B&I Archives - Page 2 of 6 - Lakeside Foodservice

Posted on January 2, 2023March 13, 2023 by thelakesideteam

Push vs Pull: The Benefits of Each with Utility Carts

On an average day in the foodservice industry, staff will push and pull various carts full of supplies to serve diners. Whether food supplies are being moved, or tableware is being transported, these loads can be heavy. While pushing and pulling are both options, there are benefits to each. For the majority of jobs, pushing is preferred, but below we will discuss why pulling may be a better option for some transportation loads. According to Well Work Force, “We are capable of safely generating more force when pushing, rather than pulling.” Pushing is usually the option that most staff choose, but in some instances pulling can be very beneficial.

Moving around heavy loads is inevitable but knowing how to safely transport those loads is key to helping minimize employee injuries. The differences between pushing and pulling may not seem very evident at first glance, so we have put together an overview of the two and their benefits to help you and your staff decide when to use each for different tasks.

Benefits of Pushing:

When pushing a cart, you are able to use both arms to push the load which allows your body weight to lean into the cart to help maneuver it forward. Pushing carts allows for optimal visibility of the supplies and items on your cart. During transport, supplies may shift around from going over a bump or when taking a turn. When pushing a cart, you are able to keep an eye on the items on the cart to ensure they are stable during transport. If an item shifts while pushing the cart, it can be easily noticed and moved back into its proper place to ensure no accidents occur. Some items may not be affected by a tumble off of the cart, but many items would. Being able to see the items while pushing can help reduce the likelihood of an accident.

For those that have a tendency to experience lower back pain, pushing carts as much as possible is a smart choice, according to Ace Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine Institute. The motion of pushing has less strain on your back and can reduce the progression of pre-existing back problems. Moving heavy equipment can have a great impact on the body, so making sure you are utilizing your body weight and position to your greatest advantage is crucial to ensuring a healthy body free of strains.

Benefits of Pulling:

Pulling loads has its time and place as well. When pulling a cart, the operator is facing forward using one arm to pull the load. Sometimes the operator may use the pulling method and walk backwards in order to be able to use both hands and more body weight to move the load. Pulling is ideal for lighter weight loads as to ensure there is no strain on the operator. Pulling allows the operator to easily make turns with the cart following their guide. When pulling a cart, there are no visibility obstructions as the cart is usually behind the operator when pulling. This visibility ensures that nothing is run over. The operator has no items to look around or over making sure a collision with something else is reduced.

When it comes to inclines, pushing and pulling each have their place. Transporting a full cart down an incline is best suited with pushing as to avoid any accidents happening with a cart falling back onto the operator if an accident were to occur. Transporting a fully loaded cart up an incline merits the use of pulling. If an accident were to occur and the cart were to lose control going up an incline, the cart would not fall onto the operator if it were being pulled. While these points are true for protecting the operator, it is important to also consider those who the cart will be passing in transport. Moving more than the cart can handle can cause problems and possible accidents, so when in doubt, split it into two smaller loads. Pulling a utility cart has its time and place, so make sure to consider whether this is the best option or if pushing would be a safer decision.

Utility carts are built to take the heavy load and make it easier for staff to move supplies. Using these carts to their greatest advantage not only increases functionality, but also safety. Whether it is pushing or pulling a loaded cart, ensuring the safety of the operator is always important. A general rule of thumb is to push heavy loads, and to pull lighter loads if the operator prefers that form of transporting. Lakeside invented and perfected the stainless steel utility cart to help foodservice operations tackle both heavy and light duty loads. Our new product, the Easy-Pull, is a versatile cart that not only allows for the traditional pushing mechanism, but also has a handle that unlocks to allow for ease in pulling the cart. This cart offers the ultimate multi-functionality and flexibility all in on piece of equipment. Meet the Easy-Pull today!

Posted on January 2, 2023March 13, 2023 by thelakesideteam

How to Navigate the Foodservice Labor Shortage

Labor shortages are unfortunately something that has become somewhat of a norm in various industries over the past few years. Everywhere we go, wait times are longer or the goods we want to buy are not available. The implications of the current labor shortage can be seen nearly every day. The foodservice industry specifically has seen a great decline in the staff they are able to retain. Diners see this with longer wait times, smaller menus, and increased prices, but let’s take a look behind the scenes.

Foodservice directors are finding it very difficult to maintain a full staff. When a position is open, it takes months to find staff which leaves the current staff making up for the gaps. Being able to function amidst a nationwide labor shortage has its challenges as diners, guests, students, and patients still are expecting to receive the same level of service and quality food. Although your team is smaller right now, the same amount of work needs to be done. Deliveries need to be put into their home in the storage room and transporting food supplies to the kitchen for meal prep still needs to happen. At the end of the day, your small staff can get by, but ultimately they are pushing themselves to a limit that will soon be reached.

