Commercial food warmers are the backbone of restaurants and caterers alike. Even fast food places need food warmers. They allow the food to be prepared ahead of time and keep it at a constant temperature without over-cooking it until it is served.

But before you dive right in and place your order, it's a good idea to brush up on your commercial warmers. From banquet food warmers, to stainless steel food warmers, to portable food warmers, there are many products to understand. Here are some tips on how you can learn everything you ever wanted to know about food warmers.

1. Determine which types of electric food warmers or commercial warmers you'll need for your business.

2. Read the manuals associated with your commercial food warmer.

3. Check out a trade show where commercial warmers are being exhibited.

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

Determine which food warmers to utilize

When it comes to running and operating a restaurant, you must determine which food warmers will be most helpful to your operation. For instance, if you specialize in soups, you'll have way more countertop quart-size warmers than meat restaurants, who must keep beef warm on a hot plate or under a lamp. Educate yourself on what makes sense for your establishment.

I recommend: Check out the Eagle Group website as they are one of the largest commercial food warmer suppliers in the business. Browse through their various types of warmers to determine which you'll need for your business. Nemco Food Equipment also offers a variety of food warming products from countertop to cabinet. Simply click on the right to educate yourself about each product and which is right for your business.

Familiarize yourself with the instruction manuals for all restaurant food warmers in the kitchen

It's imperative that each food warmer is operated properly. Not only will incorrect operation run the risk of ruining the food, but improper use can also be a safety hazard. Read the manual, paying particular attention to each unit's required safety precautions. Also take the time to learn the spectrum of which foods should be heated on that unit.

I recommend: Check out the website for companies like APW Wyott which is a subsidiary of the Standex company. They are a common commercial kitchen supplier of warmers and have manuals listed on their website. Simply select the correct model. Server Products, another popular commercial warmer provider, offers the same service on their website.

Go to a trade show and attend a seminar as part of your food warmers education and training

Another great way to educate yourself on restaurant food warmers is to actually attend a trade show. You'll find countless suppliers exhibiting their food warmers as well as holding seminars on training and education on their commercial warmers.

I recommend: Check out the North American Food Equipment Manufacturers trade show which is held annually. Companies such as Thermadyne, which produces a bevy of food warmers for the industry, exhibit their products and offer seminars each year. Simply input the name of the manufacturer or type of food warmer you're looking for and the appropriate vendor list will appear. Another popular trade show is held each year by the National Restaurant Association each May. Again simply search the name of the manufacturer or product category, in this case food warmers, and a list of attending manufacturers appears. For both of these shows, there are quite a few.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When obtaining restaurant food warmers, make sure that you get a warranty along with the product. If possible, purchase a service plan with the distributor or manufacturer. It may cost you a little more money up front, however you'll have piece of mind should your commercial food warmers break down.

Virtually every restaurant in existence uses some kind of commercial food warmer to ensure that its food stays hot until it reaches its destination on a guest's table. One of the top ranking complaints from restaurant guests is that their food is lukewarm when they receive it. Don't let this happen to the guests in your establishment; it's a sure-fire way to create an unhappy patron who may never come back (and will most assuredly tell all of their friends).

Using the proper commercial warmers is the best way to ensure that your guests receive hot food. Thankfully, there are myriad solutions available to help food providers keep their food warm. Here are some things to think about:

1. Figure out where you need to install commercial food warmers in your kitchen. Common places include expo windows and fry stations. Also, if you need a food warmer for holding purposes, decide how much food you need to have available at any given time and that will determine what kind of warmer to buy.

2. Choose electric food warmers that double as attractive serving dishes for use in your catering business. These items must be functional as well as presentable if you plan on catering upscale events like weddings and charity functions.

3. Display your best creations using restaurant warmers that have glass sides. That way, patrons can take their pick of products without asking you a ton of questions about what each menu selection has in it.

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The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Keep food at the optimal temperature by using restaurant food warmers

After your cooks have prepped side dishes, they can use a warmer to keep the food at the right temperature until it's ordered. In addition, after a guest orders their meal and the chef plates the food, there exists an opportunity for the food to start getting cold while it sits in the expo window. Steam tables and heat lamps are the best way to keep your guests' food nice and hot until it reaches them.

I recommend: Optimize space and efficiency by using electric steam tables from Burkett and Sons. Install an overhead warmer from Restaurant Equipment World above the expo window in your restaurant's kitchen to keep food hot until servers can run it.

Run your business using the best catering food warmers

When you operate a catering business, it's not just about keeping the food warm, it's about presentation as well. The warmers have to be attractive enough to enhance the look of the food and entice guests to eat your creations.

I recommend: Cater small gatherings using the APW 4/3 Size Food Warmer from Hubert Company. Serve soup from this Cecilware kettle from BigTray; it also comes with magnets printed with common soup names so you can properly label the kettle's contents.

Showcase your selections in stainless steel food warmers

Displaying actual items that the customers can order is a good idea: they will know what you offer and can see for themselves how yummy it looks. There are all sorts of these glass cases to choose from, depending on what your specialty is.

