How to Choose a Warewasher for a Foodservice Operation
-- Foodservice Equipment & Supplies, 3/1/2009 12:00:00 AM
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Warewashers tend to be a workhorse in most any foodservice environment. They perform the vital role of cleaning and sanitizing everything from dishes, flatware and glassware to pots and pans.
When purchasing a warewasher for their business, foodservice operators can choose from a variety of options, including:
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Undercounter
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Door-type
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Conveyor machines such as flight-type or rackless-conveyor, rack conveyor, upright conveyors and circular conveyor-type units
Operators can also choose from a variety of niche warewashers, such as models designed for bars, mobile carts, ice cream or limited beverage service operations.
Because these units can considerably range in price and can potentially last a long time, it is important for operators to weigh a number of considerations when specifying which warewasher meets their needs. Here are just a few:
What's the operation's anticipated capacity?
In this instance, capacity refers to the average number of people a foodservice operation anticipates feeding in a given hour. Also, each warewashing machine has an NSF rating that is defined in terms of racks per hour. One rack is equal to 2 to 2.5 people. Determining the appropriate capacity depends on the type of service an operation does, the items to be washed and the actual operator's efficiency level.
Beyond the number of people served per hour, it's also important to consider the style of service. For example, a fine-dining establishment that uses lots of glassware, tabletop items and the like will have a need for greater capacity. In contrast, a non-commercial establishment, such as a school or a prison, that features mostly tray service and a lot of disposables, such as paper plates, plastic utensils and cups, will have smaller capacity requirements than a fine-dining establishment, despite the fact that both might accommodate the same number of people during a given meal period.
How much space is allotted for the warewasher?
Warewashers can considerably vary in size, so how much space a foodservice operator has available for these pieces of equipment will play a role when deciding which one to purchase. For example, at the smaller end of the spectrum, undercounter machines tend to measure 24" x 24" and fit beneath a standard 36" counter, while handling roughly 30 racks per hour. In contrast, an upright conveyor or flight-type warewasher can measure anywhere from 14' to 45' long and handle up to 19,000 dishes per hour.
It is also important to understand how the unit works when allocating space. For example, a door-type unit typically sits between two tables: one holding racks of dirty dishes and the other holding racks of clean dishes. The actual warewasher usually measures 26" long, but because the tables are a necessary part of the process this piece of equipment will consume more space than that. So in the case of a new installation, foodservice operators should work with a consultant to determine exactly how long these tables should be and any special caonfigurations.
What questions should we ask when replacing an existing warewasher?
Begin by taking a look at the size and capacity of the existing unit. Moving forward with that information in hand, it then becomes important to understand how the overall foodservice operation has changed since the machine was first installed. This includes asking such questions as:
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Has the number of customers served per hour grown?
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Has the style of service changed?
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Is the foodservice operator happy with the machine?
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Can a smaller unit meet the demand? Or is a larger machine in order?
With this information in hand, then the foodservice operator and the consultant or dealer sales rep can start making informed decisions.
When are potwashing units appropriate?
Many foodservice operations use sheet pans, mixing bowls, etc., in preparing food for service to consumers. When deciding whether to purchase a unit that specializes in cleaning these items, volume is key. If a foodservice operation uses 300 sheet pans per meal period, then they would most likely need a special warewasher for these and other preparation and cooking-related items. In contrast, if the operation uses only five sheet pans per meal period, then a special unit to clean and sanitize these items is probably not necessary.
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I think you also need to talk about Energy Efficiency when you address dish machine use/choice today. Utilities offer significant rebates for the purchase of Energy Efficient machine. Operators really need to know what that machine costs to operate in gas/electricty/water.
John Petosa - 3/18/2009 2:14:00 PM PDT
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