Having employees get to a point where they can no longer physically and mentally work in the foodservice industry is a point we don’t want you to be reached. While the labor shortage will continue to impact the foodservice industry, we have gathered some ideas for you to consider implementing to help make your employees time at work both enjoyable and safe, and also for it to be such a great work environment that your company culture is recognized as being one of the best. Being known for having a great company culture can have great impacts on your hiring process. Below we will dive into some ideas to help reduce the impacts the labor shortage is having on your foodservice operations.

1: Build a Strong Work Culture

When your employees enjoy their work, they share that with their friends and family. Word-of-mouth marketing can be one of the most powerful types of marketing as a positive word-of-mouth review can send your business to success while a bad review can have many negative effects. When you treat your staff well, the community knows it and in return will want to support your business more and even consider working for you.

In an employee starved industry, people looking for jobs have the ultimate say on where they want to work. Being known as a great employer will increase your likelihood of receiving more applications which will lead to more interviews and eventually to great hires. Building your work culture all starts with management. Offering flexibility and positive reinforcement are just two of the many ways to create a good relationship with your staff.

Another aspect of work culture is safety. No one wants to work for a company that pushes their employees to the breaking point and has them do work that is unsafe. Ensuring your operations, kitchen, and dining space offer equipment that is safe for employees to use is very important. In the foodservice industry, there are lots of heavy items that need to be moved around ranging from canned food to bringing heavy dirty dishes to the back-of-the-house from the dining space. Safety paired with an enjoyable work environment can help encourage job applicants to seek out your business.

2: Offer Impressive Benefits

While company culture is one aspect that helps retain staff, offering great benefits helps get people in the door for interviews. When looking for new jobs, the first thing you look at on a posting is the general description and the quick list of bulleted benefits. While some foodservice operations are not designed to offer full-time salaried benefits like health insurance and retirement savings plans, there are many other benefits you can offer your part time staff. Consider offering employee discounts, wellness benefits, flexible schedule benefits, training and professional development opportunities.

With all of this in mind, it is also so important to pay your employees a competitive wage. That may sound like a very obvious statement to make, but at the end of the day, job applicants want a job that will be able to sustain their living expenses. Wage paired with impressive benefits can really help attract and retain employees so consider evaluating your current benefits and then take some time to brainstorm how you could add more benefits to the package.

3: Increase the Use of Technology

Within the foodservice industry, there are many tasks that have now been able to be replaced by automated technology. For example, Open Table is a service many restaurants use that allow guests to make reservations online without having to call and talk to a restaurant staff member. Reducing the amount of time a hostess is on the phone taking reservations is an easy swap to bring back time to your smaller staff.

Another new technological advance in the foodservice industry is the use of wireless payment systems. Instead of staff having to come to the table to get a form of payment, take the card back to the register to process the payment, and then bring the card back to the guests, they can simply do take the payment right at the table, process the payment, and print a receipt within less than a minute. This is yet another way to reduce the time it takes staff to complete a task. With the current labor shortage, when the time it takes to complete a task is reduced, this brings back time to increase productivity and efficiency.

Investing in your employees and company culture is so important in the labor starved foodservice industry. Offering benefits while introducing new technologies can help increase operational efficiency. Efficiency also comes with equipment that works with you, and not against you. With Lakeside’s new motorized cart, you can move more heavy loads with less staff all while reducing operator strain from transporting heavy loads. This new foodservice cart helps increase labor efficiency to help combat labor shortages.

With limited employees, the last thing you need is to lose a staff member that needs to take two weeks off to recover from a work related injury. Your foodservice equipment sets the stage for successful and safe operations for diners, guests, patients, students, or whoever else walks through your doors. Talk with a Lakeside cart expert to discover equipment solutions!

Posted on December 27, 2022March 16, 2023 by thelakesideteam

Going the Distance with the Right Cart

How far is “far”? The answer to that question is different for every foodservice operation, and for every cart that carries supplies and equipment. Some utility carts are built to travel across rough surfaces like gravel and uneven pavement while other carts are built to travel long distances across carpet. Depending on what the cart will be used for, there are different durability levels to choose from to make sure the cart will with-stand its tasks and offer functionality for many years. The foodservice industry as a whole, spans across various areas ranging from cafeterias in colleges to restaurants and businesses offering dining and drink services to guests. Lakeside had the opportunity to work with a Northern California winery to create a custom solution that would improve their operational efficiency. Below in this blog we will highlight the impact this custom cart has on this winery’s operations and the design process that led to the final cart.

Going the Distance:

This Northern California winery was looking for a cart to deliver food over the cement trails winding through their many acres of vineyards. They also wanted this cart to be able to then bus and clear dishes once they had finished delivering and serving the food to guests. In order to get both functionalities into a cart, a custom solution was their ideal. Rattling over sidewalks nearly every day of the year will shake a cart to its core. The right construction, material, and casters must come together to ensure your equipment can hold to the use. With the intended use in mind, Lakeside created a design that combined durability, maneuverability, and aesthetics to offer the functionality this winery needed.

