Buffet restaurants are a growing trend due to their profitability. If you want to join it to give a new service to your customers, you have to know the right professional kitchen equipment that you will need to have. For this reason, in our blog we show you one of the elements that cannot be missing in any buffet, as it makes the difference for the diner: the refrigerated display cases.
1. What is a refrigerated display case?
Refrigerated display cases are refrigeration units designed to expose and keep aperitifs, cold dishes, desserts or beverages at a low temperature. They are usually found in supermarkets, food stores or hotels canteens because they are very simple, but they adapt to multiple uses and businesses.
The refrigerated display cases you will need for your future buffet restaurant must be designed to keep food between 7ºC and 10ºC for around two hours, which is usually the length of the service. As for their shape, the vertical models with shelves will allow your customers to take food directly from the inside in a simple and accessible way. With this you will achieve two obvious benefits:
• service facilitation
• hygiene maintenance
2. Classification of refrigerated display cases
When it is time to choose the best refrigerated display case, you can ask yourself about which is the most recommended of the different types that exist. Below you will find a classification of refrigerated display cases according to their refrigeration system:
1-Static cooling display cases: they generate the cold air in the internal grill and it comes in direct contact with food. Static cooling display cases maintain a good level of humidity, but show clear thermal differences between the upper and lower shelves. They are very practical for preserving fresh and prepared meats.
2-Ventilated refrigeration display cases: this type of refrigerated display cases produces the cold air in its internal part and distributes it through the chamber by means of a ventilating belt, reaching temperatures ranging from -1ºC to 5ºC. They are the most used in buffet restaurants because they maintain the temperature for frozen and packaged products, sausages or dairy products.
3-Double ventilated refrigeration display cases: Do you want to include an ice-cream menu in your buffet? These display cases are the solution! These equips are created to work at low temperature, reaching -14ºC with great thermal uniformity.
4-Semi-static refrigerated display cases: through their combination of ventilated and static technology, these display cases cool the food and prevent it from drying out thanks to the rotation of its fan that removes the air. In them it is possible to store fresh or packaged food indistinctly.
As you can see, refrigerated display cases have multiple uses and they have been built to fit in different spaces.
3. Durability and energy efficiency
One last aspect to consider if you want your buffet’s refrigerated display cases to last as long as possible, is that they are made of resistant materials. This will make them more energy efficient, allowing you to reduce electricity consumption. Above all, we recommend that you pay attention to the following points:
-Stainless steel: in a past article we revealed why stainless steel is the most used material in professional kitchen equipment. The fact that your refrigerated display case is made of this material will make it resistant to corrosion and more reliable.
-Swinging methacrylate doors: the addition of swinging methacrylate doors to your refrigerated display case ensures their durability. These doors weigh very little, withstand low temperatures and blows without breaking and their transparency allows diners to see and access food comfortably.
-Food tub: the installation of a stainless steel food tub in the lower part of your refrigerated display case will allow you to place the drinks or Gastronorm buckets in there. Thus, you will not have the need to invest in a second cooling equipment, saving the maximum energy consumption.
Are you decided to incorporate this basic element in your buffet restaurant? In case you have any doubt about it, we will summarize the main advantages of refrigerated display cases for your business:
• They are efficient and economical
• Space saving
• They give a good image of your business
• User-friendly to the costumer
• Easy and fast cleaning
Remember that you can contact us if you need more information about refrigerated display cabinets or others related to your kitchen equipment. We will be happy to help you!
