers to sheet pans, mop buckets, and steak knives.
Scale is the headline. The catalog tops 200,000 items, including budget lines, premium brands, and house brands. Thousands of in-stock items ship within one business day from its East Tennessee fulfillment center. KaTom has also been BBB accredited since 2010.
For anyone outfitting a kitchen, KaTom puts a restaurant supply house on your laptop. The key is knowing how commercial buying differs from ordering on a consumer site.
Who KaTom Suits
Restaurant and Café Owners
The main audience. Commercial ranges, refrigeration, prep tables, and smallwares are all in one cart, and product pages list specs like voltage, gas type, and dimensions that matter for your space.
Churches, Schools, and Nonprofits
Many buyers here order ice makers, warmers, and serving gear for community kitchens. Tax-exempt buying is available, but it is set up by calling the sales team rather than at checkout.
Food Trucks and Caterers
Compact equipment, holding cabinets, and portable gear suit mobile kitchens, and fast shipping on stocked items helps before an event.
Home Cooks Who Want Pro Gear
Commercial stock pots, knives, sheet pans, and blenders are popular with home cooks. Just check that the item is rated for home use and your home's power supply.
What You Can Buy
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Cooking equipment | Ranges, fryers, griddles, ovens, waffle irons |
| Refrigeration | Reach-in coolers, freezers, prep tables |
| Ice and beverage | Ice machines, drink blenders, dispensers |
| Smallwares | Stock pots, sheet pans, utensils, knives |
| Food prep | Mixers, slicers, food processors |
| Tabletop and serving | Dinnerware, flatware, buffet gear |
| Janitorial | Mop buckets, floor sinks, cleaning supplies |
| Furniture | Tables, chairs, and booths |
Before You Order: The Checklist
Commercial equipment is less forgiving than consumer goods. These steps save money and time.
- Confirm voltage, phase, and plug type with your electrician
- Check gas type, natural gas or propane, for cooking equipment
- Measure doorways, hallways, and the final spot, not just the counter
- Read the "ships in" estimate on each item, since timing varies by product
- Call a Foodservice Equipment Specialist if you are unsure about specs
- Set up tax-exempt status before ordering, if it applies to you
- Sign in before checkout so the $500 free shipping offer applies
How Freight Delivery Works
Large equipment arrives by freight truck, and the inspection happens before the driver leaves. This is the most important step in the whole process.
Once the driver leaves, reporting damage to the freight company becomes your responsibility. Photos help any claim move faster. Small parcel shipments should be checked against the packing label in each box.
| Step | What to Do |
|---|---|
| 1. Count the boxes | Match the carton count to the Bill of Lading |
| 2. Check the wrap | Look for torn shrink-wrap or crushed corners |
| 3. Open and inspect | Unpack while the driver is there if you can |
| 4. Note any damage | Write it on the delivery receipt before signing |
| 5. Keep packaging | Save boxes and pallets until you are sure |
| 6. Report quickly | Missing or damaged items within five business days |
Returns, Clearly Explained
This is why the checklist matters. A correctly specified order avoids the restocking fee entirely. Many items also carry a manufacturer's warranty, listed on the product page.
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Return window | 30 days from the invoice date |
| Eligible items | Unused, regularly stocked products |
| Restocking fee | 25%, standard across the commercial equipment industry |
| Return shipping | Paid by the customer, even on free-shipping orders |
| Authorization | Required before sending anything back |
| Not returnable | Custom-built equipment, closeouts, furniture, and some specialty items |
| Defective items | Handled as a warranty claim |
Financing and Payment
Opening or upgrading a kitchen is expensive. KaTom offers financing through Credit Key and Ascentium Capital, which lets businesses spread the cost of major equipment over time. Compare the rate and term with your bank before you commit, since equipment financing costs vary widely.
What Buyers Say
Happy customers praise the selection, prices, and fast delivery on stocked items. Several reviewers mention helpful sales reps who knew the products well, and one buyer said a floor sink arrived well made and shipped without problems.
Where buyers run into trouble, it is usually around freight damage, backorders, or returns. The pattern is consistent: people who inspect deliveries on arrival and confirm specs before ordering have a much smoother experience.
Ways to Save
- Group supply orders so the cart clears $500 for free shipping
- Compare house brands and budget lines against premium brands for the same job
- Choose in-stock items that ship within one business day when timing is tight
- Use the KaTom Learning Center guides to compare equipment types before you buy
- Ask a specialist whether a lower-cost model meets your volume needs
- Get specs right the first time, since avoiding a 25% restocking fee is the biggest saving of all
Frequently Asked Questions
Does KaTom offer free shipping?
Yes, on orders over $500 when signed in to your account. Some items are excluded.
What is the return policy?
Unused, regularly stocked items can be returned within 30 days of the invoice date with authorization, a 25% restocking fee, and return shipping paid by the customer.
How do I buy tax exempt?
Call the sales team to set it up before you place the order.
What if equipment arrives damaged?
Note it on the delivery receipt before signing, keep the packaging, and report it within five business days.
Can I finance equipment?
Yes, through Credit Key and Ascentium Capital.
Final Verdict
KaTom is a strong one-stop shop for commercial kitchen equipment. The catalog is huge, stocked items ship fast, and free shipping over $500 makes large orders easier on the budget.
Treat it like a commercial supplier, not a consumer store. Confirm specs before you buy, sign in for free shipping, inspect every freight delivery before the driver leaves, and call a specialist when in doubt. Buy that way, and KaTom can outfit a kitchen for less than most local dealers.