Concept and menu drive a grill station’s design.

Correct placement and proper organization represent critical success factors for these spaces. 

Hyperlocal food has become a key trend in the foodservice industry.

We all know the scene. It’s a busy Friday or Saturday night and a customer bellies up to the bar at a restaurant or hotel but sees no open seats or spots from which to get the bartender’s attention. Then, alas, they spy the little area at the bar with a stainless-steel top with holes in it where the bartender places a bunch of ready-to-go drinks and tickets. Surely, they think, it’s OK to stand and order there.

Cooklines are the heart of an a la carte kitchen and typically take up around 25% of the space, so they’re a critical element to get right. Unfortunately, cooklines often get built without a full understanding of the menu they’re supposed to support.

From the constantly changing dietary needs and wants of diners to the sanitation scares courtesy of the pandemic, it’s not easy being a salad station these days.

Food trucks have become a popular option for those wanting to test a concept before making a bigger investment in a brick-and-mortar operation. And the benefits of being mobile are not just financial. Operators can try out different locations first. Menu experimentation is easier. Labor requirements are minimal, and supply issues can be more easily addressed.

School servery design does not typically adhere to a one-size-fits-all approach. What works best for elementary students is not necessarily a fit for middle or high schoolers. And with differing foodservice space allocations, budgets and program specifications, K-12 servery formats can take on seemingly endless variations.

Design and equipment choices support speed and efficiency.

Taking a brief hiatus during the pandemic, self-serve hot bars are coming back with design tweaks geared for more hygienic use.

A broader, more dynamic version of self-service is emerging.

Brands continue to redesign their exterior pickup approaches with speed and better service in mind.

From a guest’s perspective, creating the perfect bar seems fairly straightforward. Put together the right spirits, staff and ambiance and — presto! — instant bar. But like so many things in life, the magic lies in the details, most of which those grabbing a handcrafted cocktail or their favorite beer have no idea exist. Nor do they understand the work that took place to make that perfection happen.

This past year has seen tremendous change in the foodservice industry. One thing that remains the same, however, is a continuing desire among both operators and consumers for open kitchens.

Cold prep stations play a vital role in commercial kitchens. Staff use these spaces to lay out ingredients from the walk-in cooler and assemble them into menu items served cold. Cold prep areas also serve as the initial assembly points for dishes that will move on to the hot line for cooking.

“When everything returns to normal” is a phrase we hear a lot these days. But “normal” continues to become the “new normal” as restaurants and foodservice operations adapt, change and modernize to meet both the old normal demands and the new ones created during the pandemic.

For a moment, the future of expediting stations looked bleak. With the pandemic causing indoor dining closures and reduced dining room capacity nationwide, some operators and designers were left wondering if the traditional kitchen pass-through would suddenly turn into nothing more than a holding and filling station for takeout containers and to-go bags.

Some dining adjustments made to cope with COVID-19 may be abandoned once public life returns to normal, but others will become permanent fixtures in American lifestyles. One of the habits with staying power: three-season outdoor dining.

The post-pandemic future of the foodservice industry remains uncertain. But for most operations, the future will likely involve simpler, streamlined menus; more prepackaged grab-and-go fare; more emphasis on delivery; and greater utilization of commissaries and ghost kitchens.

Getting the dish room layout right leads to good food safety practices and better flow of clean dishware through the kitchen.

The juice and smoothie bar market continues to explode as consumers look to incorporate more nutrients into their daily diets. The estimated $5 billion segment offers myriad varieties of single-unit and chain operations. Along with piquing customers’ interest and loyalty, labor efficiency also factors into designs.

They may lack some of the sizzle and showmanship of other types of foodservice kitchens, but commissary or central kitchens play critical roles in unlocking efficiency, safety, consistency and quality for many large-volume operations.

The same thought went through the minds of many foodservice designers and operators when the coronavirus pandemic hit: There goes the salad bar.

Tweaks to seating and serving come into play at coffee shops.

Outfitting external bars requires planning with an eye toward the elements when selecting materials and equipment.

Designers are invited to share their vision of what concepts will look like in the future by participating in the Pioneering Concept competition sponsored by HX: The Hotel Experience.

Welbilt made two senior management changes.

In a small but growing number of beer-centric operations, there’s no longer anything standing between the customer and a cold one — no server to wait for, no angling to get a bartender’s attention. Customers simply walk up and tap their own, free and empowered via technology to control their beer-loving destinies.

No matter the foodservice operation, it’s a sure bet that the grill station serves as heart of the kitchen. More often than not, this area encompasses the culinary team using charbroilers and flattop griddles in tandem to prepare a majority of menu items.