EMR - Commercial Kitchen Service, Parts, and Installation

I’ve been in the hospitality industry for nearly 30 years, and this was my first and LAST experience with EMR. I went to them for one reason only: they’re listed on Robot Coupe’s website as a company that specializes in Robot Coupe equipment. I assumed that listing implied expertise and integrity. That assumption was dead wrong. To save money, I drove a 2-hour round trip TWICE to drop off and pick up my 3 year old Robot Coupe R602 V.V., rather than having them come onsite — based on an initial conversation that diagnostics would otherwise cost $400ish. After all that effort, I still paid close to $400 anyway. At drop-off, I explicitly stated that the issue was likely a bearing replacement. This is not unusual for these units — in fact, it’s extremely common due to normal wear and tear. When bearings deteriorate, they can cause resistance and even make the shaft feel as though it’s locking up. This is well known with this model. So I essentially paid nearly $400 to be told exactly what I had already told them, only for it to be followed by a completely absurd pricing escalation. After diagnostics, their technician Matt verbally quoted $899 for bearing replacement and/or $2,700 for a motor replacement, and asked if I wanted him to begin the repair. When I declined and instead requested a clear, written diagnosis and pricing breakdown — after already paying a $155 down payment — both estimates conveniently doubled. The written quotes suddenly jumped into the $2,000–$4,700 range, including a $4,700 motor replacement, which is nearly the cost of an entirely new unit. Wanting transparency after an insulting quote and money already paid is not a crazy request — yet apparently, it was an expensive one. During this conversation, I was rather concerned by a comment he made that strongly suggested he hadn’t even turned the unit on to confirm whether the motor was in fact locked up before quoting me for an entirely new motor. I specifically told him the motor was not locked, although with much resistance the blade was still rotating — there was simply a high-pitched sound during rotation, a classic symptom of bearing wear. And let’s not mince words, the bearings were in serious need of replacement. We totally dropped the ball on bearing maintenance which should be replaced annually based on usage. BUT how do you quote someone nearly $5,000 for a new motor without even turning the machine on to verify the failure? For clarity: the upper and lower bearings, if purchased directly, cost about $120 TOTAL. Yet once EMR added labor and “associated charges,” the bearing-related repair estimate alone approached $2,000. That’s not industry standard — that’s extortion. I took the same machine to Take Two Unlimited in Odenton, where the technician confirmed the motor looked brand new upon inspection. The actual repair cost? $660 TOTAL, INCLUDING diagnostics, and I was told the entire diagnostic and repair process took roughly 3 hours, give or take. Since taking it to Take Two, the unit has been working flawlessly. No motor replacement. No predatory pricing. Just competent service. To add insult to injury, after I declined EMR’s pricing, they reassembled the unit and left the motor fan outside of the processor (see photo). Sloppy at best, petty at worst — either way, unprofessional. After sharing this experience with other restaurant owners locally, the response has been identical every time: laughter, head-shaking, and “EMR? They’re literally the worst, but I know a guy that can help you”. I also spoke with a Robot Coupe parts specialist and shared these quotes with them. They were mortified and told me outright that bearing replacement on this unit is “a really simple repair.” Even suggested doing the repair myself. The only bright spot was Taylor, who was kind, professional, and responsive. However, passivity is permission. Bottom line: Get a second opinion. Question inflated estimates. Don’t confuse “authorized” with “ethical.” And take your equipment — or purchase one — at Take Two Unlimited in Odenton, Maryland!

— Nahla A

EWR is a fantastic company to work with! They are effecient, professional and the staff are very friendly! I loved working with Dennis!

— Carly Schwartz

Tristan was absolutely amazing! He is very professional and went above and beyond for our company and solved a major issue we were facing!

— Pablo Romero