Since pizza prep tables, or topping tables, come in a range of sizes and capacities, operators need to determine how much space they need to store and prepare ingredients. End users also should decide what size pans they will use as well as whether drawers, shelves or a combination of the two will best serve the operation.

Pizza prep tables hold toppings in a refrigerated cabinet base while the top acts as a work surface and allows the pizza crusts to lie flat while staff assemble individual orders. The pizza size will dictate the amount of work surface an operation requires. This can range from 8 or 10 inches deep for smaller personal-sized pizzas, all the way up to 24 or 30 inches deep for extra-large pies.

Operators can choose from a variety of work surface materials, depending on the application. These include stainless steel, a polyethylene cutting board or a granite finish for front-of-the-house use when the table is visible to customers. Operators commonly use wire garnish racks with pizza prep tables. These slightly elevated racks allow excess toppings to fall through, which keeps the prep area cleaner.

Table rails for ingredients consist of an opening in the work surface that allows access into the refrigerated cabinet below. Here, pans of toppings are held in close proximity to the prep area and kept cold. These ingredient rails can come flush with the work surface or elevated and slightly canted, known as a raised rail, to make viewing the toppings and scooping them out easier for the workers.

Rails also come with lids that operators can close during nonproduction times, which helps keep the toppings cold. The lids may be easily removable for high-production times or can come dual hinged to be easily folded out of the way as needed.

The volume of pizza an operation sells during peak periods and the number of available toppings will dictate the pizza prep table size. Keep in mind the prep table’s rail portion is meant to hold just a few hours’ worth of toppings for peak production while the refrigerated base holds replacement stock for the rails and for overnight or more extended storage periods. Reach-in or walk-in coolers should provide more long-term bulk storage.