Did you know that there are over one million restaurants in the United States? Opening a new restaurant can be an exciting business venture. However, it also comes with a million little decisions that can quickly get overwhelming.
One of the considerations is which type of griddle is right for your business. Restaurant griddles are a vital part of cooking large quantities of food. However, choosing the right one depends on what type of food your restaurant will be cooking and serving.
Luckily, we’ve organized this buying guide to help you out. In it, we’ll cover everything you need to know about finding the right griddle for your new business. Let’s get started!
What Is a Griddle?
Before we begin it’s important to first understand what a griddle is. This product is a widely used piece of kitchenware that offers a cooking space that’s both large and versatile depending on what you use it for.
Griddles are flat tops that are great for cooking meats like burgers, bacon, or stir fry. They are also a staple of diner breakfast staples like eggs and pancakes. While many chefs love griddles thanks to their maximum amount of service space, it’s important to remember that they aren’t for everyone.
For example, they aren’t an ideal heating solution for cooks that specialize in cooking with liquids. Since the service is flat it can’t hold these types of dishes.
Different Types of Restaurant Griddles
When purchasing a griddle there are three main types you can choose from. This first is known as a countertop griddle. This product is a stand-alone piece that can be placed anywhere in the kitchen as long as there is adequate ventilation.
The next type is known as a drop-in griddle. This type of product is placed into a cut-out section of counter space. This can help maximize space if you don’t have enough room for a countertop griddle.
The final type is known as a teppanyaki griddle. This type is popularly found in Japanese hibachi restaurants. They’re located in the center of a countertop and allow customers to watch you cook while you use it.
Factors to Consider
Now that we know a little more about restaurant griddles we can dive into the factors to consider when buying one.
In this section, we’ll cover five areas you need to consider when purchasing this piece of kitchenware: heating source, plate thickness, griddle size, control style, and plate material. Also, make sure to check out this resource to learn about the best griddle grill.
1. Heating Source
The first factor you need to decide on is your heating source. When it comes to griddles you typically have two options: electric and gas. Both of these come with their pros and cons.
For example, electric griddles are usually a little more cost-effective. This is thanks to their energy efficiency and the cheaper nature of electricity. However, depending on where you live gas griddles can be just as affordable.
Plus, achieve high temperatures faster than electric models and recover more quickly. If you aren’t sure, then try looking up utility rates in your area to see which is more affordable for you.
2. Plate Thickness
There are three types of thickness you can choose from for your griddle plate: standard (around ½ inch thick plate), medium (¾ inch thick plate), and heavy-duty (one-inch plate).
Heavy-duty is ideal because it’s more durable and it can distribute the heat fairly evenly. However, the standard plate heats up more quickly and costs a lot less. The medium plate is a good compromise between the two.
3. Griddle Size
There are two ways of measuring griddle size: depth and width. The depth measures how long the griddle is from the front to the back. You can generally find them in sizes ranging from twenty to thirty inches.
Width measures how long the griddle is from left to right. They usually range from twenty-four to seventy-two inches in increments of twelve.
The best griddle size for your restaurant is determined by how much food you’ll be cooking and how busy you expect to be. It’s best to buy a larger size if you expect to grow.
4. Control Style
The next decision you have to make is the control style that will come with your restaurant griddle. The first type is a thermostatic control. This type allows you to set the temperature exactly to a certain degree.
This is ideal if you have foods that require more delicate temperature control, like eggs or pancakes. The other control style is manual controls. This type allows you to set the temperature at more general low, medium, high settings.
As such, they’re good for food that requires high heat, like burgers, cheesesteaks, and bacon.
5. Plate Material
Most types of kitchen griddles that you’ll find use traditional steel in their plate material. While this might be a dependable type of material it might not be the best for your restaurant.
For example, if you own a breakfast place, then you might want to consider chrome for your griddle. For one thing, it’s easier to release things on chrome surfaces which makes it great for pancakes and eggs.
Not to mention the fact that it has better heat retention and it’s easier to clean. However, it will likely be more expensive.
Want More Content? Keep Exploring
We hope this article helped you learn more about restaurant griddles and which one is right for you. As you can see, there are a lot of considerations to take into account when choosing these products.
However, as long as you think ahead in terms of what you’re serving, and find a reliable supplier, then you should be fine. Did you enjoy this article? If the answer is yes, then you’re in the right place. Keep reading to find more topics that you’re sure to love.