Commercial drink dispensers are practically indispensable to the entire foodservice industry. Whether you are a diner owner, caterer or convenience store operator, you depend on commercial beverage dispensers to display high-profit margin drinks and provide ease and convenience when serving those drinks.

Selecting the right kind of beverage dispenser depends upon the kind of drinks you're planning to store in them. Lemonade, iced tea, juices and soft drinks keep nicely in the electrically operated machines that have become fixtures at local diners. Convenience store owners find that slush-type drinks are better in frozen drink dispensers that can prepare these concoctions with the touch of a button. Knowing beverage dispensers key terms can help you decide which model is best for you:

1. Pick the right machine to use as a juice or soft drink dispenser.

2. Know which commercial beverage dispensers to use for popular frozen drinks.

3. Select a restaurant beverage dispenser for specialty hot drinks like flavored coffees and cappuccino.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Choose electric drink dispensers for juices and soft drinks

Electric beverage dispensers are the most common drink beverage dispensers that you see behind the counters at diners and breakfast-lunch operations. They are perfect for orange and other juices, lemonade, iced tea and carbonated beverages. The electric dispensers come with whippers for drinks that need frothing. The commercial juice dispensers are usually made of stainless steel with clear plastic 'bubblers' and front draining trays.

I recommend: Gala Source and Beverage Dispenser World both carry electric beverage dispensers with agitators for hot and cold drinks. Most of them have marks so you can measure the amount of liquid inside. You can choose between one bowl "bubbler" models and multi bowl "bubbler" models.

Look for commercial drink dispensers that hold slushes and alcohol-based frozen drinks

Frozen drink dispensers come in carbonated and uncarbonated models. They are for high-profit drinks, such as frozen cocktails or slushes. These dispensers are pressurized systems equipped with a freezing cylinder to hold ice, C02 and flavored syrups. They are in bars and convenience stores.

I recommend: Taylor makes carbonated and uncarbonated frozen drink dispensers for single and double flavors. Each has a 7-quart capacity freezing cylinder. Frozen Drink Machines & Services of Alabama sells four different kinds of frozen drink dispensers, each with high volume output. The VitaMix model uses ice rather than a freezing cylinder to mix drinks.

Choose a coffee dispenser or hot powdered mix beverage dispenser

There are airpots, insulated dispensers and hot powdered mix dispensers. Airpots, used mostly for coffee and tea, are the smallest hot beverage dispensers. They resemble large thermoses and usually have a 2- to 4-quart capacity. The insulated beverage dispenser is a large, sturdy container made of heavy-duty plastic that is used when you need to make hot coffee and tea by the gallons. The beverage comes out from a spring action faucet that allows self-service. Hot Powdered Drink Machines are counter top dispensers used for specialty beverages like cappuccino and hot chocolate and even for soup.

I recommend: Bunn-O-Matic is a market leader in the hot beverage dispensers industry. The company makes stainless steel push-button or lever action airpots. Kitchen Supply Direct carries at least seven different models of these dispensers, for single and multiple beverages.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Compared to other kinds of restaurant equipment, commercial drink dispensers are not pricey. Still, be sure to ask about replacement parts from the manufacturer or dealer you choose to buy from.

Beverage dispensers can pump up sales in all kinds of businesses, not just in restaurants. Convenience stores, retail shops, hotels and lobbies can also benefit from drink dispensers. Beverage dispensing machines can be used to provide a service to your customers or to create an extra revenue source.

Beverage dispensing machines come in a variety of styles, depending on the type of beverage being served, and you may need several different types of drink dispensers to meet the needs of your customers. For instance, you may want to invest in:

1. Hot coffee vending dispensers.
2. Cold beverage dispensers, including soda dispensers, for serving sodas, juice, iced coffee or iced tea.
3. Blended beverage dispensers for smoothies or blended coffee drinks.
4. Liquor and beer dispensers for bars and sporting venues.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Cold beverage dispensers

Cold beverage dispensers come in different varieties, including soda dispensers for sodas and other dispensers for juice or iced tea.