Pressing Ahead:

At Lakeside, we analyze cart requirements based on expected load weight, intended distance traveled each day, hours of use, and the terrain the cart will travel over. Combining the winery’s specific needs for the cart ensured our team designed a cart that would withstand the wear and tear the cart would face each and every day. The configurations for this winery were specific. The cart needed to be discrete, carrying food or dirty plates past other guests without being a disturbance, to be able to hold up to its use all while looking nice. We customized the inside and outside of this cart to include the shelving they needed and space for a thermobox for hot food. Finally, we fitted the cart with foam filling and large pneumatic casters to allow it to traverse thresholds and the multiple types of terrain, indoors and outdoors, across the vineyard.

What Can You Do?

It is easy to come up with ideas you want to do with your carts within your foodservice operations. Going from kitchens, to dining rooms, to the outdoors may seem simple enough, however, making the right choice of materials, construction, and design will impact its life span and usability. Lakeside has a team of cart experts to help you design a cart for your exact needs.

Posted on December 20, 2022March 13, 2023 by thelakesideteam

Kitchen (Re)Design without the Headaches

As a Foodservice director, you know how important the kitchen is for the success of your business. You’ve spent countless hours in the kitchen to ensure that your staff can work quickly and efficiently. But there comes a time when even the best-run kitchen needs improvement. And oftentimes, it’s not possible to conduct a full remodel due to budgetary constraints. So what are your options? Let’s take a look at an example from one high school that found a way to improve their kitchen efficiency without breaking the bank.

Work and Store:

A local southern California high school needed to make better use of their existing kitchen space and had a goal to increase storage while also adding more workspace for their growing operations. After exploring several solutions, Lakeside was able to create a design that offered the perfect combination of workspace and storage: a custom-built workstation with sheet pan rack storage underneath it. By using this setup, they were able to store half or full sheets underneath while having ample workspace for prepping food on top. The staff loved this solution and ordered more of these custom-built units from our US factory to keep things running smoothly and efficiently in their kitchens.

Unlock Efficiency:

This custom project emphasizes that improving your kitchen functionality and efficiency does not have to mean undertaking a major remodel project; many times, you can unlock efficiency just by taking an honest look at your facilities and seeing where there might be room for improvement. Not only is this a quicker process than a complete remodel, but it is also more budget friendly. Oftentimes a complete remodel is not necessary. Pinpointing the operational flows that can have increased efficiency is the first step in the process. Take some time today to evaluate your current setup and see if any small changes can make big improvements in the way your kitchen functions!

Redesigning a kitchen can be challenging, especially when you don’t have enough funds for a full remodel budget. However, as shown by our example of the high school looking for a storage solution with extra workspace capabilities, unlocking efficiency doesn’t always require something drastic like a complete renovation project – sometimes all it takes is taking an honest look at what works (and what doesn’t) in order to find ways of making improvements. Evaluate your own facilities today and see if there are any opportunities for increasing efficiency without breaking the bank!

Posted on December 13, 2022March 13, 2023 by thelakesideteam

Catering to Flexibility: Lakeside Custom Solutions

Flexibility carries a heavy importance in the foodservice industry, and without it, operations can be dysfunctional and ultimately affect diners’ experiences. To be able to have flexible service that can shift with the various dynamics of each day can be the difference between a successful and unsuccessful operation. Having equipment that allows for flexibility is a sure way to provide your team with the tools they need to work around unforeseen situations. There are some things that can be controlled, but situations arise that were not planned. Being comfortable changing plans and being flexible to the different needs of each day offers great possibilities for an operation.

At Lakeside, we strive to offer flexible equipment for you and your team to be able to provide dining services amongst all circumstances. Sometimes a standard product is able to stand up to the task at hand, while other times a custom solution needs to be built to offer the ideal solution. Lakeside has worked with foodservice operators in a wide array of industries, one being the catering industry. Lakeside was able to help design, craft, and build a custom cart for a New York based company that offers business meeting and conferences spaces, paired with catering services, for businesses to rent in major metropolitan centers. With offering an all-inclusive experience of technological equipment needed and meal catering, they had a specific need for their new foodservice cart. Below, we will go over how this custom solution was designed and how it allowed for the ultimate flexibility.

Background:

This New York company needed flexible carts to move catering supplies from central kitchens to the meeting rooms in their venue’s spaces. The carts needed to accommodate food carriers, chafing dishes, full sized pans, carafes, and supplies all while being able to transport smoothly over thresholds and through elevators and doorways. Lakeside’s design team saw this as a great opportunity to design a custom cart to fit their exact needs, ultimately to allow them to have flexible service. Our engineering and design teams were able to build a custom full cart setup that could be modified on the go based on the number of people being served, what food was being served, and whether the food was heated or served cold. Being able to adapt on the fly is crucial for a successful flexible operation.

