Food Bar Tray Slides
A food bar is not complete without a buffet tray slide and end shelf, which give staff and customers a convenient place to rest trays during service.
Buffet Tray Slides & Shelves: What You Need to Know
When it comes to assembling the perfect food bar, your guests' overall experience depends on more than just the food. Arranging your display to prioritize efficiency and sanitation increases throughput, facilitates cleaning, and creates a user- and employee-friendly setup. Below, you can learn about how equipping your food bar with buffet tray slides, end shelves, and other accessories improves the process of assembling plates of food, desserts, salads, sandwiches, and more.
Common Questions About Buffet Tray Holders & Slides
Why should I install buffet tray slides?
Food bars generally provide plates that customers use to transport food as it's collected down the line or from various stations. Trays – which enable guests to easily carry their plates, flatware, and drink – are a mainstay at buffets and food bars, especially those where customers assemble their own food and beverages. However, carrying a tray can be unwieldy. Buffet tray slides can be installed on one or either side of the buffet line to provide a convenient place for trays to rest when food is being added. By installing one of these, operators can reduce food spillage, keep the buffet line clean, and increase customer satisfaction.
What's the difference between a tray slide and a plate rest?
Buffet tray slides are available in a few different designs – including tubular, solid metal, and polycarbonate – that are all suited for sliding trays down a buffet line. Plate rests serve the same function but are only made with a solid surface because a tubular design wouldn't provide a steady resting place for dinnerware.
What's the difference between an end shelf and a buffet shelf?
Also called an overshelf, a buffet shelf is installed above the serving area of a food bar and often includes a sneezeguard or some form of protective barrier, with the "shelf" being the flat surface on the top of the unit. An end shelf, on the other hand, is installed at the end of the food bar, level with the serving area. Both can act as a buffet tray holder or as a place to set out clean plates.