Commercial Electricity for Full-Service Restaurants in Texas
What a sit-down Texas restaurant pays for power - a full kitchen, walk-in coolers, dish room, and a dining room to keep comfortable - plus how to lower the bill.
Get a Free Commercial Energy Quote
20+ Years of Experience
Connect online free in minutes
Over 12,000 company reviews
Texas has over 20,000 full-service restaurants, and a sit-down kitchen is an electricity-hungry operation: walk-in coolers and freezers run non-stop, exhaust hoods pull conditioned air out all service long, and the dining room has to stay comfortable. Below is what full-service restaurants typically use and pay, and where the power goes. See also fast-food restaurants and the broader restaurants guide, or browse all commercial electricity guides by business type.
Key Takeaways
- A typical full-service restaurant (~4,500 sq ft) uses about 10,000–18,000 kWh a month - roughly $850–$1,500 at ~8.3¢/kWh.
- Refrigeration and HVAC/ventilation together are more than half the electric bill.
- Full-service kitchens run more dishwashing and water heating than fast-food formats.
- Demand charges spike during the dinner rush when cooking, cooling, and refrigeration all run at once.
- Demand-controlled ventilation, refrigeration upkeep, and a fixed rate are the biggest levers.
Full-Service Electricity Snapshot
Figures are estimates for a typical sit-down restaurant. See methodology and sources below.
The Cost of Running a Sit-Down Kitchen
A full-service kitchen combines the two heaviest electric loads in food service - 24/7 refrigeration and heavy kitchen ventilation - with a comfortable, well-lit dining room. Many use gas for the cooking line, so the electric bill concentrates in refrigeration, HVAC, exhaust, dishwashing, and lighting.
Estimated usage & bill by restaurant size
| Restaurant size | Approx. sq ft | Monthly usage | Est. monthly bill* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small / neighborhood | ~3,000 | 7,000–11,000 kWh | $580–$910 |
| Typical full-service | ~4,500 | 10,000–18,000 kWh | $850–$1,500 |
| Large / high-volume | 7,000+ | 20,000–32,000+ kWh | $1,700–$2,700+ |
*Electricity portion at Texas's ~8.3¢/kWh average commercial rate. Cooking and water heating are often on natural gas, billed separately.
How does the Texas commercial rate compare?
Texas businesses pay an average of about 8.3¢ per kWh - roughly 38% below the U.S. commercial average of ~13.5¢. Because Texas is deregulated, you can shop the supply portion of your bill across 30+ retail providers and lock in a fixed rate - compare current commercial electricity rates.
Where a Full-Service Kitchen Burns Its Kilowatts
Cold storage and moving air dominate the electric bill, and both peak during service - which is what drives demand charges.
| System | Why it draws power | Approx. share | Est. cost / month* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Refrigeration | Walk-ins, reach-ins, ice - running 24/7 | 25–35% | $300–$420 |
| HVAC & kitchen ventilation | Dining-room cooling plus exhaust and make-up air | 25–30% | $300–$360 |
| Cooking & food prep (electric) | Ovens, fryers, warmers where electric | 12–20% | $150–$240 |
| Dishwashing & water heating | High-temp dish machines and hot water | 10–15% | $120–$180 |
| Lighting | Dining room, kitchen, exterior | ~13% | ~$155 |
*Illustrative split of a ~$1,200/month bill. Electric shares rise where the cooking line is electric rather than gas.
Dinner-Rush Peaks and Demand Charges
Most of your bill is energy — the total kilowatt-hours (kWh) you use over the month. But many commercial accounts also carry a demand charge, billed on your single highest peak of power draw, measured in kilowatts (kW), usually over a 15-minute interval. It doesn't matter only how much electricity you use, but how fast you use it at your busiest moment.
How to keep demand charges down
- Add demand-controlled kitchen ventilation (DCKV) - hood fans ramp with cooking load instead of full-blast.
- Stagger preheat so ovens, fryers, and A/C don't all start at once before service.
- Pre-cool the dining room ahead of the rush.
- Review your 15-minute interval data to find and flatten the peak.
Earning Credits on Summer Peak Days
Demand response is a program where businesses agree to reduce their electricity use for short windows when the Texas grid (ERCOT) is under strain — typically late afternoons on the hottest summer days. In exchange, participating businesses earn payments or bill credits.
Trimming a Full-Service Restaurant's Bill
- Lock in a fixed commercial rate. Comparing 30+ Texas providers at the right time is usually the biggest single lever.
- Maintain refrigeration. Clean coils, tight gaskets, and correct temps cut your largest 24/7 load.
- Add demand-controlled ventilation. DCKV can sharply reduce the energy your exhaust hoods use.
- Right-size and maintain HVAC. Clean filters and smart thermostats keep cooling - and demand peaks - in check.
- Go LED and ENERGY STAR. Efficient lighting and kitchen equipment trim steady load.
- Review demand and interval data. Knowing your peak kW shows whether a different rate structure would save money.
Related Commercial Electricity Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does electricity cost for a full-service restaurant in Texas?
A typical full-service restaurant of about 4,500 square feet uses roughly 10,000 to 18,000 kWh per month and pays about $850 to $1,500 at Texas's average commercial rate of about 8.3¢ per kWh. Small dining rooms use less; large, high-volume kitchens use more.
What uses the most electricity in a full-service restaurant?
Refrigeration and HVAC with kitchen ventilation together make up more than half the electric bill, followed by electric cooking equipment, dishwashing and water heating, and lighting. Refrigeration runs 24/7, so it is typically the single largest load.
What is the average commercial electricity rate in Texas?
Texas businesses pay an average of about 8.3¢ per kWh as of 2026, roughly 38% below the U.S. commercial average of about 13.5¢. Your actual rate depends on your ZIP code, utility (TDU), usage, and when you sign your contract.
How can a full-service restaurant lower its electric bill?
Lock in a competitive fixed rate, maintain refrigeration (clean coils and tight door gaskets), add demand-controlled kitchen ventilation so exhaust fans ramp with cooking load, switch to LED, and upgrade to ENERGY STAR equipment.
Why are demand charges high for restaurants?
During service, ovens, fryers, dish machines, HVAC, and refrigeration compressors all run at once, creating a high momentary peak in kilowatts. A demand charge bills that single peak across the entire month, so flattening it can meaningfully lower the bill.
What is demand response and can a restaurant earn from it?
Demand response pays businesses to cut electricity use during short grid-peak windows. A restaurant can pre-cool the dining room, dim non-essential lighting, and ease HVAC for a two to four hour window in exchange for bill credits, with no impact on the kitchen.
Compare Commercial Electricity Rates for Your Restaurant
Get a free, no-obligation quote from 30+ Texas suppliers. Our commercial energy experts have helped over 40,000 businesses lower their electricity costs - at no cost to you.
Get a Free Quote Call 866-284-9272Methodology & Sources
Business count: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023 - 20,819 full-service restaurants (NAICS 722511) in Texas. Average commercial rate: EIA / state commercial averages (Texas ~8.3¢/kWh; U.S. ~13.5¢/kWh, 2026). Usage and the energy-user split are estimates that vary by size, volume, and gas-vs-electric cooking. Bills are electricity-only and exclude natural gas, taxes, fees, and account-specific demand charges.
