commercial kitchen cooktops in study to convert from gas to electric

COST STUDIES: COMMERCIAL KITCHENS

Protecting our resources for future generations.

Case Studies: Transitioning 10 Commercial Kitchens to All Electric

In 2025, the Sustainability Department conducted a study to assess the costs of transitioning from methane gas cooking equipment to electric cooking equipment in commercial and institutional kitchens. The study assessed 10 representative food service kitchens in San Mateo County of varying cuisines, building sizes, building types, and kitchen equipment types, looking at the capital and operational costs associated with this transition. The key cost drivers for food service kitchens are the cost of new equipment and associated installation fees, energy use cost for ongoing operations, and infrastructure upgrades such as electric and plumbing.

The report demonstrates that the total cost of transitioning food service kitchens to all-electric is likely too high for many small businesses to bear alone. The transition will require cross-sector action and support, particularly to mitigate the cost of electricity at peak times and the costs of infrastructure upgrades.

Cost Studies

Review the cost studies to better understand strategies and costs to transition different types of commercial kitchens to efficient and electric equipment.

Restaurants

Bayhill Vietnamese Bistro

San Bruno
3,500 sq ft
Casual dining
Attached commercial
100

View Cost Study (forthcoming)

Broadway Grill

Burlingame
4,270 sq ft
Casual dining
Free-standing with abutted building
80

View Cost Study (forthcoming)

Coconut Bay Thai Restaurant

Burlingame
5,000 sq ft
Fine dining
Multi-unit commercial suite
120

View Cost Study (forthcoming)

The Empanadas King

Redwood City
2,750 sq ft
Fast casual, take-away, retail production
Multi-unit commercial suite
28

View Cost Study (forthcoming)

Sizzler

Colma
4,545 sq ft
Casual dining
Free-standing building
90

View Cost Study (forthcoming)

Taqueria Los Moreno

San Mateo
1,000 sq ft
Fast casual
Multi-unit commercial/retail suite
30

View Cost Study (forthcoming)

Institutional Kitchens

Hillview Middle School

Menlo Park
900 sq ft
School cafeteria
Free-standing
~858

View Cost Study (forthcoming)

JobTrain

Menlo Park
1,500 sq ft
Culinary arts teaching kitchen
Multi-unit business park
10-15 students per training session

View Cost Study (forthcoming)

Menlo-Atherton High School

Atherton
5,000 sq ft
School cafeteria
Free-standing building
~2,152

View Cost Study (forthcoming)

Twin Pines Senior and Community Center

Belmont
900 sq ft
Community/event center
Community center
280

View Cost Study (forthcoming)

Webinar

The Sustainability Department hosted a webinar in 2025 to review the results of the study and share lessons learned.

Download the presentation slides (PDF)

Additional Resources and Considerations

Read the Full Report

Link coming soon

The Latest News & Events

Mar
22

Fixit Clinic @ Half Moon Bay Library

Fixit Clinics are fun community-based workshops where neighbors, friends, and families work collectively to learn how to repair broken items. We’ll provide a workspace, specialty tools, and volunteer Fixit Coaches to help you troubleshoot and provide routine maintenance to your household items and appliances! Register at https://bit.ly/itemcheckin.

Interested in being a Fixit Coach?
It’s easy! Provide participants with 1) guidance on tools and 2) encouragement to investigate their broken item. Let them talk about how they used it and how it broke. That often provides valuable hints as to what’s wrong. See how much you can do without actually handling the item. Empower the item’s owner to do the troubleshooting and disassembly. Register to be a Fixit Coach here.

This event is hosted in partnership with the San Mateo County Libraries.

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Case Studies: Transitioning 10 Commercial Kitchens to All Electric

Cost Studies

Review the cost studies to better understand strategies and costs to transition different types of commercial kitchens to efficient and electric equipment.