The Custom Cart:

The stainless steel cart was built with ledges to hold full size sheet pans or snap in shelves. When shelves were removed, the space could be filled with insulated food or beverage carriers. The top was able to store additional catering supplies with upward facing ledges on three sides holding items in place to avoid any accidents. The guests being served weren’t the only ones to be considered in this design process, our design team also wanted to make sure this cart offered ease of use for the operator. Ergonomic handles were built onto this cart to ensure proper pushing angle to reduce the possibility of straining and injury. Beneath these handles, three removable storage bins were mounted to hold carafes and other supplies. Staggered casters, opposite of the handle, were added to help maneuver the cart over thresholds, once again ensuring the maneuvering of the cart was easy for the operator. All of these features combined allowed this company to deliver flexibility and improve operational efficiency while catering to their rental groups.

Ready for Anything:

It can be hard to spot the equipment in your own organization that is holding operations up. Start by taking a look at the single taskers: equipment that doesn’t adapt to a variety of uses. Solutions that deliver flexibility will also improve the efficiency of your organization to all-in-all offer better service to customers. While Lakeside has a vast selection of standard products, we offer you the opportunity to customize a cart, or allow us to help you design the exact cart for your needs like we did with this New York company. Talk with a Lakeside cart expert today!

Posted on December 6, 2022March 13, 2023 by thelakesideteam

Kitchen Trends from Decades Past that Led to This 2023 Trend

The concept of “Transparent Kitchens” has been sweeping across the country in restaurants, college dining rooms, coffee shops, and so many other foodservice establishments. While we have seen an increase in the open kitchen concept marked as the “Transparent Kitchen Craze”, it is predicted to be amplified in 2023 with even more foodservice operators choosing to embrace this concept as it has many benefits and can even increase revenues. This concept of a transparent kitchen did not just appear out of thin air, it is a combination of previous trends leading to this new kitchen functionality we will be seeing in thousands of kitchens in 2023. Below we will go into detail on where a traditional kitchen began and how it has evolved to what we see today. There are often some subtle differences in kitchen trends between a kitchen in one’s home as opposed to a commercial kitchen and dining space, but oftentimes, trends spread across these two kitchen types. While kitchens have been around for centuries, we will start with the 1930s kitchen trends. To start, let’s take a look into the later part of the Golden Age of Cocktails.

1930s

In spite of the Great Depression taking place during this period of time, kitchens seemed to emulate a different feel opposite of a depression, particularly for those who could afford to stay up with the trends. Kitchens in the 1930s were considered to be bright, glossy and joyful with the combination of the necessity for efficiency. There was now an emphasis on installing standardized cabinetry into one’s kitchen, which had not been a common practice in times past. This allowed families to “integrate their new gas ranges and sinks into the cabinets” as opposed to free standing pieces of equipment among the kitchen layout according to a recent article written by Forbes.

1940s

This period was marked by the focus on sleekness as it was somewhat of a necessity as presented by the economic circumstances of World War II. Walking into a kitchen in the 40s would be a vision of plain, simple, and practical. While this is true, people became creative with ways to add some excitement to their somewhat dull kitchens by using utilitarian items as decor. This ranged from using decorative storage containers or having a bright colored kettle on a stove. These small items were able to add some cheer to a time devastated by war.

1950s

This post-war period was filled with vibrant, happy and candy-land colors in kitchens. Families were starting to move out of the cities and into suburbs and amongst this, there was a housing boom bringing a new focus on what people thought of as a standard kitchen. Women spent much of their time in the kitchen, so why not make it an enjoyable place to be? And that is exactly what the 50s did to the traditional kitchen. This room that was once subject to just cooking now became a place that needed to offer comfortable, style, and functional qualities.

1960s

Sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows was a vision of this time period along with the desire for entertaining people. Whether this was inviting people over for dinner parties, or offering a more inclusive restaurant dining experience, entertainment was the name of the game. Kitchens were designed to easily connect to the dining space to ensure guests, diners, or customers could be served quickly while still ensuring quality. Bright-colored accessories along with wallpaper were seen inside the windows of every restaurant and among many residential kitchens to offer a more personal touch to the space.

1970s

During this period, many people were living in family homes that had been owned by the family for a few generations. People wanted a modern feel weaved in with convenience and new technology while still wanting to maintain some of the sense of home that comes with living in a home you or your parents were raised in. It was common to use warm woods for cabinets to offer a cozy home atmosphere. Bringing in textures and patterns to the design was a craze during the 70s.

1980s

The 80s were marked by big and extravagant kitchens, much like many hairstyles of that time. With more women entering the work-force full-time, kitchens shifted into a place for families to gather together. During this period, the concept of an open floor plan kitchen was ignited. The open concept allowed for continuous flow from the family or living room right into the kitchen. Kitchen islands allowed for the two spaces to be defined while letting conversations flow between the two rooms.

1990s

A shift from sleek to shabby chic was seen during this time. Homeowners began to take a closer look at professional kitchens when considering what they wanted for their own kitchen. From restaurant to restaurant, customers would take mental notes of their vision and ideas that sparked while dining at their favorite establishment. Cluttered counters were no longer as common and larger refrigerators and gas ranges began to pop into many residential kitchens. This time period marked a shift in the influence commercial kitchens and dining rooms had on residential kitchens.

