Food Service Equipment for Hits, and How to Avoid Misses

Whether you are stocking a snack bar, concession stand or café, you must find food equipment that works best for your business needs. Consider space, time and cost before jumping into a new product.

Here are a six quick tips courtesy of John Evans, senior vice president, Gold Medal Products, Co.

1. To ensure you make the most profits possible, be sure to use the proper size equipment and always have enough product available. This fact holds true for any machine, be it popcorn, Sno-Kone®, cotton candy, etc.
2. Popcorn is also an impulse purchase. The mouth-watering aroma of freshly popped corn during busy times increases sales.
3. Pre-packaged nacho products are designed for great “grab-n-go” sales, improving service time and overall profits.
4. Make sure your equipment is a strong merchandiser. An eye-catching machine can help you sell as much as a staff member.
5. Follow the KISS principle and keep your menu simple. Too many products can be confusing, detract from sales and slow down serving time. Focus on easy-to-prepare, high-profit items that won’t be a huge investment. (For example, popcorn, cotton candy and Sno-Kones® have extremely high profits and low food costs, and often a good weekend or two will pay for the machine, so you can focus on the profits.)
6. Keep accessibility and ease of use in mind when laying out your snack bar. Your staff should be able to easily grab/prepare items without disrupting others beyond the counter.

Tina Robertson, of Sk8away Inc. and RSA vice president, shared that her recent upgrade to flat screen menu boards has given her the ease to display menu items with little or no hassle. She uses a looped PowerPoint presentation and can easily change the slides when needed. This use of technology is sleek looking and easy to manage.

In the end, use your senses: sight, smell, feel and lastly, taste. Trust in these and you will succeed with a winning food service operation. -
(Susan Melenchuk is the Executive Director of the Roller Skating Association International.)