I recommend: BigTray offers triple bowl cold beverage dispensers for juice, coffee or tea. Karma Inc. offers iced tea beverage dispensers and juice dispensers. Cuda Coffee offers iced tea and iced coffee brewers/dispensers from Bunn and Grindmaster. A variety of countertop and under the counter commercial soda dispensers are available from At Home Soda or from Manitowoc Beverage Equipment.

Blended beverage dispensers

Smoothies and blended coffee drinks have grown exponentially in popularity in recent years. Some blended beverage dispensers come in varieties that blend and dispense pre-measured servings; other blended beverage dispensers continually mix and dispense iced blended drinks.

I recommend: AAA Commercial Products offers commercial smoothie makers and blended beverage dispensers. Blendtec sells blenders that blend and dispense different flavored drinks in pre-programmable portions.

Thermal beverage dispensers

Hot coffee never goes out of style. Whether you're offering fresh brewed coffee as a courtesy to customers or making money on the cups of joe, thermal beverage servers keep it piping hot until dispensed.

I recommend: The Restaurant Source carries many thermal beverage dispensers, including coffee urns, air pots and insulated plastic coffee dispensers. Able Kitchen has BrewMatic two-hopper gourmet coffee dispensers for cappuccinos, lattes, hot chocolate and gourmet coffee drinks.

Beer taps and liquor and beer dispensers

Beer dispensers allow bars to serve draft beer, which can be more efficient than serving beer in bottles.

I recommend: Berg Company carries a variety of beer taps and wine and soda draft beverage dispensers. BeverageFactory.com is a supplier of keg beer pumps, beer taps and regulators that keep CO2 and nitrogen levels correct. Perlick manufactures direct draw beer dispensers, glass frosters and beer systems for restaurants, sports arenas and breweries.

Coffee vending dispensers

Coffee vending dispensers allow you to offer brewed coffee to customers without having to provide staff to make the coffee and take payment. The customer can put change or bills into the machine, press their selection and have hot coffee in a manner of seconds.

I recommend: Embassy Vending provides coffee vending dispensers that feature six different product compartments and that can be set to charge a variety of prices you determine. Global Vending Group has a good variety of coffee vending dispensers.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Look for beverage dispensing machines that combine brewing and dispensing to cut down on valuable counter space.
• •  Air pot thermal beverage dispensers allow you to brew coffee directly into the glass lined thermal pot and put the lid on for customers to help themselves.
• •  Make sure you follow the manufacturer's instructions and clean drink dispensers regularly. They can be a breeding ground for germs and mold.

Convenient, inexpensive and easy to use, the restaurant beverage dispenser serves many functions in the foodservice industry. Busy cafes prepare huge amounts of hot coffee and hold them in insulated dispensers so that they're ready when the morning rush comes. Diners display lemonade, iced tea and popular juices in eye-catching dispensers right on the counter. In addition, caterers can neatly store and transport both hot and cold beverages right in sturdy, insulated dispensers.

Pricing and costs of beverage dispensers vary according to their size, construction, intended use and function. Insulated dispensers for hot liquids in multi-gallon capacities average about $100 more than those with single gallon capacities. In addition, counter-top dispensers for popular coffee products, like cappuccino and hot chocolate, can cost up to $1000 more than a standard coffee dispenser. Manufacturers and commercial equipment suppliers offer a wide selection when it comes to beverage dispensers.

1. Choose a portable beverage dispenser for convenience in catering.

2. Purchase a restaurant beverage dispenser for counter displays of popular drinks.

3. Select a stylish commercial coffee dispenser for specialty beverages.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Look for insulated and portable beverage dispensers for on and off site catering

Insulated cold and hot beverage dispensers are ideal for catering. The most popular is the portable coffee dispenser. You prepare the drinks ahead of time and then transport them in insulated containers to the catering function. Guests can fill their cups simply and without mess.

