Restaurant and Catering Gear Lead This Week’s Hospitality Auctions (4 Upcoming Sales)
This week we list 4 restaurant and catering equipment auctions across Australia. Including commercial kitchens, café fit-outs, food service equipment, and hospitality clearances.
FAQ
Where does restaurant auction equipment come from?
Primarily business closures including restaurants, cafés, and catering companies that have wound up. Refurbishment projects, kitchen upgrades, and liquidations of food service distributors also contribute significant stock.
What equipment typically comes up?
Commercial ovens, fryers, grills, dishwashers, refrigeration, coffee machines, display cabinets, POS systems, benching, and racking. Complete kitchen fit-outs sometimes sell as a package; other times individual pieces are lotted separately.
Is secondhand commercial kitchen equipment worth buying?
Usually yes — commercial-grade equipment is built for heavy use and lasts far longer than domestic equivalents. A well-maintained commercial oven or fridge bought at a fraction of new cost is a sound investment for a small food business.
What should I check before bidding?
Test operation if possible during the inspection period. Check gas fittings and electrical compliance for commercial appliances. Refrigeration units should be inspected for compressor condition and seal integrity.
Trends & Insights
The auction block is being led this week by a landmark portfolio play. A Melbourne auction on or around May 25 will feature a Guzman y Gomez outlet alongside KFC and Red Rooster sites, with the entire fast-food package expected to command strong investor demand and headline a $100 million offering (Green Street News, May 25). This signals that premium QSR real estate remains a core target for capital rotating out of yield compression elsewhere.
For operators looking to kit out or replace gear on a tight budget, a major opportunity has emerged from an abandoned Sydney basement. Over 1,000 pieces of commercial catering equipment were uncovered across two basement levels, with Lloyds Auctions running unreserved online sales from May 19-20 starting at just $1 (Medianet News Hub, May 18). The sale drew hospitality buyers from across the country, reflecting the ongoing appetite for distressed asset liquidation.
In Adelaide, the Carl’s Jr drive-thru in Elizabeth is heading to auction in early June with a $3 million price guide. The property is leased until 2034 and generates approximately $187,000 in net income, with agents positioning it as a rare entry-level QSR investment amid the sector’s strong performance (realcommercial.com.au, May 22). Meanwhile, Lloyds Auctions continues to run online hospitality clearances through May, featuring ovens, refrigeration, benchtops and display units, capitalising on business closures and tight budgets with strong buyer turnout in Southeast Australia (Lloyds Auctions, May 20).
Buyers should keep a close watch on the early June Carl’s Jr auction in Adelaide for a benchmark on where entry-level QSR yields are currently landing.
Last updated: 26 May 2026
Rod’s Tips
Grays handles the most consistent volume of hospitality equipment in Australia. Their rolling online sales include single items and complete kitchen packages. Set up a saved search for your equipment categories to catch new lots as they list.
Complete café fit-outs can go for dramatically less than replacement cost. When a café closes, the operator often needs a quick exit. Buying the complete fit-out rather than individual pieces can deliver significant savings if you have a venue to fit it out.
Coffee machine lots need careful assessment. A commercial espresso machine is expensive to service. Check the brand’s service network before bidding — some imported machines have no local support. A cheap machine with no parts availability is an expensive paperweight.
Bring your own measurements. Commercial benching, fridges, and rack systems are site-specific. Know your kitchen dimensions before the auction — equipment that won’t fit is worth nothing to you regardless of price.
National / Online
Victoria
New South Wales
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Unreserved – IT, Laboratory, Catering Equipment
More detail
This is an unreserved clearance covering three distinct categories, so there is something for a range of buyers. The IT side is the standout, with four high-end commercial displays. The Nec E805 is an 80-inch Full HD LED-backlit LCD monitor built for heavy use, and the Nec Multisync V652 and M551 models offer 65-inch and 55-inch options, the latter being a 4K UHD IPS panel. The Samsung DM55D is a 55-inch Full HD smart signage display, also worth a look.
Laboratory and catering equipment round out the lots. While specific brands are not listed in detail, the auctioneer has grouped them as quality industrial gear. If you are kitting out a commercial kitchen or a small lab, this is a chance to pick up essentials without paying retail. The 21 lots are unreserved, so everything goes to the highest bidder. Get your bids in before the close on June 3.
Looking for a specific oven, equipment, or items? Use our Auction Search to find it at over 100 local auction websites.
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