2000s

With the turn of the century, a new aesthetic came to be. With the rise of TV shows on home renovations and kitchen trends, people were more aware than ever of the trends the best restaurants and icons of the time were having in their kitchens. Stainless steel appliances began to rise in popularity and have really taken off since.

2010s

While many of the trends from the 2000s slipped into the 2010s, there were some new trends that came about. Reclaimed wood floors began the fad. Embracing the bones of a home or building helped to also bring about the vintage charm trend. Subway tiles as backsplash and farmhouse sinks were selling out quickly as people wanted to create a unique style for the kitchen.

Now to the present day, we continue to see the concept of open kitchens be popular among residential homes. What is unique though is this shift to transparent kitchens in commercial kitchens as well. The concept of a transparent kitchen has been boiling up recently as is predicted to skyrocket in 2023. Restaurants and coffee shops are beginning to allow customers to take a peek into their back-of-the-house operations with these transparent kitchens and many operations have reaped numerous benefits from this transition. Consumers are able to feel connected and involved in the preparation of food and this has been shown to improve overall dining satisfaction. Not only this, but consumers can now see the food safety procedures being taken to ensure their food is being prepared with their well-being in mind.

Having a transparent kitchen does put your cooking process on display which means that your equipment will be seen by guests. With this new trend, having equipment that not only is durable, but also aesthetic, is more important than ever. When your equipment is front and center in the consumers vision of the kitchen, it is crucial to invest in the right equipment. Lakeside offers a wide selection of durable pieces of equipment that provide storage and transport for supplies while also offering an aesthetic and clean look. Explore storage and transport solutions today to start your first steps towards a transparent kitchen in 2023!

Posted on November 22, 2022March 13, 2023 by thelakesideteam

Is Stainless Steel or Aluminum the Right Choice for Your Cart?

Aluminum and stainless steel are two of the most popular materials used to make foodservice equipment for the commercial kitchen today. While they have many similarities, they also have several key differences that may make one better than the other depending on your needs as an operator, chef, or foodservice director. When it comes to foodservice, there are perks to both materials as well as some downfalls to note in the comparison of the two. Let’s look at both aluminum and stainless steel so you can choose which one makes the most sense for your kitchen space and cooking needs.

Stainless Steel:

This material is one of the strongest metals used for everyday foodservice equipment. Not all stainless steel is the same though. There are different grades with each having minor, but notable, differences making them unique from each other. Two of the more commonly used stainless steel grades are the 304 and the 304L. The variation between the two comes down to the amount of carbon in the metal. The grade 304 has a maximum of 0.08% carbon while the 304L grade has a maximum of 0.03%. The rest of the composition of these two grades is nearly identical with iron making up the difference. This may seem insignificant but makes a difference.

The 304 grade of stainless steel is generally considered to be the stronger of the two. So why would the 304L be chosen then? The lower level of carbon in the 304L helps to minimize carbide precipitation during the welding process. This is particularly relevant for manufacturers. Using the 304L eliminates the need to anneal weld joints prior to final use. This allows time and money to be saved during the manufacturing process which can in-return allow a product to be shipped to you sooner. Stainless steel has proven its value to the foodservice industry for many years.

Aluminum:

“Aluminum is the third most common element in the Earth’s crust,” according to the World Economic Forum, making it a material that is often used due to its abundance. It has been produced in commercial quantities for industrial applications for just over 100 years and is now being used across many different industries. Aluminum is lighter in weight when compared to other metals while still having a considerable amount of strength. It also has various grades with slight variations in their performance that are suited for different applications. Aluminum alloy 1100 is commonly used in chemical and food processing. Aluminum alloy 2014 on the other hand is a copper-based alloy with very high strength making it commonly used in aerospace structural applications. But there is one grade that is most commonly used and that is 3003.

3003 aluminum is completely pure but with added manganese that helps to improve the strength of the material to 20% stronger than the 1100. The 3003 also has great workability and corrosion resistance that helps make it one of the most common alloys. Aluminum has many benefits of its own in comparison to stainless steel, but its most notable difference is its lightweight characteristic.

Foodservice Application:

Now that the basics have been covered, we can go into more depth as to which is better for foodservice applications. Both stainless steel and aluminum are used in the industry and the choice between the two comes down to what tasks the piece of equipment will be used for. “While stainless steel and aluminum are both strong materials, steel is typically stronger,” according to Tamp Steel. If the piece of equipment you are looking to purchase will be used to carry various heavy loads a day, stainless steel is usually the better choice. However, it is important to remember that aluminum is lighter than steel and has a higher strength to weight ratio. If a piece of equipment is needed for lighter loads, aluminum may be the better choice. Both stainless steel and aluminum have corrosion resistant properties which is crucial in this industry to ensure operations are sanitary. Making the decision between the two can be difficult, so take a look at the application it will be used for as your starting point. Lakeside manufactures a wide selection of utility carts to help operators transport with ease. Explore our selection here!

