How Restaurant Grease Trap Maintenance Affects Profit Margins

Restaurant Business with Fexingo: Food Service, Hospitality, and Independent Operators · Jul 16, 2026 · 8m · transcript

When was the last time you thought about your grease trap? In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how a routine—but often neglected—piece of kitchen infrastructure can quietly drain restaurant profits. They break down the costs of emergency grease trap cleanings versus scheduled maintenance, citing a 2025 study from the National Restaurant Association that found 60% of unplanned kitchen shutdowns are caused by grease-related issues. They discuss how independent operators in cities like Chicago and New York face municipal fines for overflow, and how a proactive grease trap schedule can save…