Government Surplus Catering & Commercial Kitchen Equipment Auctions
Government auctions commercial kitchen equipment - combi ovens, fryers, prep tables, refrigeration, and dishwashers - from school cafeterias, canteens, and correctional facilities, usually as a food service contract changes hands or a facility closes.
276 active catering auctions across 6 official government sources, with new listings every 30 minutes.Last updated: 2026-09-09
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Food Warmer - C2
Nashville, TN · 5 bids
Ice Machines
Baton Rouge, LA · 4 bids
Hilliard's Chocolate System "Little Dipper" Chocolate Tempering Machine
Overland Park, KS · 8 bids
2010 Alto Shaam Electric Combi Oven
Fernandina Beach, FL · 3 bids
Lot of Four 5-Gallon Stainless Steel Coffee Urns
Ringgold, GA · 3 bids
Bain Marie Pots
Arcanum, OH · 3 bids
Delli meat slicer commercial
Oberlin, OH · 6 bids
Prep Table w/2 Power Outlets
Gardner, KS · 5 bids
Flat Top Commercial Oven
Taylors, SC · 5 bids
Lot of 2 dishwashers
Winston Salem, NC · 5 bids
High Speed Combo Oven
Tuscaloosa, AL · 5 bids
Resfab Fryer 148200
Denton, TX · 2 bids
What they're worth: surplus catering typically sell for $37–$332 at government auction - median $104, from 555 completed sales in the last year, per the GovAuctions Surplus Price Index. Demand: catering sell about 83% of the time, typically ~10 bids, from 618 completed sales, per the GovAuctions Surplus Market Report. Look up a specific item · See all categories
Government runs a lot of kitchens: school cafeterias, university dining halls, correctional facilities, hospital canteens, and municipal buildings. When a food service contract changes hands or a facility closes, the kitchen is auctioned more or less intact - combi ovens, ranges and griddles, deep fryers, stainless prep and steam tables, walk-in and display refrigeration, dishwashers and glasswashers, and coffee equipment. For anyone fitting out a restaurant or food truck, this is the same equipment at a fraction of new. Browse current listings below.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What commercial kitchen equipment is sold at government auctions?
- Cooking equipment (combi ovens, ranges, griddles, char grills, deep fryers), stainless preparation and steam tables, refrigeration including walk-ins and display units, warewashing (dishwashers, glasswashers), and beverage equipment such as espresso machines and coffee urns.
- Is surplus catering equipment a good way to fit out a restaurant?
- It is one of the cheapest routes, because commercial kitchen equipment is expensive new and depreciates hard. The things to verify are power and gas requirements (much commercial equipment is three-phase or natural gas rather than propane), whether the unit is complete, and whether it will fit through your door.
- Does surplus kitchen equipment come with a warranty?
- No. Government surplus is sold as-is with no warranty and no returns, which is exactly why it is cheap. Use the inspection window where one is offered, and price in the possibility of a service call.
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