General Hotel & Restaurant Supply

What General Hotel & Restaurant Supply does

General Hotel & Restaurant Supply is a privately held commercial kitchen equipment and hospitality supply distributor founded in 1955 and headquartered in Miami Lakes, Florida. The company operates a 100,000+ square foot food service distribution center, a fully operational test kitchen, and a 15,000 square foot retail showroom branded Restaurant Supply USA, supported by regional sales offices across Florida and field sales coverage spanning Miami-Dade, Broward, South Florida, the Caribbean, and South America. Its core business is the distribution of commercial cooking equipment, refrigeration, smallwares, tabletop, bar supplies, buffet and catering equipment, and hospitality furnishings sourced from manufacturers including Blodgett, Rational, Vulcan, True Manufacturing, Cambro, Arc Cardinal, Churchill, and Tablecraft.

Beyond product distribution, the company offers integrated commercial kitchen design and hospitality interior design services, using AutoCAD-based drafting to produce construction documents and interface with architects, engineers, and contractors. Revenue is generated through quote-based hardware sales, professional design fees scaled to project scope, retail walk-in sales through the showroom, and complete international export services that include consolidation, inspection, repackaging, and freight forwarding. Customer segments span luxury hotels and resorts, full-service and quick-service restaurants, country and golf clubs, healthcare facilities, educational institutions, catering operators, and party rental companies, with named enterprise clients including the Biltmore Hotel, Trump National Doral Miami Resort, Intercontinental Hotel, Miccosukee Resort & Gaming, and Shula's Hotel & Golf Club.

The company is family-controlled, with the Simon family holding senior leadership positions (Walter L. Simon as President, Glenda K. Simon as Vice President of Hospitality Design) alongside a professional management team including dedicated VPs for Sales & Marketing, Purchasing, and Cruise Line Sales. Demand generation combines a digital catalogue presence, an annual Fall Warehouse Sale & Trade Expo drawing 100+ factories, the 7-day showroom, and a field sales motion that has delivered over 100 restaurant builds and 300 remodels over a 29-year period. The business model is asset- and relationship-intensive rather than technology-driven, with moats rooted in distribution scale, manufacturer relationships, and accumulated design expertise.

Name

General Hotel & Restaurant Supply

Legal name

General Hotel & Restaurant Supply

Website

https://generalhotel.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1955

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Miami Lakes

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Commercial Kitchen Equipment Sales: Sale of commercial cooking equipment including broilers, ovens, fryers, ice machines, refrigeration, ranges, steamers, and specialty equipment from major manufacturers.
2. Commercial Kitchen Supplies Sales: Sale of kitchen supplies including baking supplies, cookware, cutlery, food storage, janitorials, and kitchen necessities.
3. Buffet & Catering Equipment: Sale of banquet supplies, beverage dispensers, chafers, china, glassware, coffee service, and concession equipment.
4. Bar Equipment & Supplies: Commercial bar supplies including blenders, glassware, beer dispensing, ice handling, refrigeration, and bartender tools.
5. Hospitality Design Services: Interior design and kitchen design services from concept to installation, including space planning, construction drawings, and purchasing coordination.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

General Hotel & Restaurant Supply distributes commercial kitchen equipment, foodservice supplies, hospitality furnishings, and bar/buffet products to hotels, restaurants, country clubs, schools, and healthcare facilities. The company also provides commercial kitchen and hospitality interior design services, HACCP compliance consulting, and international export services from its Miami Lakes, Florida headquarters, distribution center, and showroom.