Posted on October 25, 2022October 24, 2022 by

Rack Up Insights on our Top 3 Industrial Drying Racks

After being in business for over 75 years, Lakeside has been able to rack up industry insights on which products foodservice directors have found the most valuable, and which pieces of equipment have made the greatest difference in foodservice operations across the country. While Lakeside has a wide variety within the pool of our most popular products, three of our industrial drying racks have consistently been making a difference in back-of-the-house operations for many years. So how do these carts really make a difference and help gear up for more efficient operations?

Drying racks provide so many benefits from avoiding wet-nesting dishes to helping reduce the time it takes staff to get through all the dirty dishes after a busy night of service. Whether you are working in foodservice at a hospital, school, casino, or resort, dishes always need to be washed and dried. In last week’s blog, we highlighted the main things to look for when purchasing a drying rack, but this week we will dive deeper into the top 3 most popular Lakeside drying racks and why they fly off the shelves. There are so many benefits to Lakeside drying racks with their ability to not only serve as a drying rack, but also as a storage unit.

No matter which model you decide will works best for your operations, you’ll be sure to find these features in your drying rack. All Lakeside industrial drying racks have a stainless steel frame and “L” supports to increase the stability of the rack while also preventing accidents and spills. The all welded stainless steel bases on Lakeside drying racks ensure superior strength and balance. So rest assured, these drying racks will offer a durable, secure, and stable home for your pans, trays, and domes. Below we will take a deeper look at the top 3 industrial drying racks.

The 848 Sheet Pan and Tray Rack:

So many kitchens find themselves running through loads on sheet pans from the start of prep all the way through service. Sheet pans are a vital piece of equipment that allow food to be cooked for diners in an efficient manner, but drying them can be a pain point as they are large and bulky. Sheet pan drying racks are specifically designed to hold these bulky sheet pans and ensure they are able to dry quickly so that they can be used for another round of prep within hours. The 848 not only accommodates for the drying of sheet pans, but also for the drying of trays. Behind plates, bowls, cups, and silverware, sheets and trays are probably the next highest volume dish type to go through a dishwasher in a kitchen. Here are some main benefits of the 848 industrial drying rack.

All-welded frame of stainless steel square tubing
Accommodates a variety of pan and tray sizes
Stainless steel channel slides with spacing in between to speed up drying time
Pan-stop ledge prevents pans and trays from sliding off of the back side
Easily maneuverable with all-swivel casters
Three shelves that hold a total of 120 pans or trays

With this drying rack offering drying and storage for both sheet pans and trays, it’s fairly obvious why this is one of our best-selling trying racks. When versatility meets durability, equipment is sure to provide solutions for a kitchen for many years.

The 898 Dome Drying Rack:

The use of domes in foodservice is very common as they help keep food warm not only for the enjoyment of the diner, but also for maintaining the food at a safe-to-eat temperature. Domes can be clunky and hard to store, but drying racks designed for dome storage help solve this problem. The 898 is a Lakeside top seller as it has provided drying and storage for hospitals, long-term care facilities, restaurants, and many other foodservice businesses. Here are some quick bullet points of the main features of this industrial drying rack.

Dome cradles conveniently remove for easy cleaning and sanitizing
Holds most standard sized domes
Each cradle holds 10 domes
Five shelves that hold a total of 100 domes
Maneuvers easily around the kitchen and storage spaces

Domes play a crucial role in foodservice as they ensure all of the hours or prep work for a meal are not lost at the last minute to a cold meal that is not able to be served. Having a drying rack and storage space for these domes helps to improve kitchen efficiency.

The 867 Tray Drying Rack:

This rack is designed specifically for tray drying and storage. Trays are an item that kitchens can never have too many of. Trays serve a variety of purposes in kitchens ranging from being used to deliver food to tables, to being used by guests to grab food from self-serve counters. With trays being used so often, it is important to have a method set up to be able to dry them in a timely manner so they can be restocked and used again. The 867 is Lakeside’s popular tray drying rack, and here’s why.

Removable tray racks for easy cleaning and sanitizing
Tray racks have slant in the center and perforated bottom for quick and efficient drainage
Shelves also have drain holes for fast draining
Holds a variety of tray sizes for convenience and versatility
Easily maneuvers around kitchen and storage areas
Four shelves that hold a total of 80 trays

Having efficient draining in a drying rack is the number one feature to look for in drying racks. Without efficient draining, dishes will not dry as fast and there is a risk of mold and bacteria growth. The 867 has excellent drainage systems in various aspects of the cart to ensure dishes dry quickly and efficiently.

Drying racks play a key role in back-of-the-house operations as they provide a place for damp dishes to dry once they have gone through the dishwasher, but they also provide storage for your dishes when they are not being used. Lakeside drying racks have made a significant impact on kitchen efficiency for years. Chat with a Lakeside expert today to learn more about drying rack solutions.

