Restaurants & QSR
Refrigeration for cafés and coffee shops
A café's refrigeration is split between the bar and the counter. Behind the bar, milk is the most-used and most perishable ingredient: an espresso bar can go through many litres a day, and the barista needs it cold and within reach of the steam wand. In front, cakes, cheesecakes, sandwiches and bottled cold coffee sell by being seen, so display is part of the job. Many Indian cafés also serve cold coffee, frappés and shakes that need ice cream and ice, plus a small kitchen for sandwiches, pasta and all-day breakfast. The equipment has to fit a compact, customer-facing space, look clean, run quietly and cope with afternoon heat in a shopfront that faces the street.
What the equipment has to cope with
- Milk is used constantly at the espresso machine and spoils quickly when it sits warm on the counter between drinks.
- Cakes, cheesecakes and sandwiches must be cold enough to be safe yet look appealing under lights all day.
- Counter space is tight and customer-facing, so refrigeration must be quiet, clean-looking and fit within the bar layout.
- Shopfronts with glass walls and an opening door let in afternoon heat and monsoon humidity, which fogs display glass and loads every cabinet.
- Cold coffee, frappés and shakes need ice cream and ice on hand, adding a frozen requirement to what looks like a chilled business.
Typical temperatures
| Fresh milk and cream | +1 to +4 °C |
|---|---|
| Cold brew and cold coffee base | +2 to +4 °C |
| Cheesecake, mousse and cream cakes | +2 to +5 °C |
| Sandwiches and wraps for grab-and-go | +2 to +5 °C |
| Bottled drinks and juices | +3 to +8 °C |
| Ice cream for shakes and affogato | −18 °C or colder |
Equipment
What to buy, and why.
Most cafés put an undercounter refrigerator directly beneath or beside the espresso machine for milk, cream and cold-brew, often with a second unit at the cold-drinks station holding syrups-based mixes, cut fruit and yoghurt. A refrigerated pastry showcase on the counter displays cakes, cheesecakes and desserts at the point of order. A glass-door cooler near the counter or by the entrance carries bottled drinks, cold coffee and packed sandwiches for grab-and-go. A chest freezer in the back holds ice cream, frozen snacks and backup bakery items. Cafés with a full kitchen add an upright reach-in for sandwich fillings, sauces and dairy stock.
- +2 to +8 °CUndercounter RefrigeratorThe barista's milk fridge under the espresso machine, and the cold station for cold-brew, cut fruit and yoghurt.Set-up guide
- +4 to +10 °CDisplay Cases & ShowcasesThe pastry showcase on the counter: cakes, cheesecakes, brownies, croissants and desserts displayed at the point of order.Set-up guide
- +2 to +10 °CGlass Door Refrigerator / Visi CoolerGrab-and-go cooler for bottled cold coffee, juices, water and packed sandwiches and salads.Set-up guide
- −18 to −60 °CDeep FreezerIce cream for shakes, frappés and affogato, plus frozen snacks and backup bakery stock.Set-up guide
Questions
- Where should the milk fridge go in a café?
- As close to the steam wand as possible, ideally directly under the espresso machine counter. The barista should be able to reach the milk without taking a step. That keeps jugs from sitting out between drinks and saves time on every order. Make sure the unit can breathe from the front, since espresso counters are usually closed in.
- Is a pastry showcase cold enough for cheesecake and cream cakes?
- It can be, if it is set at the lower end of its range and not overloaded. Cream-based products should be held at or below about +5 °C. Keep the display stocked with what you expect to sell in a few hours and keep backup cakes in a refrigerator behind the counter, especially on hot afternoons when the showcase faces more heat.
- Can I keep sandwiches in the same glass-door cooler as drinks?
- You can, but set the cooler for the food, not the drinks. Drinks are fine anywhere in the chilled range, while sandwiches, wraps and salads need to stay at or below about +5 °C. Put food on the shelves that hold the coldest temperature and check them with a probe thermometer.
Before you buy
All guides- Commercial Refrigerator Buying Guide (India)9 min read
- Reach-in vs Undercounter Refrigerator: Which to Choose6 min read
- Commercial Refrigerator Maintenance Checklist6 min read
- Types of Commercial Refrigerators Explained6 min read
- Reach-in Refrigerator Guide for Hot Indian Kitchens6 min read
- Reach-in Freezer Guide for Commercial Kitchens5 min read
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