Choosing the Best Refrigerated Prep Table for Your Establishment
Restaurant prep tables are necessary for any foodservice operation that assembles meals like pizzas, sandwiches, and salads. Commercial prep tables are typically equipped with a refrigerated base, a flat workspace area, a removable cutting board, and a refrigerated rail for cold pan storage.
When buying a restaurant prep table, choose one based on what you'll be serving. Whether your menu calls for an assortment of pizzas, salads, or made-to-order sandwiches, KaTom's food prep table guide will help you find the best refrigerated prep table for your operation's needs.
Different Types of Restaurant Prep Tables
Commercial food prep tables suit many applications, but some models are designed for specific prep tasks, such as assembling pizza or building salads.
Sandwich & Salad Prep Tables
Sandwich and salad prep tables provide lots of space for ingredients and topping pans, with refrigerated bases underneath to hold larger ingredients or store backup supplies. They typically come with cutting boards large enough to accommodate sandwiches or salad plates so servers can easily load up customers' orders.
Mega Top Prep Tables
Primarily used as specialty sandwich and salad prep tables, mega top models feature deep refrigerated rails that hold numerous food pans. They often include removable insulated covers and are ideal for high-volume salad or sandwich creation or for delis with extensive ingredient selections.
Pizza Prep Tables
Pizza prep tables generally feature large cutting boards with less refrigerated rail space that hold larger pans for bulk toppings. The full-length cutting boards facilitate pizza assembly using fresh ingredients.
Countertop Prep Stations
These units are refrigerated rails designed to rest on a counter and provide storage for multiple pans of toppings and ingredients. They’re easily adaptable to different food prep uses.
What Restaurant Prep Table Size Best Suits Your Needs?
Among the categories of refrigerated food prep tables, different sizes are available to complement each operator's menu, expected output, and variety of ingredients.
Sandwich & Salad Prep Table Sizes
- Refrigerated bases: Come with one to four doors or up to seven pull-out drawers
- Prep table widths: Average 54 inches wide
- Refrigerated rails: Offer front or dual-sided access for efficiency
- Cutting boards: Range from 8 to 20 inches deep
Mega Top Prep Table Sizes
- Refrigerated bases: Offer door or drawer access
- Prep table sizes: Average 54 inches wide
- Refrigerated rails: Feature single or dual access, insulated lids, and larger space; some units can hold more than 30 sixth-size pans
- Cutting boards: Have less space and average 8 to 12 inches deep
Pizza Prep Table Sizes
- Refrigerated bases: Include up to four door or eight drawer access
- Prep table sizes: Average 77 inches wide
- Refrigerated rail: Provides single access with smaller space for holding third-size pans
- Cutting boards: Offer more space for holding large pizzas, averaging about 16 to 20 inches deep
Countertop Prep Table Sizes
- Length: 7 to79 inches wide
- Depth: 7 to 28 inches deep
- Refrigerated rail: Holds up to 14 sixth-size pans
Do You Need Doors, Drawers, or Both?
Refrigerated prep tables come with doors, drawers, or a combination of both. Below, we'll explain the differences between these options.
Doors
Units with doors typically include shelves for holding ingredients, similar to reach-in refrigerators. The wire shelves inside are adjustable, enabling convenient storage of extra dressing jugs, toppings, and other bulky products that require refrigeration.
Drawers
Units with drawers usually fit full-sized food pans for quick ingredient replenishment. Storing designated food pans with extra ready-to-serve ingredients in drawers enables easy access when smaller pans in the refrigerated rail need to be refilled.
Combination
Combination units provide the benefits of both doors and drawers, accommodating food and ingredients on wire shelves or in food pans. These units are larger than those with just doors or drawers and need ample room for installation.
Restaurant Prep Table Compressor Types
Different prep tables use different mounting styles for their refrigeration systems. The most common types are rear-mounted and side-mounted compressors. Each has its own advantages and drawbacks based on airflow and storage space.
