Commercial Kitchen Shelving: The Ultimate Restaurant Rack Buying Guide
Top-quality restaurant shelving is the backbone of a successful commercial kitchen, and few things optimize your restaurant, like well-selected and smartly planned restaurant racks. We have the low-down on selecting restaurant shelving like a boss. A commercial shelving setup is perfect for your restaurant, and it can make the difference between a smooth back of the house rocking the mise en place or inefficient chaos.
Don't Be a Nervous Rack: Get Commercial Kitchen Shelving from Eleven36
The right shelving is crucial for spacing and organization so your kitchen staff can focus on food, not finding things. Having the right shelving in the right size and the best spot is essential. Your restaurant racks need to be easy to see and simple to reach.
The benefit of high-quality industrial shelving is that it provides convenient access to ingredients, utensils, perishables, and menu items. Instead of a stressed-out back of the house, create an appealing and professional kitchen atmosphere.
On the surface, it might seem like the details aren't important just throw up some commercial wire shelving and a few mobile racks, and you should be good, right?!
Commercial kitchen shelving isn't complex, but it is particular. Eleven36 is committed to providing the best quality shelving units to ensure our buyers improve efficiency in their foodservice operation. We are here to help you with your optimal kitchen storage strategy.
Know Thy Shelf: Types of Commercial Kitchen Shelving
There are two primary types of restaurant shelving: stationary and mobile. Each has its advantages, and often, it makes sense to use a combination of both for the best kitchen setup.
Stationary Kitchen Shelves
Stationary racks stay in one place and are ideal for kitchen gear and ingredients with an assigned location for consistency. They are more affordable, and they are more stable.
Stationary industrial kitchen shelving can handle heavier items and in larger quantities. They are also easy to assemble and set up, and there is a much wider variety of sizes and shapes to match a kitchen's needs.
Stationary commercial kitchen shelves can:
- Offer dry storage for shelf-stable ingredients like cans, pasta, rice, and other ingredients regularly stored in storage containers.
- Offer extra storage space for frequently used kitchen equipment, utensils, pots and pans, or anything else needed and used consistently in one area.
- Open counter space by allowing you to store essential items within easy reach but out of the immediate work area.
Mobile Shelving Units
Mobile racks are ideal for storing items needed throughout the commercial kitchen, or items needed for special purposes. They can be stowed when not needed. Often, they have adjustable shelves, so they are more flexible as their use changes or for cleaning.
There are also specialty shelving, such as wall-mounted shelves, wine storage racks, dunnage racks, equipment stands, cantilever shelving, security cages, and storage shelving for glassware and tableware.
Mobile kitchen shelving is great for:
- Small kitchens without a lot of extra storage space. Mobile units are a great way to solve the issue of too much stuff in one place.
- Heavy equipment that isn't frequently used and hard to move when needed. Get your kitchen equipment where it needs to go and move it when it's where it shouldn't be.
- Crowded freezer or walk-in cooler spaces; you might have to play a bit of Tetris with your mobile storage shelves, but at least you can make the most of your cold storage space!
Be Shelf-Ish: Get the Right Rack for You
There are several factors to consider as you plan your kitchen's perfect shelving system.
- Shelving Shape and Size: Assess the available space and storage needs. The typical stationary industrial shelving is rectangular, but that isn't the only option available. Deeper shelving units store more items, but they can be hard to reach. The ability to place shelving where it is most needed is important. Know your kitchen measurements and how much capacity you need.
- Number of Shelves: Storing large items like bulk ingredients or large kitchen equipment will require fewer shelves, while storage for other kitchen essentials like cans, smaller items, or pan storage will allow for more wire shelves on one unit.
- Weight Capacity of Your Racks: Be sure to consider what items will be placed on each unit and check the weight capacity for the commercial shelving. For example, large sacks of bulk grains and rows of cans can add up quickly. Heavy loads might require additional shelves or lower shelves for easy access.
- Greater Visibility and Ease of Reach: Make sure your kitchen crew doesn't need to waste a lot of time looking for items. Frequently used items should require little effort to see and retrieve. Choose shelving that allows essential items and important ingredients to be placed at eye level when possible.
- Shelving Materials: Shelving comes in a variety of materials. Solid stainless steel shelves are the standard go-to in industrial kitchen shelving and are durable and long-lasting. Polymer shelves resist corrosion and are typically just as sturdy as stainless steel. Epoxy-coated shelves are best for areas with high fluctuations in moisture and temperature, such as washing areas and walk-in coolers.
- To Vent or Not to Vent: Shelving also comes in vented or solid formats. Solid shelves are the best choice for small items, liquids, and items that don't sit flat. On the other hand, vented shelving allows air circulation in areas with air vents and coolers and is better for extending the life of perishable items.
- Cleanability of Shelves: Kitchen shelving should be easy to clean, and doing so consistently can extend the life of your shelving. Wipe them down with a sponge or microfiber cloth and mild soap. When the shelves are used to store food items, add a step of sanitizing and allow the racks to air dry.
- Kitchen Shelving Accessories: The extras can make your kitchen storage system better, from hooks and front edge ledges to additional shelves, casters, dividers, and storage baskets.
Between a Rack and a Hard Place? Let Eleven36 Work for You
At Eleven36, we are committed to helping you improve your kitchen efficiency. We provide top-quality commercial kitchen shelves and durable storage racks to ensure they last long and your initial investment is worth it. Contact us for a free assessment of your commercial kitchen storage needs, and we'll help you explore the different types of restaurant shelving to meet your kitchen's specific needs.