Posted on October 18, 2022October 20, 2022 by

The Ultimate Checklist for Buying an Industrial Drying Rack

Ultimate checklist for buying industrial drying rack

Having functional storage within foodservice operations is crucial for ensuring everything runs smoothly before, during, and after service. Having multifunctional equipment is the cherry on top of functional storage. Being able to use one piece of equipment for two or more uses not only helps increase your ROI, but it also frees up space in the back of the house to allow for staff to shuffle around easily and place priority on dinners. At Lakeside, multifunctional equipment is the name of our game. When durability meets multifunction, you will see increased efficiency in foodservice operations.

A piece of equipment that is known to take up lots of space are storage shelves. While they are necessary, sometimes it would be ideal to have that space open. When you combine two functions into one, your piece of equipment is using the space of one item while serving two purposes. Another item that is notorious for crowding a kitchen are drying racks. Both of these pieces of equipment are vital to the functionality of foodservice operations, but what if they were combined into one piece of equipment?

That is exactly the functionality that our industrial drying racks offer. Having a place to dry dishes and not needing them to be transferred onto the storage shelves saves time. Instead, simply roll the drying rack into a storage space to continue drying while already being stored. Labor savings is beneficial to nearly any facility, whether that is in foodservice or not. Using multifunctional equipment saves the time it takes staff to perform the same tasks. So what should you be looking for in a multifunctional drying rack? Let’s take a look at the checklist below.

1. Stainless Steel Construction

For a piece of equipment that will see many splashes of water throughout its lifespan, making sure it is durable, while also being rust resistant, is crucial. While plastic drying racks can get the job done, they usually are not able to withstand the same amount of weight that stainless steel can. The higher weight capacity stainless steel is able to hold allows for more items to be dried and stored on a single rack. Pairing its ability to hold the weight of many dishes with its resistance to rust will be sure to offer you the ideal drying rack.

2. Stability of Structure

While plastic trays may not weigh down on a rack much, metal sheet pans can add a large amount of weight onto a drying rack which is why stability is so important. Making sure your drying rack will remain stable while not in motion and also during transport is crucial to the safety of everyone. Not only does a stable drying rack ensure staff safety, it also helps avoid accidents and spills. Lakeside uses “L” supports and an all welded stainless steel base to ensure superior strength and balance while in motion and parked.

3. Mobility

Being able to move an industrial drying rack is a must. When loading a rack, it needs to be next the the dish washing area. When the rack is full, it needs to be moved out of the working area and into storage. In order to be able to do this, a drying rack must have wheels. While stationary drying racks still offer the drying space you need, they take up valuable space in the kitchen. Having mobile industrial drying racks allows your drying rack to also serve as storage and be moved out of the way.

4. Easy Cleaning

These drying racks will be used heavily since foodservice operations are constantly using, washing, and drying dishes. With this, drying racks need to be cleaned to ensure clean dishes remain clean. Having a drying rack that has removable cradles or removable rack slants makes the cleaning process easier while ensuring every aspect of the rack is able to be cleaned efficiency and thoroughly.

5. Drainage System

Water will come into contact with the rack and there will be remaining water on dishes after they come out of the dishwasher. While rinse aids help decrease the amount of time it takes for dishes to dry, water still remains on the dishes for a period of time after they have went through their dishwasher cycle and taken out. Having a drainage system on drying racks helps to direct this water during the drying process. Drying racks that have perorated bottoms where the dishes sit or perforated drain holes on shelves help reduce drying time will also ensuring there is no water build-up.

6. Versatility in Storage Abilities

Having a drying rack that can hold various sized items is an important factor to consider when purchasing an industrial drying rack. Unless you are planning to use the rack for only one tray model that you only have one size of, it most likely will be beneficial for you to have a drying rack that can hold various types of items. One meal your service might require a plethora of domes to be used to keep food warm, while the next meal might rely heavily on the use of lots of sheet pans to cook the meal. Drying racks that can hold items of varying size work best.

7. Bumpers

When transporting drying racks, you are bound to bump a corner or two. Having bumpers on the legs, bottom corners and perimeter help to reduce the impact the bumps have on furnishings. Bumpers offer an excellent safeguard for doors, walls, and furnishings.

8. Braking Casters

For when your drying rack is serving its function of being used for storage, ensuring it will remain in place is very important. One of the reasons being the security of the dishes and the second being the safety of those who walk near the drying rack. An accidental bump to the rack could cause it to shift, but braking casters allow you to lock the drying rack in place while it is in the storage room. The same can be said while it is near the wash area. When staff are shuffling around taking dishes off the dishwasher racks and placing them on drying racks it is important that the rack remains in place.

Drying racks are a great multifunctional investment that offers a place for dishes to dry while also offering a storage solution for those dishes. Having multifunctional equipment is key to successful foodservice operations today. When looking to purchase an industrial drying rack, be sure to look for these features to make sure you are investing in the right equipment. Lakeside offers a selection of drying racks to help improve your back-of-the-house operations. Learn more about Lakeside drying racks here!

