A Buying Guide To Refrigerated Display Cases
Cafes, coffee shops, restaurants, convenience stores, delis and bakeries can all benefit from installing a refrigerated display case. Not only does it showcase your product, but it also helps keep everything fresh for longer. That means higher sales and reduced losses due to spoilage. These cases can also help you make the most of your floor plan.
The many available options mean you are sure to find a model that meets your business's unique needs. That being said, everyone can use a little help to narrow down their choices. To that end, we’ve composed this handy buying guide to help you make the best choice for you quickly and easily. Check out what we have for you:
What Are The Primary Types of Refrigerated Display Cases?
Bakery Case
Offering both refrigerated and non-refrigerated models, bakery cases are built to store and maintain the freshness of baked goods. All bakery cases have temperature and humidity controls since they are essential functions. Unrefrigerated cases are best for dry goods like bagels and bread. Refrigerated cases, conversely, are for baked goods that easily deteriorate at room temperature, like confections or other chilled desserts.
Deli Case
Keeping deli meat and cheeses at the proper temperature is essential to minimizing spoilage and upholding health codes. Deli cases are designed to hold deli food at 40 degrees Fahrenheit for ready slicing and service. They also maintain the humidity of their contents to prevent them from drying out and losing their freshness. Most come with a single shelf or multiple shelves to showcase products for customers.
Countertop Case
Many coffeehouses and cafes use existing architecture as part of their aesthetic. When it comes to installing modern appliances like refrigerated cases or bakery cases, this presents a unique problem: how do you install a temperature/humidity-controlled display case without altering the existing design? Countertop cases are an excellent solution to this problem: they function as their larger floor-standing counterparts without using floor space. You get all the benefits of a standard case without changing the aesthetic of your space. They tend to have less storage space, but this is easily overcome by storing additional stock out of sight like a refrigerator.
Meat and Seafood Case
Both types of cases are essentially the same, but they have more refined humidity controls to keep unwrapped meat fresh. They also use frost inhibitors to prevent the glass from frosting overdue to the additional humidity. Keeping raw meat fresh requires higher humidity levels, and that moisture tends to freeze or frost if left unchecked.
Sushi Case
Displays for sushi are all about creating a colorful display of ingredients that will appeal to sushi enthusiasts deciding on what to order. Unrefrigerated cases are the most popular since sushi is best served at room temperature, but refrigerated cases are also available.
Refrigerated Case Size & Design
Size
As the designs described above indicate, refrigerated cases come in all shapes and sizes. Some fit neatly on a countertop, while others can be as long as ninety-six inches. Choosing the right size is a matter of measuring the space and deciding on what size will fit and how much you can fit into the budget.
Design Characteristics
Here’s a quick overview of the essential design options.
- Glass - Straight glass cases are angled at twelve degrees to reduce overhead light reflection
- Light - Almost all refrigerated cases have their own interior lighting. Many of them have colored bulbs or filters to make their contents look their best.
- Shelving - Depending on the size and purpose, cases come with a single shelf or multiple shelves. More shelving often means a larger footprint, so you will need to plan your display design before making a purchase. You may only need a single shelf design, and spending extra for space you don’t need can cause you to run over budget.
Choosing the Right Refrigerated Case
All in all, purchasing the best-refrigerated display case for your business requires a little forethought and planning. With so many options, you can easily find the right case for your needs. If you are local to the Irving, Texas area, stop by Texas Restaurant Supply. We have a wide variety of new and refurbished refrigerated display cases that are sure to be a perfect fit. Contact us today for more information.