Deli display case guide: serve-over counters for cold cuts, cheese and salads

What a deli case is

Most deli cases are serve-over counters: customers view products through front glass, and staff serve from an open or sliding-door rear. Products sit on a refrigerated deck in trays or gastronorm pans, sometimes with a second shelf above. Many counters include refrigerated storage underneath for back-up stock, and a work surface on the staff side for slicing and wrapping.

Temperature and what it means for each product

Deli products are mostly ready-to-eat and perishable, and common food-safety guidance is to keep them at 5 °C or below. The display band of many refrigerated cases runs roughly +2 to +10 °C, so set the case at the colder end for deli use and probe-check products at the front of the deck, where they warm fastest. Whole cheeses and cured items tolerate the display better than cut salads and cooked meats, which should be rotated quickly.

Ventilated or static cooling

Ventilated cases blow cold air across or around the deck, giving even temperatures and fast recovery, but moving air dries cut surfaces. Static cases rely on a cold deck and coil with natural air movement, which is gentler on unwrapped products but less even and slower to recover. Some cases combine a chilled deck with gentle forced air. For high-turnover counters with wrapped or lidded products, ventilated works well; for unwrapped premium meats and cheeses, gentler airflow keeps them looking fresh longer.

Deck, glass and construction

• Stainless steel decks are hygienic and durable; ask which grade is used, as brine and acidic dressings attack lower grades.
• Flat or angled decks change how product is seen; angled decks show more to the customer.
• Curved or straight front glass both work; double-glazed glass fogs less in humid weather.
• Lift-up or hinged front glass makes cleaning the inside face much easier.
• Rear sliding doors or night covers reduce cold loss when the counter is quiet.

Storage below and the staff side

A counter with refrigerated storage underneath saves trips to the back. Check it takes your trays or GN pans and that the doors or drawers open without hitting the staff's legs. A rear work surface wide enough for a slicer and a wrapping station makes the counter a complete work area. Keep the slicer's heat and motor away from the refrigerated deck.

Food-safety layout

• Separate raw items, such as uncooked marinated meat, from ready-to-eat items, ideally in a different counter section.
• Use separate tongs and boards for meat, vegetarian items and cheese.
• Label trays with prep time and discard according to your kitchen's policy.
• Move products into storage refrigeration at closing and clean the deck daily.
• Log temperatures at opening and closing as part of your FSSAI hygiene records.

Placement and power

Keep the counter away from entrance doors and direct sunlight, and make sure overhead spotlights don't sit directly over the product. Check whether the case is plug-in, releasing its heat into the shop, or remote with the condensing unit outside. Give it a dedicated earthed supply, and ask for its operating voltage range and whether a stabiliser is recommended for your site.

Sizing and questions to ask

Size the counter by the number of products you want on show at once and the pan or tray each one needs, plus a margin for seasonal lines. A long counter that is half-empty looks poorly stocked and wastes refrigeration; a short one that staff refill from back-up storage underneath works well. Before ordering, ask the supplier the following.

• What product temperature does the deck hold, at what room temperature?
• Is cooling ventilated, static or a combination, and how does air move over the deck?
• Which GN pan sizes and trays fit on the deck and in the storage below?
• Does the front glass lift for cleaning, and is it double-glazed?
• How is defrost water handled, and are spares stocked locally?