Food-Display Case Key Terms

Learn key terms to ensure you choose the best case

By Emily Lugg

Food-display cases not only display your food, they also need to keep it looking fresh and appetizing to your customers. There are many features that are key to a good food-display case. If you are serving baked goods or other foods that have the potential of drying out, it's important to have a humidifier in your display case. On the other end of the spectrum, if you have an abundance of condensation you may need a condensation evaporator. Knowing the key terms for food-display cases will allow you to make the best choice for your establishment.

Self-service display cases

Self-service display cases allow customers to access the food themselves. You can use these in grocery stores and at buffet restaurants to keep food stored appropriately and ready to eat.
Try: Achieve Display describes and shows three types of self-service display cases.

Heat lamps

Heat lamps keep the food warm inside a food display case after it's cooked but before it's ready for you to serve or eat. Heat lamps also keep the food at a safe temperature to avoid spoilage and to prevent the growth of bacteria.
Try: Restaurant Equipment World explains how heat lamps can help you keep food warm and looking fresh.

Food humidifier

Food humidifiers keep foods moist. Without making your food soggy, they emit just enough moisture to make sure that foods prone to drying out stay moist and appealing to customers.
Try: MyPopcornMachine.com shows the benefit of having a humidifier for soft pretzels.

Risers

Risers in food-display cases allow you to maximize your space by creating several different levels on which to display your food. You can use risers to display meats, cheese and pastries.
Try: Hubert Company shows a photo of a wood riser that not only allows you to maximize your space but also helps keep your food fresh longer.

Condensation evaporator

You can place a condensation evaporator inside a food-display case to prevent the food from becoming soggy or oily. A condensation evaporator can also reduce the extra condensation produced by an air conditioner unit.
Try: Bush Refrigeration shows a few food-display cases that come with condensation evaporators.

Sneeze guards

Sneeze guards protect the food from potential germs, especially in self-serve food-display cases. They serve as a barrier over the food to protect it from sneezes or anything else that may be a potential contaminant.
Try: Erestaurantsupply.com shows the specifications on one type of portable sneeze guard.