Posted on October 11, 2022October 12, 2022 by

5 Benefits of Industrial Drying Racks

It’s peak hour at a restaurant, they are hauling out plate after plate of delicious appetizers, entrees, and desserts. You walk into the bustling restaurant with smiling faces and chatter coming from every table. The servers are delivering drinks and food while checking in with customers. The hostess brings your group to a table, you all take a look at your menu and decide on your main dishes. Your server swiftly shifts from the neighboring table to yours to take everyone’s orders. With drinks in hand, time passes quickly and you suddenly see your food nearing the table. It’s time to eat. Let’s pause now. This is what the front-of-the-house looks like, happy customers and attentive staff, but let’s venture back into the kitchen at this same moment.

The kitchen consists of laughter and chatter. Chefs are plating dishes and servers are coming in and out to deliver plates. As tables are finished, the bussing team is sure to clear tables quickly and efficiently to allow the next group to have a seat. All of the dirty plates, bowls, flatware, and glasses are being dumped into the back of the kitchen near the washing sink. These dishes are piling up as service continues to speed up and the bussing team does not have the capacity to clean and dry all of the dishes while still tending to tables. Some dishes have been washed but are in piles waiting to be dried while the one side of the sink has a heaping stack of dirty dishes. How can this problem be solved? Industrial drying racks can be the ideal solution.

Purpose of Industrial Drying Racks:

These drying racks are built for efficient and convenient drying that also provide storage all in one. Having to dry each item by hand takes lots of labor and time. Drying racks allow you to reduce the time your team puts into washing and drying dishes. Once a dish has been washed, it can simply be put on the drying rack to air dry on its own. Not only do these industrial drying racks serve as a place to allow airflow around dishes, but it also serves as a storage. Your trays, pans, and dome lids can remain situated on their drying rack until the next day’s service begins. The convenience these carts offer benefits the entire back-of-the-house staff and can save valuable time, especially in the current labor crunch the foodservice industry is experiencing. Below we will outline the main features and benefits drying racks offer.

Efficiency:

Eliminating the need for human labor in one portion of the washing process saves a lot of time for staff. When you only need to run your dishes through the commercial dishwasher and no longer need to dry each item, the time it takes to get through post-meal dishes can be reduced tremendously. After dishes come out of the dishwasher, they can quickly be placed onto drying racks and let time do the drying for you.

Not only does this help eliminate the time it takes to wash dishes, it also provides mobile storage that can be easily moved out of the way when a drying rack is full. Drying racks help ease the strain on your staff. In AHF’s recent study, the top three concerns for their members were

Staffing
Training, development and employee engagement
Budget financials

While a drying rack can not solve all of the main concerns in the foodservice industry, it can help staff as they are able to remove one of the manual steps in their back-of-the-house operations. Industrial drying racks are also budget friendly as they offer a drying solution as well as a mobile storage solution.

Mobility:

Being able to move your storage around can make a world of difference in the foodservice industry. Dishes, trays or pans that are not needed at the moment can be pushed out of the way to offer up more space creating better flow within your kitchen. In one instance you may need the drying rack right next to the sink or dishwasher to quickly load clean items onto the rack, but as soon as that rack is full it can easily be transferred to a storage space.

Lakeside drying racks come with No-Mark polyurethane casters that help offer a smooth ride to keep items in place during transit. Easy maneuverability within all aspects of kitchen operations allow you to keep up with your fast paced back-of-the-house operations.

Convenience:

As we have discussed above, Lakeside drying racks are multifunctional by offering your dishes not only a place to dry, but also a place to house them while they are not in use. GlobeNewsWire predicts that foodservice operators are “shifting toward smaller-sized kitchen equipment to optimize their space and perform multiple functions at the same time.” Multifunctional equipment is going to be the new name of the game in the years to come as it offers the same functions which means less pieces of equipment are needed to serve the same functions. Lakeside drying racks are not only a multifunctional investment, but also an investment that will last for many years to come.

Durability:

With Lakeside drying racks being constructed from stainless steel, the lifespan of these racks spreads far and wide as they are able to serve a foodservice operation for generations. Investing in equipment that will only last 5-10 years may be a quick solution, but not a long term solution. Thinking down the line is crucial in the foodservice industry and investing in the right equipment will set your operations up for success for years to come.

Lakeside racks are made from a 14-gauge stainless steel frame and an “L” support to increase the stability of the cart and prevent accidents. The stainless steel base ensures superior strength and balance so your rack is sure to hold up to the task. The stainless steel construction also provides for easy cleaning and sanitizing which helps extend its lifespan.

Sanitation:

Ensuring your dishes remain mold free is crucial as food-safety is the number one priority when serving food to customers, patients, guests, students, or staff. Drying racks allow items to be spread out which reduces the risk of mold and bacteria growth. Wet nesting your trays or pans can lead to an unwanted surprise of mold the next time you use them. Lakeside drying racks help reduce the potential for mold with dividers on the rack as well as completely open construction. Some of our models have drain holes to help ensure faster draining while also reducing the possibility for mold build-up.