Equipment for Safe and Efficient To-go Operations

 

Setting up for Safe and Efficient Takeout, Delivery, and Curbside
   

Once considered a secondary function of restaurant operations, takeout, delivery, and curbside service have emerged as essential to keeping the doors open. As many restaurateurs learned when delivery surged in popularity a couple years ago with the advent of Uber Eats, adaptation is vital to achieving safe and efficient to-go operations that accurately represent the brand you’ve worked so hard to build.

This 2-year head start on delivery operations has turned out to be a stroke of luck, because now when we need it most, we have a solid track record of equipment and processes that have worked well. Products have been designed for this very purpose, and best practices have been established. What have we learned so far?

 Organized Storage for Takeout Supplies

Successful delivery operations start with being well organized in the back of house while optimizing storage space. The Camshelving Flex Station creates a highly functional delivery prep station in a small footprint. Start with a Camshelving Premium framework and customize it with a combination of divider bars, food pans, food boxes, and solid shelf plates to keep delivery bags, to-go packaging and condiments at close reach—a great way to utilize vertical space. Organizer bins can be wall mounted or placed on a counter or shelf to keep small items in place and accessible.

 

Search high and low for available storage space. You may find it in unexpected places. Elements Series Undercounter Shelving Units create usable storage space under most standard height counters and tables, keeping items within easy reach. This provides a home for condiment packets, napkins, utensils, and other to-go or delivery items needing quick and easy access. Wall shelves also maximize storage space.

 

Holding Finished Orders

When we think about delivery, we tend to focus on getting the food there safely, but what about the time between when the food has been wrapped up and when it’s picked up? This period of holding is a point of vulnerability from both a food safety and quality perspective. Heated shelving units were developed by manufacturers FWE and Hatco specifically to provide an organized, clean, and dedicated place where temperature-controlled, finished orders can be held and retrieved.

 

Hatco’s GRS2G Glo-Ray 2-Go™ Heated Shelf uses vertical space to hold a large volume of bags and boxes of food for up to 30 minutes with a high temperature range up to 200°F. Features such as stainless steel construction, touch screens and independently-controlled shelves make it easy to safely hold hot foods such as panini sandwiches, flat breads, pizzas, and more. Since heat radiates from the shelf below, FWE recommends that operators using their HHS-513-2039 Heated Shelves place colder product such as pickles and salads on top of hot items to keep them cooler if it’s not practical to bag them separately. Packing napkins between cold and hot items also helps reduce heat transfer.

 

 Protecting Food Safety the Last Mile

At first glance, insulated pizza and food delivery bags all look similar, but a handful of fundamental differences impact performance and durability. Heavy duty, high-denier fabrics and the thick insulation found in Cambro’s GoBags make them a popular choice. Reinforced stitching and heavy-duty straps keep the bag going strong even after many washings. On Cambro pizza bags, extra-long hook and loop fasteners adjust to the size and quantity of pizzas being carried, so no precious heat is lost in transit.

For help customizing a well-oiled to-go system for your operation, contact us.