When purchasing foodservice equipment, foodservice operators need to be sure to do their due diligence to select the appropriate pieces of equipment. Some points to always consider when selecting equipment for your establishment are the restaurant’s menu items, service style and anticipated volume. These factors are especially crucial for selecting the correct refrigerated prep table.

Refrigerated prep tables offer cold storage along with space for operators to prep a variety of ingredients for the establishments’ menu items. Salads, sandwiches and pizza are most commonly prepared on prep tables. Not only is there bulk storage underneath the table, but most prep tables offer an amount of storage across the top, via any number and variety of sizes of food storage containers. For this reason, operators must decide on their food items and how many ingredients the prep table needs to hold to make the work space as efficient as possible.

A common mistake operators make is not taking into consideration the sheer volume of food that needs prepping. Depending on your menu items and the type of establishment you are running, the prep table may be central to your food product – used all day every day.

The most common dimensions of prep tables are 27-28” wide by varying lengths of 3, 4, 5 or 6 feet. Planning ahead based on how much space is available in the kitchen & where the unit will be located will also help determine what size prep table will be necessary. Don’t forget that this equipment must be able to fit through doorways, around corners and into your kitchen upon delivery. (Thank goodness most prep tables are shipped with casters!)