Rear Mounted
Sandwich and salad shops often prefer rear-mounted compressors because they offer more storage space in the refrigerated base. These units have less airflow than side-mounted options, but since these shops serve cold food, ambient temperature affecting the compressor is not a major concern. A rear-mounted compressor also creates a more convenient prep environment in busy kitchens. Also, some salad and sandwich prep table refrigeration systems can be bottom mounted.
Side Mounted
Side-mounted compressor units remain popular in pizza parlors. The high heat generated by pizza ovens cause refrigeration units nearby to work harder to cool down the compressor. For this reason, the compressor needs the best airflow possible, which is achieved with a side-mounted design that vents out the front. Since pizza prep tables don't need as many toppings as sandwiches, they can handle taking up some of their refrigerated base storage with a side-mounted compressor.
Restaurant Prep Table Refrigeration Types
Each prep table employs a specific refrigeration system that provides unique benefits for different user applications.
- Air-cooled systems: Use a standard cooling method where cold air is forced through the cooling chamber and around products to maintain consistent temperatures
- Cold wall systems: Create a blanket of cold air over open refrigerated rails. These are helpful for operations that use open prep tables for made-to-order food in the front of house
- Glycol-cooled systems: Utilize liquid coolant that's pumped through the rail and cabinet base. Glycol provides efficient cooling and precise temperature control without frost buildup
Other Restaurant Prep Table Features & Accessories
Additional features on prep tables include:
- Casters: Come preinstalled on some units for mobility
- Extended cutting boards: Create extra space for sandwich, salad, and pizza assembly
- Additional workspace: Provides more counter area for preparation
Prep table accessories include:
- Boat racks and overshelves: Can be added for overhead storage
- Extra casters: Enable mobility on most models
- Wooden cutting boards: Minimize wear on knives and elevate product appearance
Explore Restaurant Prep Tables at KaTom
Once you've decided on the type of prep table that works best for your operation, KaTom offers a wide variety of the best kitchen prep tables, featuring more than a thousand different options. Whether you need a large pizza topping table or a small deli sandwich station, find the ideal prep table for your storage and cookline needs at KaTom.
Your Commercial Prep Table FAQs Answered
How are refrigerated prep tables made?
The top part of refrigerated prep tables typically consists of a workspace with a cutting board, a refrigerated rail for holding pans or trays, and cold storage underneath. Most refrigerated prep tables are made of stainless steel, which is easy to clean, durable, and corrosion resistant. They may also be constructed of clear-coated aluminum, galvanized steel, or a combination of metals.
What's the difference between pizza and sandwich prep tables?
Pizza prep tables are usually larger, while sandwich prep tables are more compact. The cutting board on a pizza prep table is also much deeper than the cutting board of a sandwich prep table in order to accommodate large pizzas. The top storage areas of pizza prep tables and sandwich prep tables may differ, as pizza prep tables usually store third-size food pans, while sandwich prep tables tend hold sixth-size food pans for more ingredients.
What is the difference between a prep table and work table?
A restaurant work table is a general-use commercial kitchen table designed with a metal or wood top that provides ample counter space. Prep tables also have worktops, but they're designed for convenient access to refrigerated ingredients for creating specific menu items. Their cutting boards, refrigerated bases, and rails enable ready access to ingredients. You can essentially create a standard prep table on a work table without the refrigerated base by putting a countertop prep table on top of it.
How can I maintain my refrigerated prep table to make sure it lasts?
Like any refrigerated appliance, preventative maintenance, such as cleaning the condenser and evaporator coils, is essential for a long service life. You should also regularly wipe down the cavity, refrigerated rail, and cutting board to maintain sanitation.
What is the best material for a commercial prep table?
The best stainless steel prep tables are more durable and corrosion resistant than aluminum. The cutting board is usually made of polyethylene or vinyl, both of which are durable and withstand heavy use.