I recommend: Gala Source sells insulated and portable hot beverage dispensers with multi gallon capacities. Choose between plastic and stainless steel construction. The starting price for 1-gallon sizes is $100. The 5- and 10-gallon sizes range from $150 to $250. Cambro Manufacturing, based in California, is a leading producer of insulated drink dispensers. Access its website for product specifications on its CamServers, Camtainers and Ultracamtainer.

Buy a refrigerated soft drink dispenser or commercial drink dispensers for counter display

For cold beverages like lemonade, iced tea and juices that are pre-mixed and sit on the counter. Most of these are electric dispensers.

I recommend: Tundra Specialties, Crathco and Beverage Dispenser World all carry electric stainless steel and plastic cold beverage dispensers. Single bowl models range in price from $600 to $650; twin bowls range between $750 and $880 and multi-bowl models start at $1,000 and go up to $1300.

Find the right hot beverage dispensers for your business

These machines come in eye-catching designs with colorful graphics. They sit conveniently on the counter top or self-serve table and provide portion-controlled amounts of beverages so that your customers can serve themselves.

I recommend: Hubert makes a Hot Powdered Beverage Dispenser for Cappuccino or Hot Chocolate. Choose from single, three or five flavors. Prices range between $700 and $2000. Akitchen.com sells single flavor and multi flavor hot beverage dispensers for hot chocolate and cappuccino. They also make dispensers for coffee. Single flavor dispensers range from $650 to $850. Multi flavor dispensers sell between $1100 to $2200.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you're purchasing counter top beverage dispensers for in-store use, choose models with colorful displays that get noticed and help to sell your product.

If you're a "hands on" kind of restaurant owner who's always ready for a new challenge, consider installing your next coffee dispenser. Or, follow tips from professionals on maintaining commercial drink dispensers in tip top shape. Both manufacturers and suppliers of commercial beverage dispensers provide comprehensive user manuals detailing the step-by-step installation directions. They are also excellent sources for advice on how to perform routine maintenance that will prevent unnecessary service calls.

Popular sources for information related to beverage dispenser installation and maintenance include the following:

1. Read the product specification sheets that beverage dispenser manufacturers provide.

2. Consider using a skilled technician from a national equipment service company to install commercial drink dispensers.

3. Take advantage of videos created by beverage dispenser manufacturers that show how professionals install and maintain this equipment.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Get suggestions from manufacturers and suppliers of commercial drink dispensers

Both manufacturers and suppliers are required by law to provide product specifications that impact a beverage dispenser's installation. Most do this in the form of fact sheets and manuals. Some manufacturers even publish these documents on their websites.

I recommend: Start with manuals like those from Soda Dispensers which has a basic guide for installation of a soft drink dispenser. Pay attention to product specifications and how they might impact installation by checking out answers to frequently asked questions at Beer Tender USA and Cuda Kitchen. Note the electrical, plumbing and refrigeration requirements that you'll need for installation. Access the installation manual at Flojet to learn how to install its bottled water dispensing equipment.

Seek commercial beverage dispenser installation help from professional associations

There are service organizations that employ individuals skilled in the installation of all commercial restaurant equipment, including drink dispensers. Some of these organizations operate in many states and can provide you with practical tips on how to maintain commercial drink dispensers in good working order.

I recommend: A company like CFESA employs thousands of skilled technicians who install, repair and service commercial beverage dispensers. The North American Association of Food & Equipment Manufacturers' page allows you to download the Stainless Steel Equipment Care and Cleaning Brochure so you'll know how to maintain your stainless steel coffee dispenser.

Watch helpful videos that show how professionals maintain a restaurant beverage dispenser

Reading a manual can be helpful, but there's no doubt that watching a video that shows how a professional installs and maintains equipment adds a whole new dimension to the process.

I recommend: Videos like the one by Micro Matic depict the essential cleaning process that guards against the accumulation of harmful residue. Viking's site links to its Use and Care Manual which instructs on installation, assembly, cleaning and troubleshooting for its portable beverage dispenser. Access The Manitowoc Company's website for full text versions of installation, use and care manuals. Suppliers like Espresso Parts guide their customers on the accessories they'll need to purchase so they can perform routine maintenance.