I recommend: Check out the countertop heated display case from CoreChef.com. Show off freshly baked pizzas at your by-the-slice pizzeria using the four-shelf revolving display cabinet from the reputable Instawares Restaurant Supply.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  The chafing dish is the most common portable food warmer in use. There are all sorts of these warmers as they can be used in a variety of settings. There are smaller dishes that are heated using tea lights, but commercial grade chafers employ an electric heating element, as this heats the food more evenly and much more efficiently.

Food establishments use food warmers to keep food warm while the rest of the meal cooks. Other uses for food warmers include buffet- style restaurants that serve the food warm for the entire shift, and convenience foods, such as pizza by the slice, which must be kept warm while waiting for customers to buy it. Food warmers take on many different names and each kind of food warmer has its own distinct function. Learn the lingo of food warmers so you buy what you need to make your food business a success.

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

Commercial hot plate

Commercial hot plates keep food warm while the rest of the meal is cooking. They usually come in the one- or two-burner size.

I recommend: Jarco Industries provides detailed information about commercial hot plates and their uses.

Heat lamps

Heat lamps are lamps with infrared bulbs that extend over food to keep the food warm until it is time to serve it.

I recommend: Burkett offers information about heat lamps, their uses and pictures of what they look like. University of Missouri offers extensive information about heat lamps and their purposes other than food warming. All heat lamps work on the same principles, no matter their actual use.

Steam tables

Steam tables keep food warm by heating water and creating steam that rises up to the food contained above it. The hot steam keeps the food warm and moist.

I recommend: Chef's Choice provides more information about steam tables, their uses and how they work. Veritay Technology provides information on the inner workings of steam tables.

Warming drawers, holding drawers

Warming drawers, or holding drawers, keep food warm with heated drawers. The thermostat can be set to just the desired temperature to keep the food hot. Power for warming drawers is usually electricity.

I recommend: Kitchens and More offers more information about warming drawers and their various uses.

Chafing dish burners

Chafing dishes keep food warm by using a heat source, such as a butane candle under the dish to provide heat. Food service professionals use these elegant food warmers for banquets and other formal occasions.

I recommend: Recipe Tips provides more information on chafing dish burners and how they keep food warm. This informative article includes a discussion of fuel sources for chafing dish burners.

Display case, heated display case

A display case, or heated display case, keeps food warm by heating the interior of the case. Unlike a food warming drawer, the display case has glass sides so customers can see the food. Heated display cases enable the service of hot dogs, pretzels and other grab-and-go foods to hungry customers.

I recommend: A City Discount offers detailed information about heated display cases, their uses and how they function, along with a picture of one. Patent Storm offers intricate information on how it makes display cases and then outfits them to make them into either heated or refrigerated display cases.

There are many commercial food warmers types and styles available on the market. As you look at food warmers for sale, you should consider first the types of food you need to warm. Some food warmer products work well just keeping foods at a safe serving temperature. Other food warmers can actually cook the food item and keep it at serving temperature.

Another main consideration of the commercial warmers you may purchase is obviously the cost. If you find you cannot afford a new portable food warmer, there are a number of used food warmers products available as well. You should also consider the following as you look at food warmers types and styles:

1. The space you have available for electric food warmers.

2. The types of accessories, such as pans, you need to go with your catering food warmers.

3. The finish and type of care food warmers need.

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

There are many commercial food warmers types and styles available on the market

If you just need to have smaller portions of food available, tabletop electric food warmers are a good option. You can find models to keep soups hot as well, as other types that regulate the temperatures of prepared food on display, such as pizza.

I recommend: The WEBstaurant Store has tabletop electric food warmers in a variety of styles and configurations. You can also find tabletop commercial warmers at Restaurant-Services.com.

Consider buffet style commercial warmers

You can find models of buffet food warmers that allow you to set the food trays directly on a warming shelf, while other models use overhead heat lamps. Some models do a better job of keeping foods from drying out, so it's important that you know what plan to place in the buffet server before you make your final decision on buffet style commercial warmers.

I recommend: Restaurant food warmers for buffet lines are available at AAA Commercial Products. You can find a variety of configurations that include steam food warmers as well as overhead heat lamp buffet food warmers. Central Restaurant Products also offers a complete line of banquet food warmers that you can configure to meet your needs.

Pick cabinet food warmers

You may want a cabinet food warmer in your kitchen to keep prepared meals hot. You may want a cabinet warmer on the countertop in your restaurant so patrons can view and select the food they want. Some cabinets proof, rise and bake bread within the same cabinet and then keep it warm until serving time. The accessories and pans for cabinet food warmers are about as limitless the size and configuration.

I recommend: FWE Products have a variety of stainless steel food warmers in cabinet styles. You can configure these restaurant warmers by ordering pans to fit your cooking needs. You can find a commercial food warmer cabinet for almost any type of food at Zesco Products.