Product overview

General Hotel & Restaurant Supply is a physical restaurant and hospitality equipment supplier founded in 1955, serving the commercial food service industry with a comprehensive product portfolio. The company operates as both a distributor of commercial kitchen equipment/supplies and a provider of professional design services. Their core product categories include commercial kitchen equipment (ovens, fryers, refrigeration, cooking equipment), commercial kitchen supplies (cutlery, cookware, storage), buffet and catering equipment, bar supplies, and hospitality furnishings. They complement their product distribution with services including a 15,000 sq ft retail showroom (Restaurant Supply USA), commercial kitchen design, hospitality interior design, and a fully operational culinary test kitchen. They also offer international sales/export services and HACCP food safety consulting. The company distributes products from major manufacturers including Arc Cardinal, Cambro, Churchill, CFS Brands/Sparta, and Tablecraft, featuring new product collections such as the Rock Line glassware, Camshelving systems, Elevation wall shelving, Astro and Elements china collections, and stackable chafers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Commercial Kitchen Equipment Distribution of commercial-grade cooking, refrigeration, and food-preparation equipment for hospitality and institutional kitchens serving hotels, restaurants, country clubs, schools, and healthcare facilities.
• Commercial Kitchen Supplies (Disposables and Smallwares) Distribution of disposable foodservice items, smallwares, and consumable supplies used by hospitality operators for daily kitchen and front-of-house operations.
• Buffet and Catering Equipment Specialty equipment and serving products for buffet lines, banquet service, and catering operations at hotels, clubs, and event venues.
• Bar Equipment and Bar Supplies Distribution of bar equipment, glassware, and bar-side supplies for hotels, restaurants, country clubs, and bars.
• Hospitality Furnishings Distribution of furniture and furnishings for hotel guest areas, restaurant dining rooms, and clubhouse interiors, including signature collections such as the Rock Line Collection.
• Restaurant Supply USA Retail Showroom Retail showroom operation under the Restaurant Supply USA brand providing walk-in access to foodservice equipment, supplies, and smallwares for smaller operators and independent buyers.
• Commercial Kitchen Design Services Professional kitchen layout and design services using AutoCAD to plan back-of-house equipment placement, workflow, and utility connections for new builds and renovations.
• Hospitality Interior Design Services Interior design services for guest-facing and dining spaces, allowing GHRS to coordinate furnishings and front-of-house aesthetics alongside kitchen layouts.
• Culinary Test Kitchen Hands-on demonstration facility where hospitality buyers can evaluate commercial cooking equipment under working conditions before purchase.
• International Sales and Export Services Export logistics and international sales support enabling shipment of commercial kitchen equipment and supplies to hospitality projects outside the United States.
• HACCP Compliance Consulting Consulting support for Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) food-safety programs, particularly relevant for schools, healthcare facilities, and other regulated foodservice operators.

Quantifiable outcome

• Cost reduction of 30-40% compared to traditional consultant design approach
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• BlodgettcoreOthersEquipment manufacturer represented through franchised dealer relationship. Products available through showroom display and catalog.
• Arc CardinalcoreOthersTabletop and smallwares manufacturer. Featured in Rock Line Collection and Broadway Color Additions new products.
• CambrocoreOthersStorage and shelving manufacturer. Featured products include Wine Storage System and Elevation Wall Series.
• RationalcoreOthersCombi oven and cooking equipment specialist.
• True ManufacturingcoreOthersCommercial refrigeration equipment manufacturer.
• VulcancoreOthersCommercial cooking equipment manufacturer including ranges, ovens, and fryers.
• ChurchillcoreOthersChina and tabletop manufacturer. Featured products include Astro Collection and Elements Color Addition.
• TablecraftcoreOthersTabletop and buffet equipment. Featured products include Cocktail Picks and Stackable Chafers.
• Strategic Hospitality Group Corp (SHGC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing working relationship on consulting projects. SHGC relies on General Hotel's kitchen layout expertise and equipment knowledge for profitable unit design. Projects delivered on time and within budget.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• TriMark Foodservice Distribution: National foodservice equipment and supplies distributor offering design, equipment, and smallwares to hospitality operators. Comparable end-to-end model with significant scale advantages.
• Wasserstrom Company: Restaurant supply and foodservice equipment distributor with showroom, design services, and broad hospitality customer base. Operates a similar consultative, design-plus-supply model across multiple US regions.
• Singer Equipment: Family-owned foodservice equipment and supplies distributor serving restaurants, hospitality, and institutions across the Mid-Atlantic. Highly comparable East Coast family-owned operator with design services and broad product portfolio.
• Edward Don & Company: One of the largest US foodservice equipment distributors, supplying restaurants, hotels, schools, and healthcare. Closest scale and breadth comparable to General Hotel, with similar consultative sales and design services.
• Boelter Companies: Midwest-based foodservice equipment and supplies distributor serving hotels, restaurants, and healthcare with design, supply, and installation services. Directly comparable business model combining design consulting with multi-line equipment distribution.
• Bargreen Ellingson: Pacific Northwest foodservice equipment and supplies distributor with design-build services for restaurants, hotels, and institutions. Comparable full-service model targeting the same hospitality end markets.

Others

• Hotel & Restaurant Supply (various regional independents): Smaller regional foodservice equipment distributors across the US that compete with General Hotel for local hotel and restaurant supply contracts. Aggregate competitive set that constrains regional pricing power.

Broad incumbents

• Restaurant Depot: Cash-and-carry foodservice supply warehouse club with broad restaurant supply assortment across the US. Adjacent competitor for commodity supplies though lacking General Hotel's high-touch design and luxury hospitality focus.

Emerging players

• Central Restaurant Products: Online-focused restaurant equipment and supplies retailer serving the same end customers but primarily through e-commerce channels. Represents the digital procurement model that competes with traditional distributors.

Regional players

• The Webb Companies: Kentucky-based foodservice equipment distributor serving restaurants, schools, and hospitality operators. Comparable full-line distribution model focused on the Ohio Valley region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/general-hotel-&-restaurant-supply

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about General Hotel & Restaurant Supply