A restaurant can't afford "gas imeisha" at lunch rush. Commercial LPG supply is a different game from home cylinders — here's how it works and what to set up.
The Commercial Setup
- 50kg cylinders — the commercial standard. A busy kitchen goes through one every 1–3 weeks.
- Twin-cylinder changeover — two 50kg cylinders piped through a changeover valve: when one empties, the system switches to the full one automatically. Your kitchen never stops.
- Piped installation — cylinders live outside or in a dedicated ventilated cage, piped to the kitchen. Safer than loose cylinders indoors.
What a Proper Supply Agreement Covers
- Scheduled deliveries — refills on your consumption cycle, not your memory.
- Priority emergency supply — a commercial account means a mid-service top-up actually arrives.
- Inspect-and-replace — valves, regulators and hoses checked on delivery runs.
- Invoice billing — business expenses need paperwork, not M-Pesa receipts.
Cost Reality
A 50kg refill runs ~KSh 8,000–8,750 — per kg, that's notably cheaper than domestic refills. For a kitchen burning KSh 30,000+ monthly on charcoal or small cylinders, the switch pays back fast. See live 50kg prices.
Compliance Basics
- Cylinders stored in a ventilated, secure outdoor cage — never inside the kitchen.
- Fixed piping done by a qualified technician — not a handyman special.
- Staff trained on the emergency drill — the leak steps apply at commercial scale.
- Fire extinguisher + signage in the cylinder area.
Who This Fits
Restaurants, hotels, catering kitchens, bakeries, food manufacturers, cafés doing volume cooking. If your kitchen can't pause, twin-50kg is the answer.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many 50kg cylinders does a restaurant need?
Start with two on changeover — most kitchens scale to 3–4 as volume grows.
Can PataGas do scheduled commercial supply?
Yes — we set up recurring deliveries matched to your burn rate. Talk to us.
What about installation?
We supply the cylinders and can advise on compliant installation — the piping itself should be done by a qualified LPG technician.
Kitchen can't stop? Set up a commercial account — scheduled 50kg supply with priority emergency delivery. Contact us →